Who was Rocco Commisso? ACF Fiorentina President Passed Away Aged 76

An era has ended in Italian Football. Rocco Commisso, Fiorentina President, has passed away during the early hours of 16th January. Rocco Commisso made his name as a media mogul and ruled the industry for decades.

Despite being a multi-billionaire in the US, he returned to his native country, Italy, to own and run a club. Rocco Commisso death calls for a mourning period ahead of the new round of fixtures in Serie A. Know everything about the iconic President of Fiorentina here.

Who is Rocco Commisso?

Born as Rocco Benito Commisso in Marina di Gioiosa Ionica, Calabria, Italy, his entire family migrated to the United States when he was 12. Commissio was a soccer player and a natural leader from a young age.

After earning an MBA in 1975 from Columbia Business School, he began his professional career. Commisso was the co-captain of the university soccer team and was the president of the business school student body.

The late Fiorentina President began his working career at Pfizer before becoming the Chief Financial Officer of Cablevision Industries Corporation. His knowledge of the cable industry and entrepreneurial skills helped him found Medicom in 1995 in his basement.

He took the company public in 2000, and it became the 8th largest cable operator in the US, and started earning in billions. He then built his entire fortune in the industry by becoming a tycoon. His love for football from his playing days saw him inducted into the Columbia University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016.

Clubs Owned by Rocco Commisso

In 2017, he purchased his first football club when they bought a majority stake in the New York Cosmos. However, the franchise struggled with the league and was forced to close later on. Commisso did not give up when he had the chance to buy a club back home. In 2019, he purchased ACF Fiorentina in a deal worth upto $200 million.

Rocco Commisso built a legendary name for himself during his tenure as club president. He spent plenty of time with the club's academy, men's and women's teams and helped the community a lot. He opened a new training facility, raised over a million dollars for local hospitals and made Fiorentina compete for European football again.

Rocco Commisso's Death

In a statement released by the club, Rocco Commisso death was confirmed. The statement revealed that Commisso passed away peacefully after a period of prolonged medical treatment. He leaves a legendary legacy in Florence and departs as a loved figure. Rocco Commisso is survived by his wife of 50 years, Cathetine and two children.