REGGIO EMILIA, Italy (WFAN) -- Mike Piazza, the Mets slugger-turned-Italian soccer team owner, recently held an angry news conference as he vented about his franchise's stadium lease situation.In 2006, the baseball Hall of Famer purchased AG Reggiana, a third-division soccer club. It was a Serie A team before being relegated in 1997, which eventually led the club to file for bankruptcy and auction off its stadium, which is now owned by Sassuolo, a neighboring Serie A team.
Piazza is furious about the rent he's being charged for the stadium.
"We deserve respect!" Piazza said, pounding on the table while flanked by his wife and an interpreter. "We are not going to be pushed around by a multibillion-dollar corporation."
Piazza noted that he has invested millions of dollars into the community and moved his family to Reggio Emilia. He added that his involvement in the team has brought publicility to the northern Italian city, which has driven tourism there.
He said he's more than willing to pay a fair price and has asked the mayor to help. Otherwise, the city must find the team a new place to play, Piazza said.
"We are not going to be extorted!" he said.