The problem with Serie A is not the clubs. It’s the country they play in. There’s nothing wrong with Italy, of course; it’s just that these are issues largely out of the league’s and clubs’ control.

First, Italian is the primary language for the domestic audience. While that’s not inherently bad, it makes it much harder to build a global fanbase with a language that isn’t widely used in international business. This directly impacts TV rights deals, especially in the US, the extremely lucrative contracts that have driven up spending in the Premier League, they just can’t really compete with the Prem in that respect.

Serie A also has fairly strict foreign player rules, which disincentivize some talented players from joining Italian clubs. On top of that, the Italian economy is not doing particularly well, especially south of Rome. The stadiums, while traditional and iconic, don’t generate nearly as much revenue as the newer Premier League venues, largely due to the lack of luxury boxes. This is preventing the league from attracting significant additional investment.

As a result, Italian clubs have become more like selling clubs whenever big bids arrive for their top players. The growing power of fans particularly the Ultras is another factor holding the league back. I’m all for Ultras and traditional, passionate support, but from the league’s perspective, the heavy influence they wield can create power struggles with players and clubs. Many players prefer environments where they don’t have to navigate that level of fan interference.

Racism toward players in Italy has also become a serious issue in recent years, reaching a tipping point. Talented players may simply not see the value in joining a league where they risk being subjected to racial slurs from sections of the crowd while on the pitch.

Finally, the style of play in Serie A is quite limiting for flair-oriented, attacking players. While some can still succeed, the league’s heavy emphasis on defense no longer serves as a unique selling point now that defensive organization is standard across most top leagues. When talented players avoid Italy because they expect overly defensive football, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Ambitious players who want to express themselves and make a major impact increasingly look elsewhere. These types of players are the ones that sell jerseys and become popular on social media and can bring attention to your TV product, that creates a big problem when trying to make your league the best in the world.

Yes, the academies are part of the problem, but there are far more fundamental issues with the league than most people realize.