{{short description|Italian businessman and investor (born 1970)}} {{protection padlock|small=yes}} {{COI|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Riccardo Silva | image = Riccardo Silva Profile.jpg | alt = Silva in September 2016 | caption = Silva in September 2016 | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1970}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | education = Bocconi University, Tulane University | occupation = Owner of Silva International Investments<br/>President and co-owner of Miami FC<br>Co-owner of AC Milan | known_for = Riccardo Silva Stadium, MP & Silva, Miami FC, Americas Champions League and Select Model Management modelling agencies }}
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'''Riccardo Silva''' (born 1970) is an Italian businessman. He is the owner of Silva International Investments, which has investments in a range of companies across media, sports, entertainment, art, and real estate. He is also a co-owner of AC Milan, president and co-owner of Miami FC, owner of the Silva family art collection, and was CEO of the Milan Channel.
== Early life and education == Riccardo Silva was born in 1970 in Milan, the grandson of the founder of Italsilva – Gruppo Desa, one of Italy's largest chemical groups. His maternal family, Fabbri, is known for its publishing company, Fabbri Editori, which is now part of the RCS Media Group. Silva completed his studies at Bocconi University and Tulane University.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title = Charging Bull - Sportcal|url = http://www.mpsilva.com/charging-bull-sportcal/|website = MP & Silva|access-date = 2016-02-08|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160215093242/http://www.mpsilva.com/charging-bull-sportcal/|archive-date = 2016-02-15}}</ref>
== Early career == In 1998 Silva launched MP Web, an internet start-up of the Milan-based Media Partners Group (now Infront Media), managing sports rights and content for mobile and Internet platforms, which first came to prominence in the 1990s.<ref name=":0" /> In 2001, Riccardo Silva became CEO of Milan Channel, the official TV channel of the AC Milan football club, and guided the international development of the channel.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title = Riccardo Silva mixes business with pleasure at Miami FC|url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/major-league-soccer/12051799/Riccardo-Silva-mixes-business-with-pleasure-at-Miami-FC.html|website = Telegraph.co.uk| date=17 December 2015 |access-date = 2016-02-08}}</ref>
== MP & Silva == From 2004 until 2016, Silva owned and managed MP & Silva, a global international media rights company based in London. Under Silva's leadership, MP & Silva became the world's leading distributor of TV rights. In May 2016 Silva and his partners sold MP & Silva to the Chinese groups Everbright Securities and Beijing Baofeng Technology, relinquishing management and operational control.
== Silva International Investments== In 2016, Silva established Silva International Investments, a portfolio company which invests and manages assets in media, sport, fashion, technology, and real estate.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news|url=https://therealdeal.com/miami/2017/02/08/mast-capital-gets-new-1m-plus-investor-in-silva-international/|title=Mast Capital gets new $1M-plus investor in Silva International|date=2017-02-08|newspaper=The Real Deal Miami|access-date=2017-02-21|language=en-US}}</ref>
Since its inception, the company have invested in Mast Capital, a Miami-based real estate and development company<ref name=":4" /> and has made a number of acquisitions, including a majority stake in Globe Soccer Awards.<ref>{{Cite press release|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/silva-international-investments-acquires-stake-in-globe-soccer-666737313.html|title=Silva International Investments Acquires Stake in Globe Soccer|last=LaPresse|website=www.prnewswire.com|language=en|access-date=2018-01-05}}</ref>
In August 2017, Silva International Investments acquired SportBusiness, who provide insight into businesses working in the sports industry throughout the world.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.sportbusiness.com/sport-news/sportbusiness-group-acquisition-closed-silva-international-investments|title=SportBusiness Group acquisition closed by Silva International Investments|date=2017-08-04|work=SportBusiness Group|access-date=2017-08-04|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.sportbusiness.com/sport-news/sportbusiness-group-establishes-us-operations|title=SportBusiness Group establishes US operations|date=2018-02-26|work=SportBusiness Group|access-date=2018-03-20|language=en}}</ref>
In October 2019, the company acquired the London modeling agency, Select Model Management,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fashionmonitor.com/free-blog/In-Conversation-With-Matteo-Puglisi/41|title=Fashion Monitor|website=www.fashionmonitor.com|access-date=2019-10-23}}</ref> and announced a major global expansion driven through an integration with Silva International Investment's existing modelling agency network, MP Management.
