Report: Lazio Ownership Offered to Houston Rockets Patron

Italian-American businessman and diplomat Tilman Fertitta is being urged to purchase Lazio from its current owner, Claudio Lotito.

The Background

The Italian senator has been in charge of the Roman club since 2004, but he is currently facing the most challenging period of his 22-year reign, with the fanbase in an open revolt against him. The 69-year-old is being accused of putting his own interests ahead of Lazio’s, and is blamed for the club’s degrading status and inability to compete with the Serie A elite.

Therefore, the orginazed fan groups have been refusing to attend the team’s home fixtures since January. Ahead of the new campaign, they decided to take their protest to another level by not purchasing season tickets, cancelling their TV subscriptions, boycotting all of Lotito’s businesses, and refusing to vote for members of his political party, ‘Forza Italia’.

Would Claudio Lotito Consider Selling Lazio?

While the unpopular president remains defiant in public, sources estimate the aforementioned measures taken by the fanbase could cost the already-struggling club around €20 million in revenues, piling more pressure on his administration.

Moreover, Lotito’s recent purchase of Reggina has given the supporters some hope, as regulations prevent him from maintaining both clubs when the Calabrians get promoted from Serie D to Serie C (potentially by the end of the 2026/27 campaign).

Tilman Feritta Urged to Buy Lazio

According to Milano Finanza, a group of businessmen and influential persons who support Lazio (but aren’t part of the club’s administration) is working in the shadows to secure a smooth transition from Lotito to a new owner. They have even approached Tilman Fertitta, a businessman renowned for investing in sports.

Why Fertitta Cannot Buy Lazio Imminently

The Texas native has been the owner of the Houston Rockets, one of the most famous teams in the NBA, since 2017. He has also been linked with financially struggling English football club Sheffield Wednesday.

However, Fertitta was appointed by US President Donald Trump as the country’s ambassador to Italy. Hence, he recently stated (via La Lazio Siamo Noi) that the laws prohibit him from buying an Italian club as long as he’s on his diplomatic mission in the peninsula, so he won’t be able to invest in Italian sports for the next two and a half years.

In the next two and a half years, as an ambassador, I won’t be able to conclude any deals with Italy, but I can tell you that after that, I would love to own a football team in the country It would be a great honor for me. Will it be Napoli? No city or place in particular, I can’t say.