Underdog Global Partners, the sports investment firm founded by Matt Rizzetta, has announced a definitive agreement to acquire AS Reggina 1914, a historic Italian club currently competing in Serie D, the country’s fourth tier.
The transaction, expected to close later this month, brings Hollywood personalities Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos into the ownership group as minority stakeholders, adding star power to a venture that aims to shepherd Reggina back to Serie A within five to seven years.
A Calculated Gamble in Italian Football
Reggina, based in the sun‑kissed city of Reggio Calabria, boasts a stadium that seats more than 27,000 and a fan base that has endured fluctuating fortunes, having last tasted Serie A action just a few seasons ago before slipping to Serie B and now Serie D.
The deal is set against a backdrop of massive public investment in the region, with the Italian government earmarking billions for infrastructure projects, most notably the ambitious Strait of Messina bridge that would link Calabria with Sicily.
Rizzetta, who also controls Napoli Basketball and is in advanced talks to purchase the Serie A side SSC Napoli, frames the Reggina acquisition as a proof point for his strategy of building value through disciplined, long‑term stewardship rather than flashy spending.
The move reflects a growing pattern of American investors targeting undervalued European football properties, a trend sparked by the rapid ascent of Wrexham AFC after Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought the Welsh club and leveraged its story to boost commercial growth.
Industry observers note that the combination of celebrity involvement, government‑backed development, and a clear promotion pathway could make Reggina a compelling case study for how lower‑tier clubs can leverage global capital to accelerate their climb up the football pyramid.