Following MP Management's establishment in 2008 in Milan, the company acquired a second agency in Miami in 2014,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://communitynewspapers.com/brickell-home/102843/|title=MP Network acquires Mega Model Management, Miami's leading talent agency|website=Brickell Tribune|date=25 November 2014 |access-date=2016-02-08}}</ref> quickly followed with the acquisition of a third agency, Major Paris, in 2015. Under the ownership of Silva International Investments, the group continued to grow, with the acquisition of Elite Stockholm in 2017,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.efe.com/efe/english/news-release/mp-management-invests-in-modellink-partnership-and-acquires-elite-stockholm-modelling-agency/50000339-MULTIMEDIAE_3243263|title=MP Management invests in Modellink partnership and acquires Elite Stockholm modelling agency|work=www.efe.com|access-date=2017-06-15|language=en}}</ref> and in the same year, with the establishment of a strategic partnership with Modellink in Gothenburg. This was followed in 2018 with the acquisition of the Factor Chosen Group,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-scoops/mp-management-acquires-factor-chosen-11135991/|title=MP Management Acquires Factor Chosen Model Management|last=Lockwood|first=Lisa|date=2018-02-02|work=WWD|access-date=2018-02-06|language=en-US}}</ref> which brought into the network agencies in Chicago, Los Angeles and Atlanta. With the acquisition of Select, the network expanded to London, with the group now spanning eight agencies over the U.S. and Europe.
== Miami FC == In May 2015, Silva co-established Miami FC, which played in the North American Soccer League (NASL).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/04/01/miami-twice-david-beckham-certainly-hopes-so/|title=Miami twice? David Beckham certainly hopes so|website=The Telegraph|date=April 2016 |access-date=2016-04-22 |last1=Briggs |first1=Simon }}</ref>
During their time competing in the NASL, Miami FC captured the 2017 spring NASL title with a 7–0 win over the San Francisco Deltas,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/mls/article160361929.html|title=Miami FC captures NASL Spring title with 7-0 rout of San Francisco|work=miamiherald|access-date=2017-07-30|language=en}}</ref> and in October of that year, the club completed an historic double, becoming the first team in NASL history to win both the Spring and Autumn titles in the same season. In an interview with El Nuevo Herald Riccardo Silva stated that "The fact that we won the Spring and Autumn tournaments does not mean there are not more things that we have to fight for".<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.elnuevoherald.com/deportes/futbol/article181608976.html|title=El dueño del Miami FC afirma que el club aún debe luchar por más cosas|work=elnuevoherald|access-date=2017-11-01|language=en}}</ref>
In June 2017, Miami FC played their first competitive fixture against an MLS club, beating Orlando City SC 3–1 in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup with Stefano Pinho scoring a hat-trick.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/jun/29/us-open-cup-fc-cincinnati-miami-fc-shocks|title=Schweinsteiger falls and Nesta shines on night of shocks in US Open Cup|last=sport|first=Guardian|date=2017-06-29|work=The Guardian|access-date=2017-07-30|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> The Telegraph reported Riccardo Silva saying: “It was the biggest game in our short history so to win so convincingly against a fantastic club like Orlando City was a great result for us".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/06/16/miami-fc-revel-greatest-win-clubs-history-handing-orlando-city/?WT.mc_id=tmg_share_tw|title=Miami FC revel in greatest win in club's history after handing Orlando City knockout blow|work=The Telegraph|access-date=2017-06-20|language=en-GB}}</ref>
Miami FC 2 were crowned 2018 NPSL National Champions in August 2018, defeating FC Motown (Morristown, NJ) 3–1 at Drew University's Ranger Stadium.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.npsl.com/news/9043|title=Miami FC 2 Crowned 2018 NPSL National Champions – National Premier Soccer League|website=www.npsl.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-10-31}}</ref>
