Catania Officially Buy Back Historic Crest for €250,000
- Historic Crest Acquired: Catania FC officially announced the successful acquisition of its beloved historical crest for €250,000 at a bankruptcy auction.
- Auction Details and Cost: The club's owner, Rosario Pelligra, secured the trademark from the defunct Calcio Catania S.p.A. after an intense bidding war, with the total investment exceeding €335,000 including VAT and auction costs.
- Return of Iconic Identity: The highly recognizable "Elefantino" badge, featuring the city's elephant and traditional wordmark, will restore the club's original identity after its 2022 financial collapse, with its return to kits expected for the 2027-28 season.
Italian side Catania FC have officially announced the return of the club's beloved historical crest after successfully acquiring the trademark at a bankruptcy auction for €250,000.
The auction was handled by the bankruptcy curatorship of the defunct Calcio Catania S.p.A. (matricola 11.700, originally founded in 1946), which dissolved in 2022. Starting from a base price of €55,000, current Catania FC owner and president Rosario Pelligra, alongside vice president Vincenzo Grella, engaged in an intense bidding war against Revolution Group Srl. Catania finally secured the winning bid at €250,000, taking the total investment above €335,000 once VAT and auction costs are accounted for.
The Iconic "Elefantino" Badge Returns
The historic emblem is one of the most recognizable in Italian football. It features the city's iconic grey elephant (U Liotru) emerging from behind a rossazzurro shield with vertical red and blue stripes, accompanied by the traditional "CALCIO CATANIA" wordmark and a classic brown leather football.
Following the club's financial collapse and exclusion from Serie C in 2022, the newly formed Catania SSD had to rebuild from Serie D under a modern, stylized replacement badge. Fans have long yearned for the return of the original identity. The acquisition of the historic brand follows the club's recent reacquisition of the Torre del Grifo sports complex, successfully uniting the club's facilities and historical heritage under one roof once again.
With the legal formalities and transfer of the trademark now being completed, Catania are expected to restore the iconic badge to their official kits and brand presentation for the 2027-28 season.