Virtus Bologna and Costa Cruises Forge New Partnership

Costa Cruises, the Genoa-based Italian cruise company, is the new Title and Main Sponsor for Virtus Pallacanestro Bologna's First Team for the 2026/27 season. This agreement connects the Costa brand with one of Italy's most decorated and followed sports clubs, covering the entire season in the Lega Basket Serie A (LBA) Championship. The partnership and the new game jersey were officially unveiled on Sunday, September 13th, aboard the Costa Pacifica, docked in Savona, Costa Cruises' home port. Choosing a ship as the announcement venue symbolically links two Italian excellences – cruising and top-tier basketball – and marks the beginning of a season built on shared values, ambitions, and vision.

The collaboration between Costa Cruises and Virtus Pallacanestro Bologna stems from a straightforward logic: to build a project that enhances the strengths of two Italian entities with distinct yet complementary identities. Both are deeply rooted in their respective fields and can engage broad, diverse audiences. For Costa, this means strengthening its presence in a strategic region encompassing Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, and Northern Italy. For Virtus, it signifies starting the new season with an Italian brand possessing a strong international profile, capable of supporting the club's visibility and activation efforts beyond the basketball court.

"With Virtus Pallacanestro Bologna, a partnership is born between two entities that share much in common: the same ambition to be at the top, the same ability to transform an evening or a trip into a lasting emotion, and two significant histories looking towards the future. We stand with Virtus in their centenary season and the opening of their new home, eager to work together on projects that can unite two Italian excellences recognized in Europe and worldwide," stated Mario Zanetti, CEO of Costa Cruises. The partnership will extend beyond the Costa brand's presence on the jersey and arena spaces, coming alive throughout the season via initiatives designed to connect the world of the sea with the basketball court. Virtus players will experience activities aboard Costa ships, while in Bologna, Liguria, and nationwide, events and activities will be organized for fans and local communities. This shared journey will also accompany Virtus Bologna's centenary celebration, featuring special moments and exclusive initiatives to maximize the collaboration and turn it into a vibrant experience, creating new opportunities for interaction between the brands, the team, fans, and territories.

Massimo Zanetti, President of Virtus, commented: "I want to express my deepest gratitude to Costa Cruises for accepting the proposal to link its historic brand with the equally historic Virtus Pallacanestro, which I have the honor of presiding over. The journey beginning today is the classic path of sport: commitment, sweat, professionalism to achieve goals. If we transform this journey into a cruise, it will mean we have added beauty and success. The Costa brand is a significant added value not only for my club, Bologna, and basketball but for all of Italian sport. Together, we can achieve great things."