An extraordinary confluence of American enterprise and Italian passion has catapulted Campobasso Football Club, a team once teetering on the brink of obscurity, into the global spotlight through an unlikely partnership and a compelling new docuseries.

At the heart of this revitalization is Patrick Chovan, president of Omega Lumber, hailing from Wheatland, Pennsylvania, who emerged as a minority owner of the Serie C side based in southern Italy. Chovan’s journey began not with a business strategy, but with a profound interest in Italian American culture, which serendipitously led him to acquire a stake in a team battling relegation in Italy’s third division.

Chovan, a lifelong football enthusiast who played throughout his youth in Hubbard, Ohio, confessed his deep affinity for Italian teams. His connection to the region of Molise, where Campobasso is located, is also personal; his family originates from Caserta, a mere 50 miles away. He perceived a powerful resonance between the tenacious, hard-working spirit of his Rust Belt upbringing and the underdog resilience embodied by the Italian city of Campobasso.

This fascinating narrative forms the core of ‘Running with the Wolves’, an ESPN Original Series that premiered on July 29 on ESPN and ESPN+. The four-part docuseries meticulously chronicles Campobasso FC’s desperate struggle for survival, shedding light on the impassioned efforts by its new proprietors to restore the club’s once-proud legacy and standing in Italian football.

Majority owners Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, widely recognized for co-hosting ‘Live with Kelly and Mark’, adopted a hands-on management approach after their 2022 acquisition. Their direct involvement was crucial in allowing the ESPN series to offer an intimate and unfiltered glimpse into their lives, showcasing how they meticulously balanced the demanding responsibilities of football strategy, extensive travel commitments, and their established television careers.

Consuelos, whose early childhood was spent in Italy, revealed that their substantial investment in the club was fundamentally driven by personal and familial roots rather than any media ambitions. He poignantly described the club as “a tribute to my mother,” underscoring the deep emotional significance. Ripa echoed this sentiment, emphasizing, “We really want to win for the town,” highlighting the profound bond they have cultivated with the community of Campobasso.

While the compelling storyline inevitably draws comparisons to popular docuseries like ‘Welcome to Wrexham’, ‘Running with the Wolves’ distinguishes itself by emphasizing a uniquely personal connection to the Molise region. For the celebrity duo, it represents a heartfelt family venture, while for Chovan, it signifies a deeply personal dream finally brought to fruition.

Ultimately, for Campobasso FC itself, this newfound global attention offers an invaluable chance to re-emerge as a vibrant symbol of pride and identity within a region that has often been overshadowed by the more dominant elite clubs of Italian football. Despite the club’s on-field status remaining in a precarious balance due to injuries and narrow margins as of the final episode, its profound cultural and community impact transcends mere league standings.