The decision to delay the kick-off to September 15 was taken at a meeting of the Italian league`s governing body, Lega Calcio and centred on a breakdown in negotiations with state broadcasters RAI over a highlights deal and the unhappiness of some of Serie A's smaller clubs with the package for live matches.
Eight of the smaller Serie A clubs are without a television contract, having rejected offers by Italy's main pay-TV platforms, which the clubs described as derisory.
Serie A soccer is transmitted live on pay-TV by either Stream or Telepiu, but neither platform has offered even half the EUR10million ($9.74m) each club, collectively negotiating under the Plus Media Trading umbrella, has demanded.
The remaining ten Serie A clubs, all with contracts, are shared between Stream (Bologna, Lazio, Parma, Roma and Udinese) and Telepiu (Juventus, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Regina and Torino).
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The start of the Italian soccer season, which was due to start on September 1, has been postponed for two weeks after clubs failed to agree to new television contracts.
