«Habemus Rhegium». With a photo published on his social profiles, the mayor of Reggio Calabria Francesco Cannizzaro announced the beginning of the Lotito sul Strait era. The owner of Lazio, Claudio Lotito, has purchased Reggina, taking it over from Antonino Ballarino, the club’s majority shareholder for the last three years. The Roman entrepreneur arrives in Reggio Calabria with the aim of immediately bringing the Amaranth club back to the professional ranks.
The operation was defined in the afternoon in Rome. The sale to a company attributable to the Lotito Group – we read in the note from the outgoing management group – arises from the desire to ensure the club “continuity and new growth prospects”, respecting the amaranth history and the passion of the people of Reggio Calabria. The same note defines the contribution of Mayor Cannizzaro as “fundamental”, indicated as a “trait d’union” between the parties involved.
The operation and objectives
According to reconstructions, the acquisition is around 1.5 million euros, but the overall project – between takeover of the club and preparation of the squad – is worth between 4 and 5 million: the objective is to build a team capable of winning the 2026/27 Serie D and achieving a return to the professional ranks in Serie C. For Lotito, it is not the first undertaking of this kind: with Salernitana he signed the climb up to Serie A in the space of ten years.
The handover
In saying goodbye to the square, the outgoing management group thanked the fans, the institutions and all the members who accompanied the company’s journey, expressing “best wishes for the best in their work” to the new ownership.
The enthusiasm of the city
The news was welcomed with enthusiasm by Piazza Amaranto, which had been waiting for a solid ownership for some time after a long and troubled corporate affair. «Reggio Calabria returns to look to the future with renewed enthusiasm and with the ambition that its history deserves», wrote the mayor accompanying the announcement.