Lega Serie A outlines new international rights strategy

Lega Serie A, the organising body of the top division of Italian club football, has spelled out its plans for its latest international media rights tender after staging the first edition of a new roadshow initiative.

Held in London yesterday (Thursday), Lega Serie A and its strategic advisor, the Infront Sports & Media agency, met with major international stakeholders to outline its future plans.

The aim of the roadshow is to ensure broadcast partners are familiar with planned innovations and gather key feedback from existing, new and potential Serie A media partners. The international media rights tender, running across the three seasons from 2018-19 to 2020-21, is scheduled to be sent out later this month with bids due in the first week of September.

While previously the rights were sold on a global basis, this time they will be marketed with a regional approach. Continents, regions and individual territories will be able to take up the programming with Serie A and the Coppa Italia cup competition offered together.

Packages of rights will be broken down into continental regions, regions within continents, language-based packages and individual countries. The rights will be offered on a platform-neutral basis in a bid to secure a stronger presence and an optimal combination for broadcasters and media partners to ensure the best possible exposure for Italian football.

The tender will be open, meaning any party can bid for any package. While it is unclear whether broadcasters will be able to sublicense rights to digital players in each territory, it is understood this will be at Serie A’s own discretion.

The league is said to be particularly keen to have direct relationships with broadcasters in key territories, and work closely with agencies during the sales process.

Following the London event, Lega Serie A and Infront will stage similar gatherings in New York (July 19) and Shanghai (July 22).