Rights holder could use broadcaster to go D2C
Serie A is reportedly considering an approach to acquire broadcaster Sky Italia.
All 20 clubs and league executives met on Monday to discuss outside investment in Serie A’s media business, potentially from private equity firms or banks. According to Italian publication La Stampa, one media strategy could be to take a majority stake in the whole, or part, of Sky Italia - which is currently owned by Comcast.
Reuters has reported that a plan could include using financing from the organisations interested in Serie A’s media business, and that Serie A has made an “internal preliminary analysis” of what a move could look like.
This could allow the competition to launch a D2C offering in Italy. The next domestic rights cycle starts from 2024/25, with DAZN the main rights holder and Sky Italia airing three games-a-week currently. DAZN has come in for some criticism, with
Serie A chairman Lorenzo Casini, speaking to reporters after Monday’s meeting, said: “The proposals received from funds and banks were set out to the clubs who have given themselves time to evaluate the various options.”
He added on the Sky Italia links: “There is nothing concrete on the table at the moment.”
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