Parma Calcio 1913

Parma Calcio 1913 and their fans, particularly the club’s season-ticket holders, have been on a memorable journey to get where they are today.

It has been a rollercoaster ride for the Ducali, from the highs of winning the 1995 and 1999 editions of the then UEFA Cup to the lows of facing bankruptcy in 1968, 2004 and 2015, but, if anything, the connection with the steadfast supporters has been reinforced.

Whether it’s the number 12 shirt being reserved for fans, or every season-ticket holder’s name being embroidered on previous club kits, this relationship has been admired even by those who do not feel the same attachment to Parma.

The passion for Parma has been passed on through the generations within the local, tight-knit fanbase. When Parma FC were dismantled due to bankruptcy in 2015, a new club was formed in their place, with “Calcio 1913” (the year of the original club’s foundation) added to the name, and the city’s mayor spoke openly about the need for the community to get behind the revamped team.

The fans listened and responded in abundance as a whopping 10,089 season tickets were sold, breaking the previous Serie D record set by ACN Siena, who filled 3,774 annual seats.

After back-to-back promotions, interest started to emerge from business leaders worldwide. Consequently, the club was able to attract new sources of investment in addition to those obtained by the club’s previous owners. A remaining 10% of club shares belonged to crowdfunding supporters, who were integral during the club’s relaunch.

The new Chinese investors knew the fundamental role that the fans had played in the club’s history and upward trajectory. The local feeling around the club remained present during and after the new ownership’s arrival as supporters felt as connected with their team as ever before. Employing former Parma player Hernán Crespo as Vice-President was a move that went down well with fans.

The combination of business intelligence and the fans’ passion saw Parma complete a hat-trick of promotions, swiftly returning to Serie A.

The connection didn’t stop there. In the club’s first match back in the Italian top flight, at home to ACF Fiorentina, local fans were treated to general-sale tickets costing EUR 1 – the same price that Parma FC had been sold for during the 2015 debacle.

For their first season back in Serie A, the 2018/19 campaign, Parma had sold 11,050 season tickets, more than the tallies from each of the past five seasons. Importantly, they avoided instant relegation back to Serie B. Fans would enjoy two more seasons in Serie A that saw their team rekindle their rivalry with the likes of Juventus FC, AC Milan, FC Inter Milan, AS Roma, Fiorentina and SS Lazio, with whom they had engaged in so many blockbuster tussles in the 1990s.

In the summer of 2019, Parma took their bond with their supporters to greater heights. Working with digital agency Caffeina, the Una Storia Infinita (A Never-Ending Story) campaign was brought to life in every corner of the city.

A 105-metre-long scarf (as long as a football pitch) was the centrepiece of the campaign. Every season-ticket holder was able to sign it in the town’s main square and it was subsequently brought to the Ennio Tardini Stadium for the opening match against Juventus.

Before the encounter with The Old Lady, a photo booth was set up by Caffeina, where fans could take a picture with the scarf. It comes as no surprise that some timeless photos were created and later shared on the club’s Instagram channel, featuring supporters of all ages.

According to Caffeina’s CEO Tiziano Tassi, the campaign was integral in “combining physical and digital media to stimulate the fans’ passion and unite fans of all generations”. Special tickets for under-30s were also created for the new season, with free admission offered for under-8s. Significantly, Parma also had the cheapest season ticket price in Serie A at EUR 170.

Last year’s takeover by an American company has propelled the global interest in Parma. Their fans have been involved every step of the way and have been rewarded for their dedication. After suffering relegation to Serie B last season, their incredible support will be needed once more but is sure to be recognised.