Italy

The Six Nations last week secured a long-term deal with media company NBCUniversal in the US, but is understood to have suffered a 40-per-cent fall in the value of its rights in Italy.

The IMG agency and state broadcaster Rai have emerged triumphant in the international media rights sales process run by Lega Serie A, the organising body of the top division of Italian club football, sealing agreements worth a total of €1.113bn ($1.326bn).

Italian Serie A champion Juventus has claimed a first for the football market by entering into a partnership with online streaming service Netflix.

Coverage of the Italian Serie A women’s football competition will be shown on social media website Facebook.

Italian telecommunications group Telecom Italia (TIM) has approved the creation of a joint venture with French pay-television broadcaster Canal Plus that is set to compete for sports rights in Italy, while it has also appointed a new chief executive as part of ongoing development efforts.

Italian Serie A football club Inter Milan has rebranded its television channel as part of a major revamp of its in-house media operations.

Eleven Sports will begin showing live Serie A matches in Italy this weekend, in a deal which will cost the company nothing but could have multiple advantages.

Pay-television broadcaster Fox Sports has widened its coverage of US sports in Italy by acquiring rights to National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball and American football.

Italian media group Mediaset has confirmed it has entered a bid for the domestic rights to the 2018 and 2022 editions of national team football tournament the Fifa World Cup.

International sports broadcaster Eleven Sports has acquired rights to live stream Serie A games in Italy, while the top division of domestic football is set to enter into private negotiations with bidders for its international rights.

Italian media group Mediaset has entered a bid for the domestic rights to the 2018 and 2022 editions of national team football tournament the Fifa World Cup, according to multiple reports.

Internet company Amazon has entered into a partnership with ATP Media, the broadcast arm of professional men’s tennis circuit the ATP World Tour, through which it will stream the Next Gen Finals.

Pay-television broadcaster Fox Sports has agreed a two-season extension to its rights deal in Italy for the Champions League club competitions operated by the European Volleyball Confederation (CEV).

A total of 95 offers from 30 companies have been submitted in the international rights-sales process for Serie A, the top division in Italian football, as well as the Coppa Italia knockout tournament and the Supercoppa Italiana clash between the Serie A and Coppa Italia winners.

Italy’s third-tier professional football league, Lega Pro, is heading for a substantial increase in the value of its domestic media rights after holding its first formal tender processes for both national and local broadcast rights.

The CAA Eleven agency has launched new tenders in Italy for rights to Uefa national team properties.