DIRITTI CALCISTICI CAMPIONATO DI SERIE A
PRESS RELEASE
PRESS RELEASE
The 60% ceiling on Serie A soccer championship TV broadcasting rights has not been breached
At its meeting on 13 September 2000, the Competition Authority resolved to close the proceeding that was opened on 13 July this year to ascertain compliance with the conditions provided by section 2 of Law No 78/99. In its final ruling, the Authority said that the 60% ceiling on the acquisition of exclusive encrypted TV broadcasting rights over sports events for the forthcoming Serie A football Championships did not appear to have been breached.
In the same ruling the authority emphasized:
- that breaking down exclusive broadcasting rights for certain matches played by one particular Club might make it financially unattractive for a competitor to acquire the rights for the remaining matches. In effect, the party which originally acquired the rights for all the matches played by that team actually acquires exclusive rights;
- that the powers vested in the Authority to set new ceilings in terms of type and quantity seems to be fully in line with the spirit and the letter of section 2(a) of Law No 78/99. In the instant case, however, in view of current market conditions a lowering of the 60% ceiling might have detrimental effects on the negotiation of broadcasting rights over events considered to be of lesser commercial value.
Rome, 20 September 2000