With a 50% viewership hike in the United States for the 2024-25 Serie A season, Italian soccer is just what American sports fans ordered. We speak with Serie A North America CEO Andy Mitchell to discuss the league’s growth and its future in the U.S.
Dating back to the late 1800s, the Italian diaspora in the United States has led to a ubiquitous cultural impact across the country. From fashion, to the arts, and perhaps most notably in cuisine, Italian culture is everywhere in the U.S. — Paulie Gualtieri sums it up pretty succinctly in the second episode of season one of The Sopranos.
An estimated 6 million Americans travel to Italy each year, and around 51 million Americans have an “affinity” for Italian culture. This is perhaps nowhere more noticeable than in New York City, where it is the cultural backbone for many communities.
It only makes sense that Italian soccer would find its way to an American audience.
At one time, Serie A was the best soccer league in the world, with AC Milan and Juventus among the most feared and respected clubs on the planet. After a significant dip in quality and the rise of the Premier League’s global appeal, Serie A has been steadily regaining prominence over the past five years.
For American audiences, CBS has played a key role in helping fans appreciate the passion and elegance of Italian soccer, which is now more attack-minded than ever. It also helps that five American players currently play for Serie A teams.
As Serie A continues to gain exposure through its broadcast partners, the league is steadily climbing the ranks in the competitive world of global soccer fandom.
In our interview with Andy Mitchell, CEO of Serie A North America, we discuss the league’s future plans in the U.S. market and what legacy players like Christian Pulisic might leave as the league continues its international growth.
Urban Pitch: What do the metrics show about the growing popularity of Serie A in the United States? What are the main goals of Serie A to penetrate the American market?
Andy Mitchell: Our main goals are to build on the existing audience for Italian soccer, and to increase brand awareness and revenue. When the U.S. office was initially established, the focus had been on audience and brand, but now we’re turning our attention to monetization.
Every metric we track is trending in the right direction. Our broadcast audience is up 50% year-on-year. Our weekly newsletter, Calcio Weekly, has been growing at a steady state while maintaining an incredible engagement rate.
Is Serie A satisfied with the overall viewership? How is the league working with its television and media providers to ensure the best broadcast and that the overall message of the league is being communicated?
CBS is a great partner and we are proud of what we’ve accomplished with them. 50% audience growth is truly amazing, but we believe there is a very high ceiling. We partner with them in a myriad of ways.
One great example is their new Christian Pulisic doc, which provides fascinating insight into the life of a top-level footballer and the very tough journey to get there.
CBS has also been sending reporters to Italy for big matches to capture the culture of calcio. It’s such a unique football culture and to experience it, even through the broadcast, helps our audience see what’s special about this league.
What has surprised you regarding the American market and Serie A?
The strength of the unique selling proposition that differentiates Serie A from its European counterparts: Italian culture. We did some research and found that 51 million Americans have an affinity for Italian culture and 6 million Americans travel to Italy every year. Americans love Italy, so creating and fostering this cultural connection creates a transformational opportunity for us.
How does a league like Serie A create long-term interest in its product once players like Christian Pulisic or Tim Weah are done playing in the league? Do Americans need to be involved in Serie A to maintain significant attention?
Does having American players help us? Absolutely, American players fuel American interest. But, Serie A historically was the most important league in the world, and we’ve regained our place as a global powerhouse over the last few years.
Americans want to see soccer at the highest level, and that’s what they have in Italy. Plus, the league has some of the most recognizable and well-loved teams in football like AC Milan, Inter, Roma, and Juventus.
It’s a league that’s been around for a long time and has undeniable staying power in the North American market. It’s also worth noting that nine of this season’s teams have North American ownership — the investment and interest in Italian soccer from this territory is quantifiably long-term.
Soccer in the United States seems very fragmented. You have MLS, Serie A, EPL, La Liga, and it becomes very niche with fans following Colombia, Argentina, and Liga MX. How important is storytelling in keeping the audience as large as possible?
There’s a lot of reasons people may follow a particular league or club, and we have to target fans in ways that will resonate with them. Storytelling is a very important tactic that we employ, but we also pay attention to catering to those interested in data and statistics, or those with a cultural affinity for Italy. We strive to meet people where they are and present the league in a way that is going to resonate with them.
What plans does Serie A have for the future of the U.S. market, and what are the KPIs for the league?
Continuing to align with travel and culture are two of our top priorities. We have some big new initiatives planned for next season that will focus on these areas to widen the funnel. The next two years will be crucial with the FIFA World Cup coming to the U.S. and the potential to reach a new pool of soccer-curious people that may not have a team or league they follow.
Our plans are focused on bringing in new fans of all kinds: from the hardcore fans to the newcomers who may see the World Cup on home soil and want to follow the beautiful game from there.
