Trey Higdon/Las Vegas LightsThanks to a friendship formed during their time with the Toronto Blue Jays of the MLB, Bautista and Neglia have managed to transform the USL club.
Gianleonardo Neglia, the assistant sporting director at Venezia FC, slumped into the couch in his Venice apartment after his team came back from a challenging away game at Bari. With the TV switched on and NFL Red Zone prepared to start, he was ready to unwind.
Then, a text came in.
What’s your opinion on the Las Vegas Lights?
Neglia’s attention was instantly captured by the message. It was from his close friend, Jose Bautista – a former outfielder for the Toronto Blue Jays who was on the verge of becoming a Las Vegas owner. This wasn’t just a routine check-in. It was something much more significant.
Neglia and Bautista share a long history together. Neglia once served as a bat-boy for the Blue Jays, spending almost every day for ten consecutive summers with the iconic Dominican outfielder. Their shared passion for soccer strengthened their friendship, leading them to work together later in life. Ultimately, Neglia joined Bautista’s USL team, the Las Vegas Lights, as their sporting director. This marked the end of an unexpected transition from baseball, America’s favorite pastime, to his dream sport – soccer.
In November 2023, Neglia was seeking a senior position. At that point, he was the second in command in Venezia’s front office, handling the daily matters of a club on the brink of becoming a Serie A team. However, he understood that due to the highly competitive nature of the European soccer job market, he might need to wait for a promotion.
“At my age, realistically, in Italy, I was probably still three, four, five years away from getting an opportunity to be a sporting director. That's just the reality of it,” Neglia told GOAL. “So the opportunity to be the head guy and work under an owner who I have this relationship with, I mean, it was really a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I couldn't pass up.”
