Matt Rizzetta, director of Underdog Global Partners and owner of Napoli Basketball, has stated that an investment group with access to €1 billion to €1.3 billion is prepared to make a bid for the club should Aurelio De Laurentiis decide to sell, according to reports on November 1, 2026. Rizzetta outlined ambitions to build a multi-sports organization under a single brand in Naples, with the football club serving as a cornerstone of the project.
Multisports Vision Under One Brand
The investment strategy targets a unified sports structure. Rizzetta explained that Napoli Basketball, which his fund already owns, forms the baseline of an initiative designed to elevate the city’s sporting profile internationally. The proposal envisions grouping separate athletic entities under a consolidated brand identity, though any move for the football club remains contingent on the current ownership’s willingness to negotiate.
Matt Rizzetta, founder of investment firm Underdog Global Partners, has his sights set on a new venture, SSC Napoli.At the end of 2025, Underdog began a push to buy SSC Napoli from the De Laurentiis family, which purchased the club out of bankruptcy in 2004 and returned it to… pic.twitter.com/ltupSLekep
“We are owners of Napoli Basketball and our vision is to create a formidable multisports organization, propelling Naples to the summit of world sport, under one and a single brand,” Rizzetta said in an interview with TMW.
Financing and Acquisition Conditions
While Aurelio De Laurentiis retains ownership of the club and faces no obligation to sell, Rizzetta confirmed that financial backing is already assembled. The funding structure relies primarily on major American sports investment funds alongside a significant personal financial contribution from Rizzetta himself.
“At the present time, our group and our financiers, mainly major American sports funds, have around 1 to 1.3 billion euros available,” Rizzetta said. “If he wanted to sell on terms fair to both parties, we would be ready.”
Existing Footprint in Italian Sport
Rizzetta’s sports management portfolio includes current ownership of Serie C club Campobasso, as well as previous ownership of Ascoli. Expanding into the football club would represent a step for Underdog Global Partners if negotiations ever materialize with the Neapolitan ownership.
Related reading
