Atalanta’s success is often rightly attributed to its coach, Gian Piero Gasperini, in place since the 2016-2017 season. We also often mention the stars: Mateo Retegui, Ademola Lookman or Charles De Ketelaere. But no one ever talks about the president.
By the way, do you know his name? Antonio Percassi (71 years old), however, is a former player of the club. An Italian-style defender who loved his club but was very disappointed when, in 1977, the year of the rise, La Dea traded him for a striker from Cesena.
A year later, Percassi, aged just 24, ended his career to go into business. He managed the Benetton branch in Bergamo before working for Nike, Levi’s, Gucci, Tommy Hilfiger, Ferrari, Ralph Lauren and Victoria’s Secret, almost always in marketing.
A $1.6 billion empire
In 2001 he opened the first Zara store in Italy. Then he created his own brands. Today, he is the head of a $1.6 billion empire.
In 1991, he replaced the interim president of Atalanta, who died in a car accident. Twenty years later he came back to the club because the president had a stroke and he brought them up from Serie B to Serie A.
For five years, the club struggled every year to maintain itself but since the arrival of Gasperini, it finished third three times, played in three Italian Cup finals, participated in the Champions League three times and won the Europa League by beating Lerverkusen in the final last season.
Profit every year for 8 years
Thanks to rigorous management, the club has made a profit every year for 8 years. He has 163 million euros in cash.
One of the secrets lies in the purchase of the stadium from the town hall, in 2017. The naming was then sold to Gewiss. Atalanta is one of the rare Italian clubs that owns its stadium, which it has modernized and which is full every week.
In order to prevent young people from Bergamo from going to Milan, which is only 58 km away, each year he offers a club jersey to newborns in the city (around 35,000 per year).
He also trains his own players: since Percassi’s arrival, the club has won 17 national youth titles and 40% of the club’s profits come from the sale of local talent.
An American co-president
Today, 55% of the shares belong to Stephen Pagliuca, an American millionaire who notably owns the Boston Celtics and who is co-president with Percassi, whose son is managing director.
