Thoughts About Football & Chill, WMNS EURO '22
An evening to celebrate the women in the game, Italy's national team and make new friends!
For the past couple of weeks I have been working on something that has reminded me why I prefer to be invited to events with the option to “forget” about my RSVP last minute, rather than to organize them and be forced to go.
Moreover, I was reminded why I left the business of event organizing to focus on a less hectic part of marketing: storytelling.
No stress, no fuss, no hysterical people running around a venue yelling that everything sucks; no dealing with small nuisances that have the potential to ruin it all (eg. rain).
The project in question is an experience I am curating in collaboration with DOPO? – a Milan-based cultural space founded by a collective of VERY COOL architects and designers – with the aim to raise awareness around women’s football during the EURO ‘22 and show that the game isn’t only about what goes on in the pitch. There is much more.
Cheekily dubbed Football & Chill –a name borrowed from an old editorial I directed for Season Zine a few issues ago– the event will take place this upcoming Sunday, July 10th, in conjunction with Italy’s first game at the tournament hosted by England (Why there if it’s not part of Europe anymore?).
It will consist of a number of activities designed to bring fans and curious people closer to the game, focusing on the social aspect of football rather than on what goes on inside the stadium as its technicalities are one of the main deterrents that push girls away from being interested. Who cares if you don’t know how the offside rule works?
Over the course of the evening, thirty lucky people will have the chance to participate in a painting workshop (kindly provided by Nike) and a nail station by Unghie Supreme where they will be able to choose a design in support of their team, while a DJ from newly formed collective Slip Mode will play some tunes.
Following this more intimate start, I will be moderating a talk panel titled “Football, culture & society: sport beyond the pitch” with some incredible guests.
To end the night on a high note, we will be screening France vs Italy.
Of course drinks will be provided! Because is it really match-day without an ice cold beer?
When I first came up with this concept and brought it to my friend Bianca (co-founder of Dopo?), I was pretty discouraged by the fact that the WMNS EURO 22 was extremely talked about everywhere except for Italy.
Possibly because our team isn’t sponsored by Nike, but I believe football is still too much of a “cliché” thing in this country.
It is considered a sport for men; something “other” from culture when really, it is one of the most culturally impactful feats in Italian society.
Everybody has a football story, whether they actively keep up with the sport or they are just passive bystanders.
Do you remember where you were in the summer of 2006 when we won the World Cup against our arch enemy? Think about it.
Football isn’t only a game played on Sundays at a stadium where sponsors spend billions of dollars to buy visibility and athletes are treated like Gods on earth.
The “beautiful game”, as they rightfully call it, is a moment of conviviality, emotion and social gathering.
It is one of the most powerful social aggregators to exist. An international language that bonds families, friends, cultures and countries together.
If we dare to look beyond the multi-billion façade of the industry, we can find a layer full of hopes and dreams. A stress release transcending class, race, religion, sex.
The grassroots football community is filled with incredible people working hard to improve their environment.
Maybe I am biased as this sport is the reason why I am even alive today (if it wasn’t for football my mother would have never met my father), but as I intensify my research and practice within this sector, I am increasingly becoming more adamant about the importance of understanding all of its nuances.
By creating these types of events and activations, I hope to be able to instill the same interest in other people.
So, if you happen to be in Milan this weekend, please join us at Football & Chill! It will be fun!
Please not that we have limited capacity so in order to participate you will need to reserve your spot by rsvp’ing to this email: FOOTBALLNCHILLRSVP@GMAIL.COM
Here’s the full info:
FOOTBALL & CHILL
DOORS OPEN 7:15PM
TALK STARTS 7:45PM
SCREENING OF FRANCE VS ITALY 9:00PM
ADDRESS: DOPO?, Via Carlo Boncompagni 51/10, Milano
See you there!