TV rights: €66m total fines for Mediaset, Infront, Sky, Lega Serie A - accused of illegal agreement

The AGCM, the Italian competition authority, has sanctioned the parties involved in an illegal agreement - RTI (subsidiary of Mediaset), Infront Italy, the Lega Serie A and Sky Italia -- regarding the allocation of the TV rights for the Serie A from 2015 to 2018 -- and fined these parties a combined total €66m, on 20/04/2016. The AGCM imposed a fine of €51.4m to the Italian broadcast group Mediaset, €4m to Italian pay-TV group Sky Italia, €1.9m to the Lega Serie A and €9m to marketing and media rights agency Infront Italia.

The tender for domestic TV rights for Serie A for the 2015-2018 period was launched on 19/05/2014 by the Italian League and Infront Italy, the league's media advisor. The main lots were awarded on 26/06/2014.

"The companies sanctioned worked in concert, and substituted in their agreement for the results instead of the procedure provided by law. This had the effect of guaranteeing market sharing between the two incumbents, assuring the assignment of rights (lots) to the two (RTI / Mediaset Premium and Sky Italia) while preventing the entry of new operators, either…