The Athletic FC Podcast — "Cesc Fabregas, data, and Disney: Inside Como"

Date: November 13, 2025
Host: Ayo Akimolere
Guests: Matt Slater, Mehran Sowarso (CEO, Como 1907)

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the remarkable rise of Como 1907—a football club that has surged from Serie D to Serie A in just six years. Host Ayo Akimolere, joined by The Athletic’s Matt Slater and Como CEO Mehran Sowarso, unpacks the club’s innovative business model, the role of data and global partnerships, the community-centric ethos driving their decisions, and why Como is described as football’s "Disneyland." The discussion blends football, branding, community, and disruption, giving a rare inside look at the thinking behind a breakout club.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origins of the Como Project and Media Influence

• Buying Como for Content, Not Just Football
  • [02:56] Mehran Sowarso explains the initial motive:

    "I bought the club... when I was running a TV station and... we just lost the Italian league rights... We had this under 17 Indonesian team... broadcasting the games live... the ratings were higher than [Premier League]. I thought: why not buy a team somewhere... and place these boys... But found out you're not allowed non-EU players below the top division."

• From Media Venture to Business:
  • [04:02]

    "We tried to make documentaries... but when we came to the second division, the budget became significantly higher... the only way for us to recoup our money back is to turn this into a business."

2. Transition to a Football Business

• Convincing Uninterested Owners

  • [05:01]

    "When it became a business on its own, we had to figure out a way for it to become a business... They're not exactly passionate about football as a business or passionate about football at all..."

• Startup Mentality and Sustainable Ambitions

  • [07:03]

    "Every year is like a new startup because suddenly the cost... goes higher and higher... I would say we're in the second year of our startup because this is Serie A."

3. Player Recruitment, Data, and the 'Como Model'

• Combining Data and Human Touch

  • [17:03]

    "We learn from Jamestown, from Billy Beane... Ludonautics with Ian Graham... But we try to create our own... 60 people strong data team... But we also work with other providers as well to benchmark."

  • [17:55]

    "Data is only the top of the funnel... then you go into behavior analysis, social media history ('the five wheels'—player, girlfriend, wife, father, mother)... the coaching team and board of recruitment makes final calls."

• Cesc Fabregas's Influence, But Not a Dictatorship

  • [18:38] Matt Slater:

    "Fabregas... referred to as an English style manager... giving him the keys. Is that fair?"

  • [18:58] Mehran Sowarso:

    "Yes and no... We have that board of directors. No decision is made unless majority agrees. Cesk is instrumental... but it's a joint decision."

  • [20:11] Citing Fabregas's humility and ability to "prove the data wrong" with player insights—example: transforming Lucas da Cunha from winger to midfielder, turning €250k into €15m offers.

4. Financial Model & Diversification: Football as Disney

• Football as the 'Disneyland' of the Brand

  • [21:35] Mehran clarifies:

    "The brand for us is Como. So that's what the Disney company is. The football club is the theme park division. Disneyland has to be fun. The football team has to be fun to watch."

• Monetising Tourism and Community Engagement

  • [07:37, 10:53]

    "We identified tourism... premium soccer, travel and tourism business... the ecosystem we build around it." "25% of top line revenue goes back to business owners, 25% to the community, 50% reinvested into products... From 18 to 585 shops in Como province..."

• Retail, Merch, and Global Outreach

  • [28:47]

    "When we started, annual revenue from merchandising was €53,000. Last year... €10m, this year €34m. Como, the city... the shoes I'm wearing... has nothing to do, no club attributes whatsoever." "The Lago di Como sailing collection... retails for €200. Ruud apparel: €350 t-shirts, sold at Harrods..."

• Sustaining Growth Beyond Football

  • [26:08, 27:31]

    "The stadium... because of the limitation of the capacity, is the experience... on the outside, coming in, only place you can have a drink by the lake three minutes before coming into the game." "Our match day boxes go for €375,000 each... food matches the region of our opponent—a mini tour of Italy." "Our fastest growing divisions: retail, ticketing, data analysis, transportation."

