Rocco Commisso
Italian-American billionaire who owned Fiorentina and founded Mediacom.
Rocco Benito Commisso (born November 25, 1949) is an Italian and American billionaire businessman, and the founder, chairman, and chief executive officer (CEO) of Mediacom, the eighth largest cable operator in the United States. As of 2011, the company was privately owned by Commisso. He previously worked for companies including Cablevision, the Royal Bank of Canada, and Chase Manhattan Bank. From 2017, Commisso was the owner and chairman of the New York Cosmos, and from June 2019, the owner of the Italian football club Fiorentina.
Quick Facts
- Birth name
- Rocco Benito Commisso
- Born
- 25 November 1949
- Birthplace
- Marina di Gioiosa Ionica, Italy
- Died
- 16 January 2026
- Place of death
- New York City, U.S.
- Resting place
- Maryrest Cemetery & Mausoleum, Mahwah, New Jersey, U.S.
- Education
- Columbia University (BSc, MBA)
- Occupation
- Businessman
Lore & Background
Born in Marina di Gioiosa Ionica, Calabria, Italy, Commisso migrated to the United States at age 12. He attended Mount Saint Michael Academy high school in the Bronx and Columbia University, earning a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering in 1971 and an MBA in 1975. He was co-captain of Columbia's varsity soccer team. Commisso began his career at Pfizer, then spent ten years in finance at Chase Manhattan Bank and Royal Bank of Canada. From 1986 to 1995, he was executive vice president, chief financial officer, and director of Cablevision Industries Corporation. He founded Mediacom in 1995, took it public in 2000, and took it private again in 2011. Commisso purchased a majority stake in the New York Cosmos in January 2017 and became chairman. He bought Fiorentina in June 2019.
Reader's Guide
Commisso's ownership of Fiorentina began in June 2019. He led a GoFundMe campaign, Forza e Cuore, raising over $1 million for Florence hospitals during the coronavirus pandemic. In fall 2023, he commissioned Viola Park, a state-of-the-art training center in Bagno a Ripoli, designed by architect Marco Casamonti, spanning over 31 hectares. The club's first US venture was the International Champions Cup 2019. Commisso also owned the New York Cosmos from 2017 until selling the name rights in 2025. He was involved in the NASL antitrust lawsuit against USSF and MLS, which ended with a jury ruling against the NASL in February 2025.
Did You Know?
- Commisso was a three-time All-Ivy League honoree in soccer at Columbia University.
- He was inducted into the Columbia University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016.
- Commisso received the Vanguard Award for Distinguished Leadership, the cable industry's highest honor, in 2009.
- He was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honour in 2015.
More in Club History & Eras
Elsewhere in Fiorentina
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