Italy: Sky Italia permitted to acquire exclusive streaming media rights to sports competitions again

The Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) has lifted the sanctions against Sky Italia prohibiting the pay-TV group from acquiring exclusive streaming rights to certain sports competitions, announced the AGCM on 20/04/2022. These sanctions had been applied since 20/05/2019.

"The investigation has made it possible to ascertain that there are no impediments to the complete removal of the measures imposed with resolution no. 27784 of 20/05/2019. Although the pay-TV market is still concentrated and Sky still holds a dominant position, it should be noted that the measures appear to have determined an effect of stimulating competition, allowing - starting from the period January-June 2021 a reduction of the market concentration below the levels that were present in the market before the implementation of the merger operation between Sky Italia and R2," explained the AGCM.

"This effect appears to be attributable, in addition to the change in consumption styles of audiovisual products, to the award of Serie A audiovisual rights to DAZN. In fact, if in the period January-June 2021 DAZN held…