Fact or Fiction?

Let’s try to predict through an imaginary crystal ball what the next Italian men’s handball season might bring about. Men’s “Serie A, Divisione Nazionale”: Not many of the current season’s teams will be able to afford to compete in 2013/14.The average handball manager will blame the economic recession and refusing to be kept accountable for the amateurish way of running the sport in Italy. Maybe the federation would like to avoid a complete failure by reshuffling again the championship format as rumored in various quarters. Will the Lipam (Italian men’s handball league) still be around and indeed promoting effectively handball in the media? We doubt the Lipam will keep up with its initial promises, because since its launch, a year ago, it did not stick to its initial plans to market handball properly. Handball will have a minimal coverage on TV networks and national press if any at all. YouTube and other social media will be used more and more by the individual teams to market the game. The current federation top officials group will be still running the show, as apathy and a lack of incisive actions to bring about change will contribute to leave things as they were before. Nationwide, teams numbers will be shrinking more and more, leaving big areas of the country without any clubs and any playing activity. The men’s national team will still be amongst the worst performing Europeans teams due to amateurish and incompetent coaching and managerial style. A lack of an effective scouting, mentoring and youth program will be the last straw to the urgent need of a players’ generational change in the senior squad. The sport popularity will be plummeting again among youngsters who would rather follow and support the Velux Champions League, French and German teams than local top clubs. All in all, not a pretty scenario: hopefully facts will prove us wrong.