Kobe Bryant Becomes Shareholder in Italian Football Club Bologna
NBA legend Kobe Bryant has taken his love for football to a new level, stepping into club ownership with Italian side Bologna FC. The former Los Angeles Lakers star, who has long professed his passion for the sport, has reportedly acquired a stake in the Serie B club.
According to reports from Italian media, Bryant has partnered with prominent New York lawyer Joe Tacopina in the acquisition. Tacopina, who previously served as vice-president of AS Roma, recently resigned from his post to lead the purchase of Bologna. Bryant, known globally as “The Black Mamba,” is said to have invested €350,000 to become a shareholder in the club.
The move holds personal significance for Bryant, who spent part of his childhood in Italy when his father, former NBA player Joe Bryant, played professional basketball there. The Bryant family lived in Reggio Emilia — just an hour from Bologna — where Kobe first developed a passion not only for basketball but also for football, a sport he has followed closely ever since.
Bryant’s interest in Bologna is not entirely new. During the 2011 NBA lockout, he considered joining the city’s basketball team, Virtus Bologna, before the NBA season eventually resumed. His connection to the region and his growing interest in global sports ownership now sees him take a more permanent role in Italian sport.
This latest development is yet another example of high-profile athletes diversifying their portfolios and engaging with football beyond mere fandom. For Bologna FC, the partnership brings not only capital but international visibility and a connection to one of sport’s most iconic figures.
While Bryant’s legacy is firmly rooted in basketball, his investment in Bologna FC could mark the beginning of a new chapter in the footballing world — one that combines his global brand with the ambition of a historic Italian club.
