Rocco B. Commisso (1949–2026): Mediacom Founder and Soccer Icon Passes Away
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Saddle River NJ, the business world and the international soccer community are in mourning today following the passing of Rocco B. Commisso, the founder, chairman, and CEO of Mediacom Communications. A titan of the cable industry and a legendary figure in American and Italian soccer, Commisso passed away this week at age 76.
Commisso’s life was the definition of the “American Dream.” An Italian immigrant who arrived in the Bronx at age 12, he rose to become one of the most successful entrepreneurs in U.S. history, consistently appearing on the Forbes 400 list.
Building a Cable Giant: The Mediacom Legacy
Commisso founded Mediacom in 1995 with a mission that was considered bold at the time: bringing high-speed internet and cable to underserved smaller communities across America.
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Growth: Under his leadership, Mediacom grew into the 5th largest cable provider in the U.S., serving over 3 million households across 22 states.
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Ownership: After taking the company public in 2000, he took it private again in 2011. Today, Mediacom remains wholly owned by the Commisso family.
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Accolades: The company has been recognized as a “U.S. Best Managed Company” by The Wall Street Journal and Deloitte for five consecutive years (2021–2025).
A Life Dedicated to the “Beautiful Game”
While Commisso was a giant in the boardroom, his heart was always on the soccer pitch. His influence spanned from New York to Florence, Italy.
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Columbia University: A star player for the Lions (1967–1970), he later became their biggest benefactor. Columbia’s soccer stadium at the Baker Athletics Complex was renamed the Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium in 2013.
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ACF Fiorentina: In 2019, he acquired the historic Italian club Fiorentina. His crowning achievement in Florence was the 2023 opening of Viola Park, a world-class training facility that serves as the permanent home for the club’s men’s, women’s, and youth teams.
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New York Cosmos: Commisso was instrumental in saving the iconic New York Cosmos in 2017, serving as chairman until the club was acquired by North Jersey Pro Soccer in 2025.
Philanthropy and Education
Commisso never forgot his roots in Calabria or the Bronx. Through Mediacom’s various scholarship funds, he provided educational opportunities to over 4,000 students nationwide. In 2022, he and his wife established the Rocco and Catherine Commisso Scholarship at Columbia University, providing support for up to 20 engineering students annually in perpetuity.
Funeral Services and Memorial Information
Family, friends, and colleagues will gather this week to honor a man whose story was featured on 60 Minutes as a testament to what is possible “Only in America.”
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Visitation: Monday, Jan. 19, and Tuesday, Jan. 20 (4:00–8:00 PM) at Vander Plaat-Vermeulen Memorial Home, Franklin Lakes, NJ.
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Funeral Mass: Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at 10:00 AM at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York City.
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Live Stream: A live stream of the funeral mass will be available for those unable to attend in person.
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Memorial Donations: In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Hackensack University Medical Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering, or Columbia University Medical Center.
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