In July 2019, Miami FC won its sixth overall trophy, adding the NPSL Sunshine Conference to their list of honors, defeating Miami United FC 3–2 in the final.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.npsl.com/news/12357|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190715173917/https://www.npsl.com/news/12357|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 15, 2019|title=The Miami FC Comes from Behind to Capture Sunshine Conference Championship|date=2019-07-14|website=National Premier Soccer League|language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-23}}</ref> August 2019 saw Miami FC add more titles to their trophy cabinet, winning the 2019 National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) title by recording a 3–1 victory over New York Cosmos.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.npsl.com/12773/|title=The Miami FC Claims 2019 NPSL National Championship|date=2019-08-04|website=National Premier Soccer League|language=en-US|access-date=2019-08-06}}</ref>
In September 2019, the team joined the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA), where they won their ninth trophy by winning the NISA East Coast Championship.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lemoncitylive.com/recap/miami-fc-wins-nisa-eastern-conference-championship-9th-trophy-in-four-years/|title=Miami FC Wins NISA Eastern Conference Championship, 9th Trophy in Four Years|last=Carmenate|first=Achillies|date=2019-11-10|website=Sports News and Entertainment Outlet|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-13}}</ref>
On 11 December 2019, former USL Championship club Ottawa Fury FC announced that it had transferred its franchise rights to Miami FC ownership group, and the club would begin competition in the league in the 2020 season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1070305-ottawa-fury-fc-announce-relocation-sale-of-franchise-rights-to-the-miami-fc|title=Ottawa Fury FC Announce Relocation, Sale of Franchise Rights to The Miami FC|author=USLChampionship com Staff|date=2019-12-11|website=USL Championship|language=en-us|access-date=2019-12-16}}</ref>
In 2018, Miami FC announced the launch of its new Youth Academy Program. Miami FC Youth Academy Program will be dedicated to increasing opportunities for youth soccer players in South Florida to develop their skills and knowledge of the game.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.miamifc.com/news/2018/12/06/the-miami-fc-announces-launch-of-youth-academy-program|title=The Miami FC Announces Launch of Youth Academy Program|website=www.miamifc.com|access-date=2018-12-19}}</ref>
== AC Milan ==
In August 2022, Silva became co-owner of Italian football club AC Milan. He invested in the club in partnership with the US-based fund RedBird and other American investors including the New York Yankees.<ref>{{cite web |title=Two more big investors in RedBird's Milan revealed – one has a $100bn turnover |url=https://onefootball.com/en/news/mn-two-more-big-investors-in-redbirds-milan-revealed-one-has-a-100bn-turnover-35740405 |website=OneFootball |access-date=9 February 2023 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Fisher |first1=Oliver |title=Miami FC owner 'happy to have invested in Milan' with his 'friends from RedBird' |url=https://sempremilan.com/miami-fc-riccardo-silva-invested-milan |website=SempreMilancom |access-date=9 February 2023 |language=en |date=16 November 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Ferrazzi |first1=Enrico |title=Milan a RedBird: oggi il closing. Tra i nuovi azionisti i New York Yankees e il fondo di LeBron James |url=https://www.milannews.it/primo-piano/gazzetta-milan-a-redbird-oggi-il-closing-tra-i-nuovi-azionisti-i-new-york-yankees-e-il-fondo-di-lebron-james-464239 |website=Milan News |access-date=9 February 2023 |language=it}}</ref>
== Riccardo Silva Stadium == In 2017, Silva made a $3.76 million donation to cover renovations of the team's home field, FIU Stadium at the Florida International University. It was subsequently announced that the stadium would be renamed Riccardo Silva Stadium for five years in recognition of his involvement.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/mls/article142503039.html|title=FIU Stadium gets facelift, new name after Miami FC owner gives record $3.76 million donation|work=Miami Herald|access-date=2018-10-11|language=en}}</ref>
== Other Footballing Interests == [[File:Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima, Riccardo Silva and Alessandro Nesta.jpg|thumb|alt=Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima, Riccardo Silva and Alessandro Nesta.|Riccardo Silva (center) with Ronaldo and Alessandro Nesta]]
