Serie A TV rights: 2018-2021 tender suspended, "Italian football alone penalized" (Mediapro)

"Italian football will be the only one penalized, we do not believe that situations like these are good for its image and its stability," stated the Chinese-Spanish group Mediapro to ANSA (Italian press agency) in reaction to the decision of the Court of Milan, on 16/04/2018.

The Court of Milan has suspended, until 04/05/2018, the tender for the domestic audiovisual rights of the Serie A for the 2018-2021 period, nominally awarded to Mediapro, on 06/04/2018, following a legal appeal from the pay-TV group Sky Italia on 16/04/2018. The companies concerned had, before this suspension, until 21/04/2018 (23:59) to respond.

Mediapro has been awarded, by the Lega Serie A, the domestic audiovisual rights to the Serie A for the 2018-2021 period as an independent intermediary, for an amount of €1.05bn, on 05/02/2018. Mediapro has put together a (nominally, sub-license) tender comprising seven lots (one for satellite, two for DTT, two for OTT, and two for IPTV), on 16/04/2018. None of the lots offered includes a floor price, and none offers exclusive broadcasting.

• Mediapro Sector…