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Now that Kobe Bryant's season with the LA Lakers is over, what is a superstar to do? How about buy a soccer team?
A few months ago, the LA Times reported that Kobe was interested in purchasing Bologna FC 1909 with attorney Joe Tacopina, who was trying to make a bid for the club with Bryant and Montreal Impact owner Joey Saputo.
FIFA.com asked Bryant last year during the World Cup about his love for soccer. "I am actually [a huge fan]. I grew up in Italy. From the age from six to 14 I played soccer every day. It is actually my favorite sport," he said.
Next year could be Bryant's last year with the LA Lakers, so it would only make sense that he would move back to Italy and buy a soccer team. He has the money and a love of the sport, which is probably the most important thing.
Bologna FC 1909 is one of the most successful football clubs in the history of Serie A, which is started back in 1929. In that time, Bologna FC has won the league seven times.
Ironically, this will not be the first time the team will be owned by a foreigner. The team was started by Emilio Arnsteinan, an Austrian who became interested in football while at the universities in Vienna and Prague. He and his brother owned a team in Austria called Black Star.
Over the subsequent years, the club has had many changes in management - mainly because of financial difficulties, most recently with former owner, Albino Guaraldi, who sold the club's star player to another team, which did not go over well with the fans.
The situation got so bad that the league put them back into Serie B. As of October 2014, Tacopina and Saputo were allowed to purchase the team, but not everyone thinks that's a good idea.
Tacopina is reportedly having problems raising the rest of the money to buy the club, which may leave room for Bryant to purchase part of the team if Tacopina doesn't come through.
No word yet if Bryant still has interest, but stay tuned.
