American entrepreneur Stephen Pagliuca purchased half of the holding that controls Atalanta last week: “We had been eyeing Serie A for years. I met the Percassi family through one of my partners at Bain Capital, Luca Bassi, five or six months ago. We visited Bergamo for the game against Manchester United. I quickly realized that we shared the same passion and vision for sports. It is a winning model because it has a strong foundation and culture. We are aware that we are the custodians of the club, which belongs to the fans too.”
Pagliuca discussed the partial acquisition of Atalanta with La Gazzetta dello Sport: “My ancestors came to United States from Basilicata in the 20’s. We know how tightly the city is connected to the side, and it is similar to Boston and the Celtics. The support is a great honor for us, and it is almost like a religion here. I felt the warmth when I went to the stadium.”
“I will come here as soon and as often as possible and will constantly be in touch with the directors. Our model has always been based on leadership and stability within the management, patience, and attention to the fans. The Boston Celtics have had the same president, Danny Ainge, for 20 years and just three coaches. There will not be any seismic shift, as they have been operating very well. We will try to build a great team by improving the youth academy, as this strategy has already borne fruits. We will help make the brand more recognizable abroad.”
Pagliuca discussed the prospects for Atalanta following the takeover: “Winning as much as possible is the only thing that matters. We want to build a club that could be ideal for the faithful and a destination for players.”