Dogecoin Arm Buys Italian Soccer Club Stake

House of Doge’s majority equity stake acquisition in U.S. Triestina Calcio 1918 positions the cryptocurrency entity directly within Italy’s professional football landscape. The club competes in Serie C, the third-highest division of Italian soccer, though it currently faces significant challenges, sitting in last place and having recently been assessed an administrative penalty that deducted 13 points from its standings. This acquisition follows House of Doge’s previous telegraphing of deeper moves into sports, with the company explicitly stating its intention to tokenize multiple elements of mainstream culture, beginning with athletic organizations and events.

The transaction was executed in partnership with Brag House Holdings, House of Doge’s publicly traded merger partner that will facilitate the firm’s upcoming public listing through a reverse merger. This strategic partnership underscores the commercial nature of the acquisition and highlights the growing intersection between traditional sports financing and cryptocurrency ventures. House of Doge CEO Marco Margiotta emphasized in a statement that the investment transcends football, aiming to connect Dogecoin’s global community with one of Europe’s most storied clubs while proving that digital assets can drive tangible real-world value, culture, and passion.

House of Doge’s move into Italian football builds upon its established connections within the sports world. The company counts among its backers the New York Yankees-owning Steinbrenner family, along with current and former NHL players including Tyler Seguin, Jason Arnott, and Ales Hemsky. These relationships demonstrate a pattern of strategic alignment with established sports franchises and athletes, providing credibility and industry access for the cryptocurrency firm’s expanding sports initiatives.

Earlier this year, House of Doge collaborated with IndyCar driver Devlin DeFrancesco to feature the DOGE meme coin logo on his car during the prestigious Indianapolis 500, marking an earlier foray into sports marketing. The company’s latest acquisition represents a more substantial commitment to the sports industry, moving beyond sponsorship to direct ownership and operational involvement. As part of the equity stake announcement, House of Doge revealed the addition of Toronto Blue Jays Vice Chairman Roger Rai to its advisory board, where he will provide guidance on sports operations best practices and commercial partnerships.

Founded earlier this year to grow mainstream awareness and adoption of the world’s largest meme coin, House of Doge has been actively developing the Dogecoin ecosystem beyond simple currency trading. The company has collaborated with publicly traded CleanCore on a DOGE treasury chaired by Alex Spiro, the personal lawyer of DOGE-friendly billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk. This treasury management initiative represents a significant step toward institutional-grade cryptocurrency management and demonstrates the maturation of Dogecoin’s infrastructure.

House of Doge is also working with Robinhood and 21Shares to develop Dogecoin yield products and alternative investment vehicles, expanding the utility and financial applications of the cryptocurrency. These developments come at a crucial time for DOGE, which has experienced significant price volatility. While the meme coin saw a modest 1.6% increase today, trading just below $0.20, it has dropped 25% over the last month and remains more than 72% below its 2021 all-time high of $0.73. Meanwhile, Brag House (TBH) stock surged nearly 10% to $1.13 following the acquisition announcement, though it remains down nearly 31% over the past month.

The acquisition of U.S. Triestina Calcio 1918 represents a tangible manifestation of House of Doge’s stated mission to bring the spirit of Dogecoin directly into the fabric of global culture, starting with what CEO Marco Margiotta calls ‘the world’s game.’ This move signals a broader trend of cryptocurrency entities seeking real-world applications and community engagement beyond digital marketplaces, potentially setting a precedent for future crypto-sports integrations.