Mediacom Communications said it will become the official jersey sponsor of Italian soccer club ACF Fiorentina, a move that will help the team, purchased earlier this year by Mediacom founder, chairman and CEO Rocco Commisso, compete.
Commisso purchased the club in June. He also owns the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League. ACF Fiorentina, based in Florence, Italy and known by fans as “La Viola” for the violet color of its uniforms, has had some past success, winning the Italian Cup in 2001. The team finished 16th in Serie A last season.
According to reports, the club did not have a jersey sponsor last season. Mediacom had sponsored shirts for the club during the preseason. Terms of the most recent deal were not disclosed.
In a press release, Mediacom said the sponsorship will provide “considerable funds to help the Florence-based club compete in the world of soccer with its very stringent rules.”
Europe’s governing soccer body, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), instituted Financial Fair Play regulations in the 2011-12 season which broadly tied the amount of money a club could spend on the income it generated over a three year period.
“I believe greatly in the image potential of Florence and Fiorentina,” Commisso said in a press release. “This sponsorship will ensure the Fiorentina brand enjoys not just national but also international visibility thanks to Mediacom. I am convinced that strengthening the ties between Mediacom and Fiorentina is essential to obtain reciprocal benefits and help both companies achieve significant targets.”
