An American pope, a text and a wild idea: How college basketball ended up in Rome

The first American pope was elected. Inside Fox Sports, a college basketball producer had an idea: Let’s go to Rome.

“Hey, I got something important to talk to you about,” a text from Steve Scheer, one of Fox’s top college basketball producers, read to Fox Sports Executive Vice President Jordan Bazant.

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Bazant admitted he didn’t think much of the message at first. But Scheer followed it with a presentation highlighting Pope Leo XIV’s passion for sports, helping set in motion one of college basketball’s most unique projects this season: bringing the sport to Rome.

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How college basketball ended up in Rome

What Bazant and Scheer didn’t know was that Villanova officials were already exploring the same idea.

On May 8, 2025, the day Pope Leo was elected, Wildcats athletic director Eric Roedl reached out to John Anthony at On Location, which has experience organizing international college events such as the annual Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin. Roedl wanted to explore bringing Villanova’s men’s and women’s basketball programs to Rome to face Notre Dame in an event celebrating Villanova’s alumnus, formerly known as Robert Francis Prevost.

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“We felt like it was an incredible opportunity for not only our basketball programs, but for our university to have an opportunity to bring Villanova over to Rome and celebrate our alum, Pope Leo,” Roedl told USA TODAY Sports. “We feel like it’s an opportunity that really transcends basketball.”

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Look back as Pope Leo marks his first year as pontiff

White smoke rises from the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel indicating that the College of Cardinals have elected a new Pope during their fourth vote on the second day of their secret conclave on May 8, 2025 in Vatican City, Vatican. White smoke was seen over the Vatican early this evening as the…

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Publish date : 2026-10-30 10:07:00

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