Italy: AGCOM approves the regulations for the centralised sale of the Serie A TV rights (2018-2021)

The Italian telecommunications regulatory authority has approved the regulations "for the centralised sale of the TV rights to the Serie A TIM for the 2018-2021 period," announced the authority on 18/05/2017.

The Lega Serie A had established the regulations for the sale of the TV rights of the Serie A TIM for the 2018-2021 period, and forwarded the guidelines to the AGCM, which had 60 days to validate them, on 29/03/2017. The bidding is expected to be organised in July, 2017.

AGCOM wants to ensure maximum distribution of sports events on as many platforms as possible. It therefore demands that all potential buyers be able to compete for tenders and the acquisition of items, taking into account qualitative criteria (number of matches, schedules, teams followed) and proportional prices.

• Lega Serie A "Lega Nazionale di professionisti di Serie A". Professional League which manages the Italian first division and including its 20 clubs.  and their media agency fears a drop in TV rights on the new cycle of domestic rights (2018-2021), compared to the €945m per season for the 2015-2018…