Screaming fans, bright lights, long lines and crowds of people. This is what you expect when you enter “Stadio Artemio Franchi” on the day of a game. But on April 14, 2015 Prof. Bianchi’s Sports History and Culture class received an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the Fiorentina Football Club.

By Elle O’Hara (Penn State) and Shelby Hub (Quinnipiac Uni)

“We were greeted by several senior managers of the club, and brought into the pressroom to hear about the history and current business state. They touched upon numerous topics: the architecture, the reason why Fiorentina is purple, the shocking sum (over 1 million euros a year!) the team spends on the players’ uniforms, and many other anecdotes. From this presentation, we were able to understand the importance of Fiorentina to the region. We were allowed to ask questions and we were all given a Fiorentina flag, pen, and agenda.

Following our pressroom interviews we were then brought to the VIP area (where the owner sits) and Fiorentina’s locker room, gaining a perspective on how the players get ready for the game. Our event-filled evening ended on the field, where the magic happens. We entered from the tunnel, just like the team does. The turf field below our feet and thousands of seats above us gave a truly spectacular feeling. We learned about the importance of football, the history and future of Fiorentina, and how great the stadium truly is. It was an incredible experience that allowed us to see what we were learning in class within a real context. The field trip made everything come full circle!”