Volleyball, Rome tries again: again in A1 this time in the heart of the capital

Rome returns to Rome. On Sunday 15 October with Chieri Roma Volley returns to play in the capital in the women’s A1 and does so in what it considers its “natural” home: the sports hall in Piazza Apollodoro. A full house is expected with a glimpse of 2,500 seats in the match on Sunday at 5pm in which the Giallorossi will face the Piedmontese team, who lost in the derby against Novara and who will immediately try to recover. Roma, on the other hand, already scored on their away debut by winning at Vallefoglia. “Playing in the arena is certainly something fascinating and will give us a positive boost with a very high impact,” comments Roma volleyball general manager Roberto Mignemi. “Finally having the plant available radically changes the prospects. Firstly from the point of view of management costs which will be more contained, and for this we thank the municipality, secondly for the centrality of the facility which will allow spectators to reach it more easily (the club’s slogan this year is “In the heart of Rome”, ed.) and then, importantly, this will be our home also in the years to come and this will lead to both greater stability and greater savings of energy to dedicate to sporting activities”.

Marketing job

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From a marketing point of view, the Roma brand is an excellence: “We tried to make Roma Volley a visible product with a strong emotional impact. There are, and are arriving, important companies such as Acea and Aeroitalia that have embraced the project and we will try to make the brand increasingly attractive”, adds Mignemi. For Rome it is an important season. The return to A1 after over twenty years of absence had already taken place two years ago but the team was relegated at the last minute. Management errors and a bit of bad luck not to be repeated: “We have learned a great lesson, namely that to face the top flight you need a team already well built in A2 and this, with some good additions, is certainly also for the A1 and he demonstrated it amply last year by winning the A2 championship and cup (only one defeat in the whole season for 3-2, ed.). However, it must be said that when we were promoted two years ago it was May 2nd and the transfer market was practically closed. Despite this we managed to land good shots like Klimets and Stigrot. Let’s also put on the table that there was inexperience and we lost a few games too many, also thanks to a bit of bad luck, and we found ourselves second to last”, adds general manager Mignemi.

Palaeur’s choice

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“In that case you could have chosen not to play at the EUR Sports Palace and go to the province to save and invest elsewhere. I believe that the choice was correct as it generated what we are today, the Rome volleyball team. All this passed through the PalaEur and it was useful, it created cheering, it created affection, people continued to follow us in Guidonia and now at the Palazzetto in Piazza Apollodoro”. On the next match: “I expect a tough match because Chieri is an excellent team, solid and organised, even having changed a lot. We are confident, the team will certainly give its all and the friendly walls of the arena will certainly be the seventh man on the pitch.” The target? “A quiet salvation. Everything that comes in addition will be all gained”