TV RIGHTS TO SERIE B: INVESTIGATION BEGUN INTO FOOTBALL LEAGUE (LEGA CALCIO)
PRESS RELEASE
FOOTBALL: ANTITRUST AUTHORITY OPENS INVESTIGATION INTO LEAGUE'S SALE OF TV RIGHTS FOR SERIE B
Clubs may have been prevented from selling rights themselves, thus denying fans the opportunity of watching matches from home
The Italian Competition Authority, at its meeting on 10 April 2008, launched an investigation to determine whether Lega Calcio [the Italian Football League], by way of decisions taken at an association level, may have limited the freedom of Serie B football teams to sell broadcast rights to their matches on their own account, which might be deemed anti-competitive behaviour.
The Authority wishes to ascertain whether the conduct of Lega Calcio, which did not sign any agreement relating to the second division, was intended merely to preserve its role as the exclusive negotiator. In effect, the new rules on football rights stipulate that, in the transition phase, i.e. until 2010, the individual clubs may separately sell any unsold rights, though with the League's prior consent.
In this way, the League's conduct may have denied fans the possibility of watching matches through different broadcast platforms by prejudicing media companies' interest in purchasing important programming material.
The investigation must be concluded by 15 April 2009.
Rome, 18 April 2008