Italy: Amazon formalises the acquisition of Champions League (Wednesday top fixture) rights

The American e-commerce group Amazon has announced the acquisition of the rights to broadcast the Wednesday evening top fixture of the Champions League as well as the UEFA Super Cup in Italy for the 2021-2024 cycle, on 18/12/2020.

The Italian press announced the allocation of the rights to the Champions League over the 2021-2024 cycle, as follows, on 21/10/2020:

• Amazon has acquired the broadcasting rights for the Wednesday evening top fixture (16 matches + the UEFA Super Cup) for an estimated €80m per season.
• Mediaset has acquired the Tuesday evening top fixture (16 matches), for free-to-air broadcasting, for an estimated €45m per year
• Sky Italia has acquired all other matches for over €100m per season.
• The OTT platform DAZN and the public broadcaster RAI, also candidates, did not acquire any of the lots. The rights to the Champions League final have not yet been awarded.

Sky Italia currently holds the rights to the competition, for the 2018-2021 cycle, for an estimated €260m per season. Sky Italia sub-licensed the rights for one top fixture per matchday to the public…