Campobasso FC co-owners Mark Consuelos and Matt Rizzetta express their intention to orchestrate a soccer exhibition match, colloquially termed a “derby,” against Wrexham, a club co-owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhennie, prominent figures in the entertainment industry.
The media has drawn parallels between Campobasso and Wrexham, dubbing the former as the ‘Wrexham of Italy’ due to its ownership ties to American and Hollywood personalities.
Among Campobasso’s co-owners are actors Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa, known for their roles in the entertainment industry and as hosts of the ‘Live with Kelly and Mark’ talk show in the United States. In a significant acquisition in late summer 2022, Campobasso FC was purchased by Matt Rizzetta’s New York-based holding company, North Sixth Group, in conjunction with an investment consortium supported by American actors and talk show hosts Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa.
Mirroring Wrexham’s trajectory, Campobasso initially competed in the fifth tier of Italian football and experienced a remarkable ascension akin to a Cinderella story. Acquired merely eight days prior to the commencement of the season, the club encountered significant challenges, including the absence of a coach, players, CEO, sporting director, and even fielded issues such as “mushrooms growing out of the pitch,” as noted by Rizzetta.
Despite these obstacles, Campobasso clinched the league title with the most impressive goal difference across Italy, positioning themselves for successive promotions into Serie C.
When approached regarding the prospect of arranging a friendly match against Wrexham, presently situated in League 2 within the English football pyramid, Consuelos and Rizzetta responded affirmatively.
“I would do that in a second. I think I should reach out to those guys and make the offer, “Consuelos told The Italian Football Podcast.
“Hopefully they get promoted and we get promoted.
“I agree [it would be a commercial hit]. We should do it. I think it’s a great idea.”
Rizzetta, the chairman of Campbasso FC, articulated, “Mark and I discussed this matter yesterday, and he expressed, ‘Let’s proceed, but with the condition that we must emerge victorious.’ Our objective is centered on attaining victory.”
Consuelos and Rizzetta were subsequently suggested that to enhance their likelihood of success, they should arrange the match to take place in Italy amidst the scorching temperatures of August. This suggestion arose from the notion that players from Wrexham, hailing from Wales, might encounter difficulties coping with the heat.
“We could do it in Italy, or in Miami or Florida [for the heat], “laughed Consuelos, who starred in All My Children, Riverdale and Queen of the South.
Consuelos proceeded to commend the contributions of actors Reynolds and McElhenney to the endeavors of Wrexham.
“I think what those guys have done, not only for Wrexham but also for the awareness of how European football works, I think they have done a great job,” he said.
“You can also thank Ted Lasso, but most Americans had no idea about promotion and relegation, and what that meant. And now they do.
“Campobasso and Wrexham are different in a number of ways. We are 100 per cent American-Italian owned so we all have roots in Italy.
“We definitely know the cakes are better in Italy than Wales, but I think there are similarities with the people. It is a hard-working blue-collared region.”