A new auction is required for Serie A TV rights after Mediaset abandoned it in protest and Sky offered well below the asking price.
Today the TV rights for the 2018-21 period were put up for auction in five different packages.
It proved a bust, as Mediaset Premium refused to lodge any bids in protest at the system, which they claimed was designed to reduce competition.
Sky Sport Italia and Perform did make offers for four of the five packages, but they were well below the asking price.
A new auction is required for Serie A TV rights after Mediaset abandoned it in protest and Sky offered well below the asking price.
Today the TV rights for the 2018-21 period were put up for auction in five different packages.
It proved a bust, as Mediaset Premium refused to lodge any bids in protest at the system, which they claimed was designed to reduce competition.
Sky Sport Italia and Perform did make offers for four of the five packages, but they were well below the asking price.
It’s reported Sky offered €230m for Package A (satellite rights for Juventus, Milan, Inter, Napoli, the three newly-promoted clubs and other sides with few fans) and €210m for Package D (exclusive rights to the other 12 Serie A clubs, including Roma, Lazio and Fiorentina).
The guide price for Package D was €400m, so rather than enter into private negotiations, the Lega Serie A decided to organise another auction.
“After a brief discussion, we recognised the offers were not representative of the real value of Italian football rights and voted unanimously to not assign any of the packages,” said FIGC President Carlo Tavecchio.
“We have time to the end of the year. If we compare the other European leagues to what we receive in Italy, I don’t think these offers can be accepted.”