TV contracts, not from the Government. The League: incomprehensible

The government intervenes with the utmost firmness on the so-called Lotito amendment on the extension of the existing contract for Serie A TV rights. And the League turns up its nose. This morning the executive presented a suppressive amendment to remove paragraph 5-bis of article 16 of the Milleproroghe, a rule already approved by the Budget and Constitutional Affairs Commissions of the Senate, which provided for a further modification of the Melandri Law (the first had been the extension from 3 to 5 years for the contracts for the sale of television rights), extending the extension to existing contracts which, as far as the top division is concerned, are currently with Dazn and Sky.

WONDER

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The first signatory of the amendment was precisely the senator and president of Lazio Claudio Lotito, who now does not hide a certain bitterness: “They will have to give us the reasons. Is it an extension? Does it involve expense?”, he says controversially underlining the fact that the law does not would have gone in any way to damage public money. And there was also great amazement in via Rosellini, where the heads of the Serie A clubs learned the news while they were meeting in the Assembly: “This change of direction has surprised us – says the president of the Lega Lorenzo Casini – the amendment it was from the majority, instead it was reformulated by the government itself. We are curious to understand what happened, technically it is an extension, it does not cost and it is not automatic”. In fact, the extension would be implemented “where there are economic reasons” and “after a market survey aimed at verifying whether other operators can offer better conditions, he explained”. Casini continues: “It is a measure which, as the entire Assembly recalled today, has no burden on the public finances and is very useful for what will be the new tender for TV rights. If Serie A has more tools to bring more resources to all sport is good for everyone, regardless of colors, majorities or minorities”. The president then adds that Sky and Dazn had not given their willingness to extend, precisely “because this is not a rule in favor of anyone, but in favor of better procedures and negotiations. It is a pity that when there are useful rules, exploited by one side or the other”. The clubs are all aligned: “There are things that need to be clarified better, they are opportunities that can be had. The extension is a thing of common sense, when there is common sense there shouldn’t be any problems”, comments Giovanni at the end of the meeting Carnivals, CEO of Sassuolo. However, Lotito is not one to give up easily and will certainly try to relocate his amendment elsewhere as soon as possible.

THE PIRACY

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There is also another issue on which Lega Serie A expects help from the institutions and this is also related to television rights. While the assignment procedure will go ahead through a tender, the clubs have launched a new alarm against piracy: “We are once again asking the Government and Parliament for urgent action to definitively resolve the phenomenon of audiovisual piracy, which represents the most of Italian football, causing an estimated loss of around two billion a year to all economic sectors of the country. The fight against piracy is the priority to recover resources today illegally stolen from the entire football and sport system. The League asks therefore that there may be immediate action.” This is how the Lega press release reads and President Casini reiterates it: “We know that there are initiatives underway in the Chamber, but there are 333 days in Italy to have a law. Football, sport and the country cannot wait for a another year. It is an important battle and for this we are waiting for everyone’s help as soon as possible”.