Olimpia Milano: the partnership with Intesa Sanpaolo

Intesa Sanpaolo has been supporting Olimpia Milano since 2013, sharing the objective of converging tradition and innovation under the banner of sports. Between the present and the future, to build far-reaching projects capable of transforming a whole culture, we need to find the perfect balance between the original values of a sport and its community, focusing on developing the talents of tomorrow.

Passing on knowledge is at the heart of every art, craft, and even sport. The relationship between mentor and mentee is a deep one, born out of a desire to share and pass on a skill over time. This is achieved by building a relationship. 

In this exclusive interview held in 2023, Ettore Messina and Nicolò Melli, President of Basketball Operations, and Head Coach and former Captain of Olimpia Milano, respectively, reflect on the early days of their careers, the people who were most important in their human and professional growth, and their current moment of full maturity. For Intesa Sanpaolo, they describe what they have understood and learnt about mentorship throughout their careers.

The secret of success lies in the ability to learn from history, especially one’s own, and to project the most important victories into the future, focusing on self-improvement and inspiring new generations.

From the insight of Fratelli Borletti, who, in the cradle of a Milan reborn after the First World War, conceived the idea of using basketball as an instrument of aggregation and social unity, to the recent victories under the Armani brand that have brought the team back to the top of the European basketball scene. Olimpia has witnessed almost a century of Italian sport, never lacking in timeless feats achieved by its own strength.

To tell the story of the “Red Shoes”, the team’s most popular and well-known nickname, is to go back in time to the decades of the Italian twentieth century, to discover forgotten parts of Italy that perfectly reflect the cultural and sporting importance of Olimpia Milano. 

The Milanese team has always been one step ahead, able to interpret the changes in our society, in which the capital of Lombardy, an industrious avant-garde European centre, has often played a major role.

It would be impossible to list the team’s victories in the second half of the last century and the beginning of this one without mentioning a great protagonist on the court or a season that has gone down in history.

Olimpia have won no fewer than 31 national titles, an absolute record for our league. It is a testament to the continuity of management, which has weathered changes in ownership and drastic changes in the club. Nine international cups have been won over the decades, including three Euroleague trophies and an Intercontinental Cup. Triumphs achieved by some of the most important names in the scene of Italian sports, which magnificently illustrate the role of the Red Shoes in the overall development of Italian basketball.

Despite the nine international cups in the club’s trophy cabinet, the most striking aspect of Olimpia’s history is its deep love of the city, which year after year shows a sincere and passionate interest in the team’s affairs.

Embracing Olimpia’s project means reflecting the values of a club that has always celebrated its bond with the community of its city and region, working side by side with local experts to create a sustainable and virtuous ecosystem. The leading team is only the heart of this framework.

From the care of fan engagement, which makes every home game an exciting experience for the whole family, to the Armani Junior Programme, which promotes basketball and its values by directly involving local small businesses in the discovery and development of talent. The Olimpia Milano universe fully shares all the values of Intesa Sanpaolo branded sport, recounted in the Manifesto of the Intesa Group.