Italy’s Serie A is looking to more than double the money it makes from the sale of its domestic TV rights for the next contract period.
It is also looking to extend the length of time duration of contracts from the current 3, up to a maximum of five years.
Luigi De Siervo, Chief Executive of Serie A, said on Tuesday the League has conducted market research, revealing operators are interested in longer contracts due to the potential for higher returns on their investments.
Serie A earned approximately €2.8 billion from the sale of TV rights in Italy during the three-year cycle ending in June 2024. DAZN holds the majority of the rights, along with Sky Italia, owned by Comcast.
Each scheme includes contracts ranging from three to five years, offering game packages with varying degrees of exclusivity. The sale process is set to commence in June, with the league targeting figures ranging from €3.6 billion for three-year contracts to €7.2 billion over a five-year period.
Typically, bidders tend to submit offers below the targets, prompting the league to engage in negotiations with interested parties to improve the offers and come closer to the desired figures. In a departure from previous sales, Serie A will accept bids for individual Saturday night matches, opening up competition to free-to-air broadcasters as well as pay-TV operators.
In a nod to Amazon’s Prime Video platform, the Italian league will also offer the right to broadcast matches ahead of major retail events in a move that echoes the mid-week packages offered by the Premier League.
De Siervo confirmed Serie A will also initiate a bidding process to select a long-term financial partner for the creation of its own media platform to distribute matches. Several banks and private equity funds have already expressed their interest in this venture.
