New "Ripescaggio" Criteria

Discussion in 'Italy' started by RandyNA74, Feb 1, 2006.

  1. RandyNA74

    RandyNA74 Member

    Jun 9, 2004
    Washington, DC
    Club:
    SSC Napoli
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    Since ripescaggi are becoming the primary means by which teams are promoted and relegated these days, here is some important news. The Italian federation has approved the new criteria that will be used to determine who gets ripescato and who doesn't. 50% of the consideration will be given to the results of that given season, while 30% of the consideration will be given to the club's history (i.e. a bigger club will get preferential treatment over another when in doubt). The number of spectators and overall size of the market will be a determining factor by the remaining 30% [sic]. Teams that were relegated for disciplinary reasons (i.e. Genoa) will not be able to benefit from a ripescaggio. Also, clubs will not be able to benefit from ripescaggi more than twice in five years, which means Pescara has cashed in all their chits and will have to play in Serie C next year come hell or high water if they finish in relegation zone (they've been salvaged from C for the past two years, by the way).

    Stay tuned in August when the lineups of the 2006-07 season will be announced by the Lazio TAR!

     
  2. phillips10

    phillips10 New Member

    Oct 15, 2001
    Cranford
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    so basically they are just putting down on paper what we all thought...the clubs with the better history and bigger fan bases come out on top in disputes.
     
  3. allycks

    allycks New Member

    Feb 14, 2002
    Parma, Italy
    It's more complicated than that. Sometimes the bigger more historical clubs get punished for hubris (i.e. raising a ruckus and questioning the status quo) or other mysterious reasons. Look at Torino and Napoli getting shafted, while Parma and Lazio have been repeatedly left off the hook. Fiorentina got a near death penalty (C2) because of Cechi Gori, then a deus ex machina back to B with Della Valle. Last season's promotions were Genoa, Torino, and Perugia--about as big as you can get in Serie B, and after all the machinations look who ended up promoted instead: Treviso, Ascoli, and Empoli, minnows all.

    It's a positive step that they've layed down some criteria for ripescaggi, but those rules were still left broad enough to allow for plenty of political 'interpretation.'
     
  4. phillips10

    phillips10 New Member

    Oct 15, 2001
    Cranford
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    its an old argument around here, but theres a clear difference. Torino, Napoli and Fiorentina went bankrupt. Debts and obligations died with an old club, and new clubs were setup. Lazio has signed deals to repay all of its debt and sold players to help get out of it as well. I believe Parma has taken that route on a smaller scale. Now of course as popular clubs in the state they've received favorable long-term repayment plans that normal companies wouldnt be offered. Regardless, theres a big difference between paying your debt, and walking away from it.
     
  5. allycks

    allycks New Member

    Feb 14, 2002
    Parma, Italy
    I understand what you're saying, but still the 'rules' aren't clear at all. On the contrary. For example Parma AC went bankrupt, too, we're now technically Parma FC.
    Another oddity... this summer Bologna (demoted) basically challenged Messina (safely in A) on the basis of Messina's supposedly unpaid debts. Obviously Messina survived the challenge, merited or not, though it looked grim for a while. It was a play-off or play-out which took place not in the stadium but in the lawyer's offices. In a way it's both sickening and fascinating that the road to Serie A often has little to do with actual performance on the field.
     
  6. phillips10

    phillips10 New Member

    Oct 15, 2001
    Cranford
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    thats exactly how I feel, I love it and hate it at the same time.
     
  7. RandyNA74

    RandyNA74 Member

    Jun 9, 2004
    Washington, DC
    Club:
    SSC Napoli
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    The latest pearl from Vittorio Zucconi is somewhat appropriate here:

    "I hear that already today, Italian kids are collecting wrestling stickers and ignoring the soccer players. Maybe in their naive wisdom they've already realized that they are practically the same thing, where the winner, the good guy and the bad guy, is predetermined."
     

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