No. In the bigger cities, Milan, Rome, Turin, Naples, big stadiums are usually half-full or less (unless you happen upon the so-called “derby,” in which a team is playing its cross-town rival — Milan vs. Inter, for example). In general you can take a hike to the stadium and buy cheap seats for €20 to €40. Beware of hawkers, abundant near all the major stadiums.
If your Italian is weak, just wait in line. Avoid the “curve,” or bleachers, since the hard-core fans sit there — unless you want a hefty taste of fan participation. Tickets for teams that play in the lower leagues, Serie B and below, have smaller stadiums and cheaper prices. But the smaller the stadium, the more the chance it’ll be full. It’s fair to say that unlike American football or other sports, you won’t find a sold-out game. Soccer relies more on TV revenue and merchandising than fan income.
The Serie A, or top league, runs from September through May (with breaks at Christmas and Easter and for national games). The lower leagues usually begin around Sept. 1 and run into early June.