Now Rome has two. Amid general astonishment (and some embarrassment), the hunt for the fan begins
In a saga that has often taken grotesque turns, it was only fitting to bring in Pippo Franco in one of his all-time best performances: a Roma fan out of love and a Lazio fan out of self-interest. As for fans, the Rome-based teams set to play in Serie A are starting from scratch and, amid general astonishment (and some embarrassment) caused by a situation that was unimaginable just a few months ago, have begun the hunt for supporters. It’s nearly impossible for them to draw from the pool of Virtus Roma fans—since that team failed to make the jump to A2—and it’s surreal to think that supporters of Vanoli Cremona and Germani Brescia might transfer their allegiance en masse.
In Brescia, the shock has been immense—and, after all, it couldn’t be otherwise. The transfer of Germani’s franchise to California-based entrepreneur Paul Matiasic has definitively brought an end to seventeen years of the “Leonessa’s” history: ten consecutive seasons in the top flight, one Coppa Italia title, and a Scudetto final reached last season represent the sporting legacy of a club that, until just a few months ago, seemed rock-solid. Confirmation had come even before the extraordinary Federal Council meeting held on Friday, June 26, when the ECA published the list of teams registered for the upcoming EuroCup: Matiasic’s Maxima Roma was already on the list, admitted via a wild card after FIBA had denied it access to the Champions League.
The Italian Basketball Federation sought to clarify its position in an official statement, emphasizing that it had “always acted in synergy with the LBA, in compliance with current regulations” and noting that “respect for the fans’ sentiments can never be compromised, as it is the cornerstone of all sporting activities.” However, this stance did not quell the controversy, which was further fueled by statements from Federation President Gianni Petrucci, who reiterated that “current laws allow it; there is freedom of investment,” adding a remark bound to spark debate: “Everything suggests that the one that ultimately ends up without NBA Europe will eventually give up.” Many interpreted this statement as a prediction of a possible collapse of one of the two Roman projects, with serious consequences for the entire Italian basketball community.
The new Rome-based team backed by Matiasic will, in fact, be operating in the same city as Roma Basketball Club SPQR, the project led by the Nelson-Doncic consortium that was officially presented at the Campidoglio in the presence of Luka Doncic, the NBA star of the Los Angeles Lakers. The latter has already taken its first concrete steps in the transfer market, announcing the signing of Nico Mannion, a point guard born in 2001 who is coming off two seasons with Olimpia Milano. On the coaching front for Maxima Roma, Ettore Messina’s name has been circulating persistently in recent weeks as the ideal candidate to lead the project: the former Olimpia coach recently announced his departure from Milan.
The path that led Matiasic to the Germani title was anything but straightforward. The American entrepreneur had previously submitted a 6-million-euro offer to acquire the Brescia-based club, which was promptly denied by owner Mauro Ferrari. Before Brescia, his attempts to acquire Trapani and Scafati had also fallen through, with the Campania-based club—newly promoted to Serie A—rejecting his advances outright. In the meantime, Matiasic had made his move well in advance in the capital, acquiring the youth academy of Stella Azzurra and securing management of the PalaEur—moves that had already hinted at the structural solidity of the project, despite the difficulties in securing a sports franchise.