Silva was involved in the project to establish the Americas Champions League (ACL)<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.espnfc.co.uk/fifa-world-cup/story/2626048/conmebol-concacaf-champions-league-planned-riccardo-silva|title=CONMEBOL, CONCACAF Champions League in the works - Riccardo Silva|website=ESPNFC.com|access-date=2016-02-08}}</ref> tournament, which would involve teams from North America, South America and the Caribbean and was intended to become the all-Americas version of Europe's popular UEFA Champions League.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://thefieldsofgreen.com/2016/02/23/exclusive-mp-silva-boss-riccardo-silva-talks-miami-fc-and-americas-champions-league/|title=Exclusive: MP & Silva boss Riccardo Silva has grand plan for Americas Champions League|website=The Fields of Green|access-date=2016-02-25}}</ref> The intention was for a 64-team competition to mirror the UEFA Champions League's format, which Silva estimated could generate $500 million in television and marketing rights - quintupling the current annual take-ins for the CONCACAF Champions League and CONMEBOL's Copa Libertadores combined.<ref name=":1" />
The plans to develop the ACL have been described as ‘a vehicle to help place the country at the forefront of game’,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oneworldsports.com/stories/can-americas-champs-league-have-success|title=ONE World Sports :: Can Americas Champs League have success?|website=www.oneworldsports.com|access-date=2016-03-07|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308071531/http://www.oneworldsports.com/stories/can-americas-champs-league-have-success|archive-date=2016-03-08}}</ref> a goal which Silva believes can be achieved.
In 2016, Silva's company, Silva International Investments, commissioned a report by Deloitte,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/11/21/building-the-soccer-pyramid-deloitte-report-makes-case-for-promo/|title=Building the soccer pyramid: Deloitte report makes case for promotion and relegation in USA|newspaper=The Telegraph|access-date=2017-01-13}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://midfieldpress.com/2016/11/21/deloitte-report-suggests-promotion-relegation-would-be-positive-for-us-soccer/|title=Breaking: Deloitte Report Suggests Promotion & Relegation Would Be Positive For US Soccer|newspaper=Midfield Press|access-date=2017-01-13}}</ref> on promotion and relegation in United States professional soccer.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.espn.co.uk/football/north-american-soccer-league/0/blog/post/3228135/promotion-relegation-system-could-unlock-usa-soccer-potential-riccardo-silva|title=Marcotti: Riccardo Silva on pro/rel in the U.S.|work=ESPN.com|access-date=2017-10-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://sport.ilmessaggero.it/calcio/riccardo_silva_miami_tas_diritti_tv-3205292.html|title=Miami, Riccardo Silva leader diritti tv parla di Totti, Nesta e "anche in America promozioni e retrocessioni"|access-date=2017-09-07|language=it}}</ref> The report, published in November 2016, found that promotion and relegation could assist US club soccer<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.espnfc.com/major-league-soccer/story/2998963/promotion-relegation-a-good-idea-in-the-us-down-the-road-study|title=Promotion-relegation a good idea in the U.S down the road - study|newspaper=ESPNFC.com|access-date=2017-01-13}}</ref> in capitalising on the potential for the sport in USA, but also stated it's still too early to consider such a system in the U.S. until some important questions are answered.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/pages/sports-business-group/articles/professional-club-soccer-in-the-usa.html?id=gb:2sm:3tw:4ussport:5awa:6ci:20161121123000:duk2&linkid=31327094|title=Professional club soccer in the USA {{!}} Deloitte UK|website=Deloitte United Kingdom|access-date=2017-01-13|archive-date=2018-10-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181013112707/https://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/pages/sports-business-group/articles/professional-club-soccer-in-the-usa.html?id=gb:2sm:3tw:4ussport:5awa:6ci:20161121123000:duk2&linkId=31327094|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Campionati-Esteri/07-10-2017/pirlo-ciao-calcio-sono-vecchio-ma-non-scattata-scintilla-la-panchina-2201149743814.shtml|title=Pirlo: "Ciao calcio, sono vecchio. Ma non è scattata la scintilla per la panchina"|work=La Gazzetta dello Sport - Tutto il rosa della vita|access-date=2017-10-10|language=it}}</ref>
