Rocco Commisso, the founder of Mediacom and owner of Italian football club Fiorentina, has died at the age of 76.
According to İdman.Biz, citing the Italian club, Commisso passed away after a long period of medical treatment. Fiorentina, which the businessman purchased in 2019 for $170 million (289 million manats), noted that football was his great passion and that he quickly became close to the fans, the city of Florence and the club’s traditions.
Commisso was born in Calabria, Italy, and moved to the United States at the age of 12. He graduated from Mount Saint Michael Academy in the Bronx and later from Columbia University, where he played football for the university team and was one of the leaders of the squad that reached the NCAA playoffs for the first time. He later earned an MBA, built a career in banking and went on to serve as chief financial officer of Cablevision.
In 1995, Commisso founded Mediacom, focusing on the development of cable television in small towns and rural areas across the United States. The company grew into the country’s fifth-largest cable operator, serving more than three million households and businesses in 22 states. Mediacom was fully owned by the Commisso family, with Rocco serving as chairman of the board and chief executive officer until his death.
Throughout his career, Commisso was inducted into the Cable Hall of Fame and the Columbia University Sports Hall of Fame, and received several prestigious honors, including the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and awards recognizing his contribution to the communications industry.
