The (real) value of the team
Sporting enterprise stories as examples for businesses
A company as a team. Not just rhetoric, but a practical approach. The idea of creating an equivalence, or at least a connection, between the organisation of a sports team and that of a company is nothing new, but it still offers useful insights for those involved in setting up or relaunching a business. It is with this in mind that I recommend reading ‘Campioni a Sorpresa: Dallo sport al business: superare le attese e costruire successi’ (Surprise champions. From sport to business: exceeding expectations and building success), a recently published book by Marco Alfieri.
Alfieri uses the stories of three teams as examples. He explains how they have rewritten the rules of the game, transforming themselves from provincial dreamers into absolute leaders. Imoco Volley Conegliano was born out of bankruptcy in 2012 and now dominates world volleyball, having won twenty-nine titles. Aquila Basket Trento has climbed every category from Serie D to winning the historic Italian Cup after beating Olimpia Milano. Meanwhile, Joey Saputo’s Bologna has kept a decade-long promise by qualifying for the Champions League and winning the Coppa Italia.
The book recounts the stories of the individuals responsible for leading ‘the team’ to seemingly ‘impossible victories’, whether they be the chairman, coach or manager.
The message from the examples collected by Marco Alfieri is clear: we do not need boundless capital or luck, but rather long-term strategic vision, patience in our daily operations and unwavering faith in our human resources. The book brings concepts such as shared leadership, talent enhancement and regional identity that becomes a competitive advantage to life. It is a must-read.
Campioni a sorpresa. Dallo sport al business: superare le attese e costruire successi
Marco Alfieri
Egea, 2026
Sporting enterprise stories as examples for businesses
A company as a team. Not just rhetoric, but a practical approach. The idea of creating an equivalence, or at least a connection, between the organisation of a sports team and that of a company is nothing new, but it still offers useful insights for those involved in setting up or relaunching a business. It is with this in mind that I recommend reading ‘Campioni a Sorpresa: Dallo sport al business: superare le attese e costruire successi’ (Surprise champions. From sport to business: exceeding expectations and building success), a recently published book by Marco Alfieri.
Alfieri uses the stories of three teams as examples. He explains how they have rewritten the rules of the game, transforming themselves from provincial dreamers into absolute leaders. Imoco Volley Conegliano was born out of bankruptcy in 2012 and now dominates world volleyball, having won twenty-nine titles. Aquila Basket Trento has climbed every category from Serie D to winning the historic Italian Cup after beating Olimpia Milano. Meanwhile, Joey Saputo’s Bologna has kept a decade-long promise by qualifying for the Champions League and winning the Coppa Italia.
The book recounts the stories of the individuals responsible for leading ‘the team’ to seemingly ‘impossible victories’, whether they be the chairman, coach or manager.
The message from the examples collected by Marco Alfieri is clear: we do not need boundless capital or luck, but rather long-term strategic vision, patience in our daily operations and unwavering faith in our human resources. The book brings concepts such as shared leadership, talent enhancement and regional identity that becomes a competitive advantage to life. It is a must-read.
Campioni a sorpresa. Dallo sport al business: superare le attese e costruire successi
Marco Alfieri
Egea, 2026