In August 2017, Miami FC joined forces with the National Premier Soccer League's Kingston Stockade FC in filing a request for arbitration at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.socceritalia.it/2017/10/nasl-mls-pro-rel-promozioni/|title=NASL vs MLS. Silva: "Così non va, voglio le promozioni" {{!}} SoccerItalia.it|website=www.socceritalia.it|language=it-IT|access-date=2017-10-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Campionati-Esteri/20-09-2017/stati-uniti-new-york-cosmos-miami-nesta-rischio-chiusura-220712809890.shtml|title=Stati Uniti: New York Cosmos e il Miami di Nesta a rischio chiusura|work=La Gazzetta dello Sport - Tutto il rosa della vita|access-date=2017-10-06|language=it}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.empireofsoccer.com/miami-kingston-stockade-take-u-s-soccer-to-arbitration-63932/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170822134011/http://www.empireofsoccer.com/miami-kingston-stockade-take-u-s-soccer-to-arbitration-63932/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=August 22, 2017|title=Miami, Kingston Stockade Take U.S. Soccer to Arbitration|website=Empire of Soccer|date=June 2003 |language=en-US|access-date=2017-08-22}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.espn.co.uk/football/miami-fc/story/3171424/miami-fc-taking-promotion-relegation-fight-to-court-of-arbitration-for-sport|title=Miami FC taking U.S. pro/rel fight to court|work=ESPN.com|access-date=2017-08-22}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/major-league-soccer-promotion-relegation-usa-mls-la-galaxy-close-shop-a8237506.html|title=MLS stands alone as a closed shop in the world of football. Meet the two men trying to change that|date=2018-03-02|work=The Independent|access-date=2018-03-20|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/mls-relegation-major-league-soccer-fifa-president-gianni-infantino-2019-ussf-usl-a8829191.html|title=Fifa called to enforce relegation in MLS after receiving letter|date=2019-03-19|website=The Independent|language=en|access-date=2019-04-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gazzetta.it/Calcio/Campionati-Esteri/07-05-2019/mls-sara-rivoluzione-tas-decide-retrocessioni-promozioni-3301388904821.shtml|title=Mls, sarà rivoluzione? Il Tas decide su retrocessioni e promozioni|website=La Gazzetta dello Sport - Tutto il rosa della vita|language=it-IT|access-date=2019-05-15}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.leggo.it/sport/calcio/riccardo_silva_sentenza_tas_calcio_americano-4489247.html|title=Riccardo Silva, il ricorso al Tas che rischia di cambiare il calcio mondiale: "L'America accetti le regole della Fifa o si rischiano leghe private"|website=www.leggo.it|date=14 May 2019 |language=it|access-date=2019-05-15}}</ref>
== Other business interests == Silva has other business interests in technology, fashion, and arts, including investments in technology company Muzik. In December 2017, a gallery at the Bass Museum of Art in Miami Beach was renamed the Riccardo and Tatyana Silva Gallery in recognition of the support they have given to the museum and the arts in general.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.artnews.com/2017/12/21/riccardo-tatyana-silva-donate-500000-bass-miami/|title=Riccardo and Tatyana Silva Donate $500,000 to the Bass in Miami|last=Greenberger|first=Alex|date=2017-12-21|website=ARTnews|language=en-US|access-date=2018-01-12}}</ref>
== Personal life == Riccardo Silva is married to Tatyana Silva,<ref>{{Cite web|title = Riccardo & Tatyana Silva Celebrate Bass Museum of Art's New Building Renovation - World Red Eye|url = https://worldredeye.com/2016/01/riccardo-tatyana-silva-celebrate-bass-museum-of-arts-new-building-renovation/|website = World Red Eye| date=February 2016 |access-date = 2016-02-08|language = en-US}}</ref> and they have two sons.
== References == <references />
==External links== * [http://www.riccardosilva.com/ RiccardoSilva.com]
{{Miami FC}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Silva, Riccardo}} Category:1970 births Category:Living people Category:Italian chief executives Category:Italian investors Category:Italian mass media owners Category:Italian sports agents Category:North American Soccer League (2011–2017) executives Category:Miami FC Category:Businesspeople from Milan