CIt’s an invisible thread that unites the calm waters of Como, the skyscrapers of Los Angeles and the canals of Venice. Holding it in her hands is Francesca Bodiea manager who was able to transform her return to Italy into a real cultural revolution. She is not just the new president of Venezia Calcio: she is the first woman to lead the club in over a century of history. A notable achievement in a world, that of football, still strongly linked to male patterns. Bodie, in fact, enters the scene not only to manage a team, but to bring a vision that grounds global business and a deep respect for its roots.
Who is Francesca Bodie, new president of Venezia Calcio
The manager’s story does not begin with the ready-made armchair of an elegant office, but among the landscapes of Lake Como, where she was born and spent the first years of her life. This connection with Italy has never fadedalthough his career took off in the United States. Growing up in the shadow of a business giant like his father Tim LeiwekeBodie didn’t choose the easy path, but he built his authority on the field. Before disembarking in the lagoon, therefore, she made a name for herself in the Oak View Groupwhere as director of operations she oversaw the birth of legendary arenas in Seattle and New York. That’s where he learned to manage billion-dollar budgets and to coordinate projects that change the face of cities: an experience that he today puts at the service of his new Italian challenge.
The Toronto-Venice axis and the hand of rapper Drake: the rise of Francesca Bodie
Venezia arrived almost by chance: Francesca Bodie’s fate intersected with that of the great international stars in Canadaat the Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainmenta company that manages iconic teams like the Toronto Raptors. It is precisely in those offices that the agreement with the rapper Drake was borna name that needs no introduction.
Between the two, however, there was not only a professional collaboration, but a harmony of visions: Drake recognized the necessary leadership in her to transform Venezia from a club in crisis to a global brand. Bodie was the key figure that the rapper wanted to manage the 100 million euro fundraising, entrusting her with the task of transforming the club into a jewel that combines sport with luxury and pop culture.
Venezia returns to Serie A and chooses a woman to lead its new international era. Here among Ray Waddell, Oak View Group, and Bob Roux, President of US Concerts for Live Nation. (Getty Images)
Leadership between heart and global strategy
Being president, for Francesca Bodie, therefore, does not just mean looking at the result on the scoreboard. It means honoring the identity of a city that she herself loves deeply. “We made this choice because we love this city and its people,” he declared, immediately making it clear that his leadership style will not be cold or detached. His mission is twofold: guarantee economic stability in Serie A and, at the same time, make Venezia a point of reference for international lifestyle. Working alongside expert managers, in fact, he will try to bring that touch of American modernity that serves to make football an experience that goes beyond ninety minutes of playmade up of hospitality, events and beauty.
The homecoming of a visionary manager
The real test for Francesca Bodie will be the transformation of the way in which she experiences the match. In the United States, his specialty it was creating arenas where people go hours before the start to eat, shop and meet, regardless of the sporting result. His challenge will be to apply this model to a unique context in the world: the idea is, in fact, to make the Pier Luigi Penzo stadium and the future infrastructures a place of high level hospitality, almost like a boutique hotel or an exclusive club. It will no longer just be about selling tickets, but to create tourist packagescollateral events and luxury merchandising with the “Venezia” brand to attract the international public who already flock to the city, but who until now he had never considered football as part of his Venetian itinerary.