Former Toronto Blue Jays star Jose Bautista, team director Gianleonardo Neglia have USL's Las Vegas Lights shining brightly
Trey Higdon/Las Vegas LightsThanks to a friendship formed during their time with MLB’s Toronto Blue Jays, Bautista and Neglia have managed to turn things around at the USL club.
Gianleonardo Neglia collapsed onto the sofa in his Venetian flat. The television was switched on, poised to broadcast NFL Red Zone. As the assistant sporting director of Venezia FC, his team had recently returned from a challenging away game in Bari. It was finally time for some relaxation.
Then, a text came in.
“What’s your opinion on the Las Vegas Lights?”
Neglia’s attention was instantaneously seized by the message. It was from his close friend, Jose Bautista, the ex-outfielder for the Toronto Blue Jays and soon-to-be owner of Las Vegas. This wasn’t merely a routine check-in. It indicated something much more significant.
Neglia and the legendary Dominican outfielder have a long-established relationship. Neglia used to be a bat-boy for the Blue Jays, spending almost every day for 10 consecutive summers with the outfielder. Their shared passion for soccer brought them together as friends and later as colleagues. Neglia’s journey culminated in joining Bautista’s USL team, the Las Vegas Lights, as their sporting director, marking a transition from America’s favorite sport to his personal dream sport.
In November 2023, Neglia was seeking advancement in his career. At the time, he held the second highest position in Venezia’s front office, where he was closely involved with the day-to-day operations of a club on the verge of joining Serie A. However, he was aware that he might need to be patient for a promotion, given the competitiveness of the European football job market.
“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.”