5. Stadium, Local Identity, and Premium Experience

• Community Integration & Heritage
  • [10:26-13:20]

    "We go back to the heritage... the new club logo is like the old one... 'Semkoumask,' a local dialect, brought back." "Season tickets for division three fans are still the same price."

6. Pushing Boundaries: International Games and Partnerships

• Taking Serie A Abroad

  • [36:37]

    "Como vs Milan in Perth marks the first domestic European match to be played abroad. League asked us... the NFL plays in Europe all the time... We need more exposure. Premier League is too strong."

  • On Fan Backlash:

    "Of course we have pushbacks... but we have to look at the bigger interest of the club and league, which in the end serves the biggest interest of the fans too..."

• Pathways, Partnerships, and Multi-Club Model

  • [43:17]

    "One club's not enough... another club, another market?"
    "Never enough headache to manage one club... We partner with Ajax, recently signed with a Saudi club... partnerships are comprehensive, exchanging players and expertise rather than ownership."

7. Challenges, Disruption, and the Future

• Disruption Not for Disruption’s Sake

  • [40:02]

    "I don't take pride in disruption... we have to find something new and innovative... that's why merchandising focusses on the Como name. Football is the catalyst, but it's about building brands and ecosystems."

  • [41:59] On profitability and patience:

    "We're two years in Serie A. E-commerce back home took 12 years. I need five years minimum for Como's success. I'll take three more years."

• On Selling Players and Sustainability

  • [37:37, 42:35]

    "If the owner says, 'let's close up shop,' they'd recoup all their money today." "Player trading is our insurance, but we want growth everywhere, not just on player sales."

• Memorable Quotes:

  • On Series A's New Landscape:

    "Every year is like a new startup because suddenly the cost... goes higher and higher..." — Mehran Sowarso [07:03]

  • On Data vs. Human Judgment:

    "Sometimes we had a data player... But Cesk says, 'no... he'll play this way with us,' and he has proven data can be wrong..." [20:11]

  • On Brand Vision:

    "The football club is the theme park division. Disneyland has to be fun. So the football team has to be fun to watch." [21:35]

  • On Merchandise Growth:

    "Annual revenue of our merchandising was €53,000. Last year... €10m, this year €34m." [28:47]

  • On Partnerships over Ownership:

    "Partnership is the right model... sharing expertise... without the headache of that financial responsibility." [43:17]

Notable Segments (Timestamps)

• [02:56-05:26] — The Origin Story: Buying Como and the initial 'content play'
• [07:03-10:26] — Startup mentality, business sustainability, investments
• [13:20-14:38] — Community projects and echoing local traditions
• [16:34-18:38] — Recruitment process, learning from data giants, Fabregas' role
• [21:35-24:34] — The 'Disneyland' comparison and stadium hospitality plan
• [27:31-30:25] — Retail growth, premium branding, and global reach
• [32:58-34:53] — On-pitch success: Beating Juventus and Fabregas’ game plans
• [36:37-39:08] — Going global: The Perth match and exporting Serie A
• [40:02-43:17] — Disruption, innovation, and collaborative club partnerships

Tone & Style

The conversation is candid, entrepreneurial, with moments of humor (Mehran credits himself as "Chief Delusional Officer" [27:45]), and unapologetically ambitious. Mehran is analytical yet community-conscious, blending business acumen with genuine respect for Como’s roots. Matt Slater brings a healthy skepticism and journalistic curiosity. The tone is accessible with technical and business insights unpacked for football fans of all backgrounds.

Conclusion

This episode offers an unprecedented look at football’s intersection with global business, branding, data strategy, and community. Como’s meteoric rise is presented as much more than a sports story: it’s a case study in modern sports entrepreneurship, with Cesc Fabregas as an emblem of footballing intelligence and flexibility, but the real star is the global-local vision for Como as a football club—and a unique lifestyle brand.

Recommended for:

• Listeners interested in football innovation, data-driven club models, sports entrepreneurship, and the balance between heritage and global ambition.
• Fans of inside stories about how "underdog" clubs disrupt the game on and off the pitch.