Il ‘Mago di Campagna’. Paolo Mazza as president of S.P.A.L. (1947–1976)

Paolo Mazza was the president of Ferrara’s football team, SPAL (Società Polisportiva Ars et Labor), for 29 years, from 1946 to 1976. He led the team in Serie A for almost 16 consecutive seasons, marking the most successful period in SPAL’s history. This article deals with his managerial approach, starting from his background as small business owner, and then focusing on his ability to integrate the economic needs of the club with skilful sports management. A particular attention is dedicated to his role as the ‘inventor’ of the modern football transfer market in Italy after the Second World War and to his innovative economic model, which assured financial stability for the club and served as inspiration for the reforms introduced by FIGC’s president Giuseppe Pasquale in the late 1960s. The last part focuses on Mazza&s;s career in sports institutions and on his role as member of the commission that led the national team during the 1962 World Cup.