Lazio fans announce boycott — empty stands expected at the Olimpico on the season opener

When the 125th edition of the Italian football championship kicks off on August 22, expectations are that Stadio Olimpico could have unusually sparse home support whenever Lazio play.

Supporters of the club — the sky blues — have staged a firm, disciplined boycott of first-team matches that organisers say will leave only a few thousand spectators for Gennaro Gattuso’s side. Reports indicate there will often be more travelling fans than home followers in Rome.

The protest targets owner Claudio Lotito. Lotito took control of the club at the height of the financial crisis in 2004 and now holds a 67 percent stake in the club’s ownership structure, but many supporters accuse him of running Lazio for personal gain and not matching the club’s stature or ambitions. They point to recent on-field results as evidence.

Season-ticket collapse

Only 1,600 of last season’s 29,000 season-ticket holders have renewed, a fall of 94 percent. By withholding their subscriptions, supporters have removed from the club more than 20 million euros of "guaranteed" income — a sacrifice they say is necessary to inflict direct damage on the unwanted owner.

Club officials and fans remain at odds, and the situation will be closely watched as the campaign opens for what is also the 95th season played under the double round-robin, points-based format. Whether the boycott forces a change in ownership or leads to a negotiated settlement, it has already reshaped the political atmosphere around Lazio ahead of the new season.

Photo: press material from the event