How a Rust Belt Lumberman Turned Italian Club Campobasso FC into an ESPN Show

An Italian football club once on the brink of extinction is now in the global spotlight thanks to an unlikely partnership between a lumber executive from Pennsylvania and a pair of American television personalities. Campobasso Football Club, a Serie C side based in southern Italy, is the subject of a new ESPN documentary series titled 'Running with the Wolves'. This series chronicles the club's struggle for survival and the passionate efforts to restore its legacy.

The series, which began airing on Tuesday, 29 July, presents the behind-the-scenes reality of a football revival with American roots, notably in Hermitage, Pennsylvania. It showcases how celebrity ownership meets small-town identity on both sides of the Atlantic.

From Lumber to Line-ups

Patrick Chovan, president of Omega Lumber in Wheatland, Pennsylvania, is a minority owner of Campobasso FC. His involvement began with a simple interest in Italian American culture, eventually leading to a stake in a team fighting relegation in Italy's third division.

'I'm a huge football fan, especially Italian team', said Chovan, who played the sport throughout his youth in Hubbard, Ohio. His connection to the region runs deeper than sport, though. His family hails from Caserta, just 50 miles from Campobasso. Chovan saw a parallel between the hard-working identity of his Rust Belt hometown and the underdog spirit of the Italian city.

Chovan's unexpected path into football ownership now sees him appear in the first episode of 'Running with the Wolves', filmed on location in Italy. Local coverage of his journey has been widespread across Pennsylvania's Shenango Valley region. This reflects the pride of a community rarely linked to professional football in Europe.

A New Chapter for Ripa and Consuelos

Majority owners Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, best known as co-hosts of 'Live with Kelly and Mark', took a hands-on approach after acquiring their stake in Campobasso FC in 2022. This ensured that the ESPN series offered an intimate look at the couple's life balancing football strategy, travel and television careers.

In an interview with ABC News, Consuelos shared that their investment was not driven by media ambition but by personal roots. He spent his early childhood in Italy and described the club as 'a tribute to my mother'. Ripa added, 'We really want to win for the town,' underscoring the emotional connection they now share with Campobasso.

Their involvement arrived at a critical time for the club, which was at risk of dissolving after decades of instability. The series portrays their efforts to navigate tough football decisions, including coaching changes and fan unrest, while keeping the project aligned with community values.

Football Meets Storytelling

The four-part documentary, produced in collaboration with Left/Right and Milojo, follows the team's 2024–25 season. It spent a lot of effort capturing moments of tension, hope and resilience. Each episode spotlights a different phase of the journey, from preseason dilemmas to a final showdown with relegation, while intertwining the personal growth of the ownership group.

Though the storyline evokes comparisons to 'Welcome to Wrexham', the series emphasises a more personal bond to the region. For Consuelos and Ripa, it is a family venture, while for Chovan, it is a dream realised. And for Campobasso FC, it is a chance to once again become a symbol of pride in a region often overlooked by Italian football's elite.

One Team, Two Worlds

As of the final episode, the club's on-field status remains uncertain, with injuries and narrow margins keeping the team on edge. But Campobasso FC's impact goes beyond league tables.

Whether on the streets of Campobasso or among factory floors in western Pennsylvania, supporters are now rallying behind the same badge. It's a rare blend of sports, heritage and television, all anchored by a shared underdog story now playing out on ESPN+.