FOOTBALL LEAGUE - PLAY-OFF TICKET PRICES
PRESS RELEASE
PRESS RELEASE
ANTITRUST OPENS INVESTIGATION INTO FOOTBALL LEAGUE’S FIXING OF TICKET PRICES FOR “SERIE B” PLAY-OFF AND PLAY-OUT MATCHES
The Italian Competition Authority, at its meeting of 7 June 2005, decided to open an investigation of the National Professional Football League for having fixed the prices of tickets to the play-off and play-out football (soccer) matches for “Serie B”.
The decision was prompted by the National Professional League’s official announcement of 3 June 2005, in which it fixed ticket prices for play-off and play-out matches for the “Serie B” 2004/2005 Football Championship (and specifically: first-tier tickets Euro 40.00; second-tier tickets Euro 20.00; third-tier tickets Euro 10.00). The announcement also states that the price-fixing decision had been made “with the approval of a Meeting of the National Professional League’s clubs”.
Given that the National Professional League’s Regulations state that decisions made in the League’s official Meetings are also binding on absent or dissenting clubs, and that the League itself is an association of private companies having legal and organizational autonomy, which control the clubs participating in the national “Serie A” and “Serie B” football championships, and that normally the prices of tickets to championship matches are set independently by each club, the Authority held that the decision in question may be the result of an agreement whose intent or effect is to restrict competition in the professional football sector in Italy. This is particularly important given that several football clubs had promised prices for the play-off and play-out matches which were significantly lower than those set by the League, so as to fill the stadiums.
So the Authority has decided to open an investigation of the National Professional League pursuant to Article 14 of Law no. 287/90. The proceedings will be completed by 30 November 2005.
Rome, 7 June 2005