The Italian capital is about to field two professional basketball clubs in European competition for the first time, following a controversial relocation that has stripped Brescia of its top-tier team and ignited fury among fans in the northern city.
Why This Matters
• Two Rome teams in EuroCup: Maxima Roma and Basketball Club Roma SPQR will both compete in the 2026-2027 EuroCup season alongside four other Italian clubs.
• Brescia loses its Serie A team: After 17 years of professional basketball, the city's club has been relocated to Rome by new ownership.
• Coaching speculation: Ettore Messina, who just departed Olimpia Milano after 7 years, is rumored to lead Maxima Roma.
The Birth of Maxima Roma
The Italian Basketball Federation (FIP) has approved the transfer of Brescia's sports license to Rome, paving the way for Paul Matiasic's Maxima Roma project. The American attorney and entrepreneur with Italian heritage stepped down as president of Trieste earlier this month, selling his shares to Newport Holdings LLC before acquiring Brescia's competitive rights and relocating the franchise to the capital.
In an extraordinary council meeting held via web conference, the FIP reviewed documentation submitted by Pallacanestro Brescia and determined the request met all necessary requirements. The federation subordinated final approval to compliance with licensing obligations and deadlines for participation in the 2026-2027 Serie A championship.
The European Basketball Confederation (ECA) has confirmed Maxima Roma as one of 11 clubs receiving an annual invitation to the BKT EuroCup, which will feature 32 teams divided into four groups of eight. The competition format has been revamped, with playoffs expanding to best-of-three series from the Round of 16 through the Finals.
A Capital with Two European Contenders
Rome now hosts a remarkable basketball experiment: two separate clubs competing at the continental level. Maxima Roma joins Basketball Club Roma SPQR, a project unveiled just days ago with NBA star Luka Dončić as a principal investor. The Dallas Mavericks guard partnered with former NBA executive Donnie Nelson to relocate Vanoli Cremona to Rome, adopting the historic SPQR acronym—Senatus Populusque Romanus, or "The Senate and the People of Rome."
The SPQR project has already secured Italian national team playmaker Nico Mannion, who brings both NBA and EuroLeague credentials. Rimantas Kaukenas is expected to manage operations, while legendary coach Valerio Bianchini has been linked to the long-term vision. The club also received a wild card for EuroCup participation, ensuring an immediate European platform.
Italy will send six clubs to the EuroCup: Tortona, Venezia, Trento, Napoli, and the two Rome-based teams. Meanwhile, Olimpia Milano and Virtus Bologna retain their spots in the higher-tier EuroLeague.
The Messina Factor
Speculation is swirling that Ettore Messina, one of Europe's most decorated coaches, could take the helm at Maxima Roma. Messina officially departed Olimpia Milano on June 30, when his contract expired. He had renewed his deal through that date in December 2023, holding the dual role of head coach and President of Basketball Operations until Giuseppe Poeta took over the coaching duties in November 2025.
Messina's résumé includes four EuroLeague titles and extensive NBA experience as an assistant with the San Antonio Spurs. His potential arrival would lend immediate credibility and tactical sophistication to Matiasic's project, though no formal announcement has been made.
What This Means for Residents
For basketball fans and sports investors in Italy, this development reshapes the competitive landscape. Rome, which has historically lagged behind cities like Milan, Bologna, and Venice in elite basketball, suddenly becomes a dual-hub market with backing from international capital. The presence of Dončić—a global ambassador for the sport—raises the profile of Italian basketball abroad and could attract further investment and media attention.
Season ticket holders and local sponsors in Rome will have two clubs to choose from, each with distinct ownership structures and competitive ambitions. The expanded EuroCup format offers more European fixtures for Italian audiences, increasing the frequency of high-level basketball in the country.
For Brescia, the loss is acute. The city's fans have taken to social media with anger and grief, mourning the end of 17 years of professional basketball that included a Coppa Italia victory and a Serie A finals appearance. Local opposition politicians have criticized the municipal government for failing to intervene, calling the move "a theft" of the city's sporting heritage. Brescia's mayor, Laura Castelletti, has yet to issue a public statement, though efforts are already underway to establish a new basketball organization starting from lower divisions.
The Federation's Balancing Act
The FIP defended its decision in a statement, emphasizing that it acted "in synergy with Lega Basket Serie A, respecting current regulations." The federation acknowledged that fan sentiment is the engine of the sports movement and cannot be disregarded, but stressed that it must also respect entrepreneurial choices and the legitimate interests of club owners.
This language reflects the tension inherent in Italy's professional sports ecosystem, where clubs often face financial challenges and ownership changes. Unlike in American leagues, where franchises are centrally controlled and relocations are rare, European basketball has seen periodic shifts driven by investor strategy and market opportunity.
The move mirrors broader trends in Italian basketball: private equity and international investors increasingly view clubs as scalable assets rather than community institutions. Newport Holdings' acquisition of Trieste and Matiasic's subsequent pivot to Rome exemplify this model, in which geographic loyalty is secondary to commercial viability.
A New Era for the Capital
Rome's dual-club model is unprecedented in recent Italian basketball history. The city last hosted a competitive Serie A team in the mid-2010s, and the current resurgence signals renewed confidence in the capital's market potential. Both Maxima Roma and Basketball Club Roma SPQR will compete for fan loyalty, sponsorship deals, and media coverage in a crowded Rome sports landscape dominated by football giants AS Roma and SS Lazio.
The 2026-2027 EuroCup season will test whether the city can sustain two high-level basketball operations simultaneously. Success will depend on venue arrangements, local government support, and the ability of each club to build a distinct identity. For Matiasic and the Dončić-Nelson consortium, the stakes are high: failure could prompt another relocation, while success could position Rome as a launching pad for further European expansion.
Brescia, meanwhile, faces the difficult task of rebuilding from the grassroots. The city's basketball community has vowed to restart, drawing on a proud tradition that predates the most recent Serie A run. Whether a new Brescia club can reclaim its place among Italy's elite remains an open question, but the passion of its supporters suggests the story is far from over.
