New York, NY — February 13,2026 — Underdog Global Partners (UGP), a private equity group building a global portfolio across sports, real estate and media, has appointed Rosario Procino as Managing Director and Head of Europe. The newly created role signals UGP’s commitment to accelerating the commercial growth of its European sports assets and deepening the firm’s operational presence on the continent. 

Procino will oversee strategy and international commercial development across UGP’s three Italian franchises: Campobasso FC (Serie C football), Napoli Basket (Serie A basketball) and Donna Roma (Serie A women’s football). He will also serve as the primary link between UGP’s European and American operations, managing key stakeholder relationships on both sides of the Atlantic. Procino will be based at UGP’s Greenwich, CT offices and will spend significant time on the ground in Italy. 

Born in Italy, Procino brings a career that connects multinational brand building with premium hospitality entrepreneurship. He previously led sales and marketing initiatives at Telecom Italia and Barilla, two of Italy’s most recognized global brands, before building his own leading hospitality ventures. Most recently, he served as a consultant to Italy’s Lega Serie A on promoting Italian football in the United States—experience directly relevant to UGP’s transatlantic strategy. 

“Rosario has built brands on both sides of the Atlantic, and he understands the commercial mechanics of Italian sport at a level very few people do,” said Matt Rizzetta, Founder and Managing Partner at Underdog Global Partners. “He’s the right person to turn our European portfolio into a globally connected commercial platform.” 

“UGP’s European assets are at an inflection point,” said Procino. “We see a clear opportunity to build a premium commercial infrastructure around our franchises — one that attracts global brand partners and creates real value for our stakeholders.” 

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About Underdog Global Partners 

Underdog Global Partners (UGP) owns, operates and advises on assets across sports and entertainment, real estate and media/IP. The firm targets investments that unlock unique experiences, provide exclusive access to a global ecosystem of relationships and deliver attractive return profiles. UGP is backed by family offices, successful entrepreneurs and high-net-worth individuals, and led by General Partners Matt Rizzetta, Daniel Doyle, Angelo Pasto and Joseph Greco. 

The portfolio includes Campobasso FC (Italian professional football), Donna Roma FC (elite women’s football, Rome), Napoli Basketball (Italy’s top division) and FC Supra (the first Canadian Premier League expansion franchise in Quebec). 

Media Contact 

ir@underdoggp.com