With the Women Italian Coppa Italia is kicking off the English coverage of the event, why? As I have already said: because I can, but moreover because there is none of that, and due to the huge influx of Linea Laterale website traffic outside the Italian digital border, it makes sense. Because I cannot write in Portuguese either, that looks more like futsal’s vehicular language.
Eight teams out of 12, like 75% of the team, are going to show up for the Coppa Italia final act. To give you a comparison, out of 351 basketball division 1, only 68 programs qualify for March Madness, which is 1/5 of the total. Female Futsal, the pretentious and self-proclaimed female futsal “Premier League,” allows practically anyone not too bad in. Then granting a Coppa Italia to each level of Italian futsal—one for Serie A, one for Serie B, and even one for regional Serie C—so, at the end of the week, you have 3 Coppa Italia National holders and plus one for the under 19. There is a prize for all.
Coppa Italia
It’s tougher to get a prize at a shooting range at a fair. Let’s say that Italian futsal chooses to be inclusive, regardless of competitiveness. Every other level has a Final Four, even the lower women’s division tier. The Serie A has a Final Eight, I wonder why. Maybe because it helps the next President Bergamini reelection campaign? Well, it does not look like there is a real competitor on the horizon for him, so it could be just to please everyone because of the “social” root of discipline as stated multiple times by the Divisione Calcio a 5 chairman.
The odds are in favor of the championship leader team, led by coach Gianluca Marzuoli. They have a better roster and a better record. After the winter transfer market window, they lost a goalkeeper like Bianca Castagnaro that let them play on powerplay without switching the goalkeeper. They plugged the hole with an emergency move bringing out from Burela bench and almost retirement Jozi Oliveira. Only one defeat in the championship run with just one defeat vs Falconara they have a clear path to the final.
On the same side is Montesilvano. It is the kind of team that has struggled mightily during its Finals appearances over the years. They often exit the competition after just one game, even though they consistently have very good teams. Even this year, they have quite a good roster, with players well above average. However, they often perform as if they are just punching the timecard. In the end, they have the means to win, but the question is, do they have the will?
Bracket
On the other bracket side, it’s Falconara who holds all the cards even without the home venue advantage that helped them a lot during while struggling on this campaign. On the same side is Francavilla. A good team as much as its best player Debora Vanin is. Coming back from a pernicious injury she had few games to be back in match-ready condition. It will be tricky semifinal eventually.
So, if the 4 best teams in the championship are 9 points apart but the gap between the fifth and the fourth is eight points so almost the same amount, why will be held a Final Eight instead of a more competitive and appalling for viewers, Final Four. Why a whole week worth of event that have no actual entertainment value since even female Serie A has little to no value for most of the matches. Italian Futsal is not competing in a bubble, there are tons of sports around that Italian futsal is up against with.
Attention as asset
Attention nowadays is the biggest asset, it’s what everyone creating content is fighting for. How can a week’s worth of mostly uneventful games help to win new fans’ attention? Well, it’s a rhetorical question because it is not.
Even choosing a venue to host the Final Eight again for financial reasons as it was for Salsomaggiore before and even the remote Bassano del Grappa is a statement about how much this is a sellable event. I get it, money is a central issue in a minor and marginal sport. Still, you need to balance both sides of the event.
Money is the king, but you know you have a queen too. In a week all the chatting will stop for at least 40 minutes at a time, till two teams reach the final and one will lift the cup as Cup Winners and the other will simply go home. There is no prize for second place, no one cares. Best of luck to everyone. Have fun.