Italy
Watching Brief (Vol.91) Special Focus: Motor Cycling – MotoGP
Mike Kiernan, analyst for SportBusiness Intelligence, examines live television audiences in Europe’s five largest markets for motorcycling’s MotoGP world championship
Betradar’s Live Channel to launch in Italy
Betradar, a division of sports and betting-related services company Sportradar, has struck a carriage deal with Italian bookmaker Sisal Matchpoint for its Live Channel service.
Fox Sports offers Italian fans MLS finale
Pay-television broadcaster Fox Sports has acquired rights in Italy to the finale of the 2014 Major League Soccer season.
RTI confirms new company structure
Italian media company RTI has approved the transfer of sports media-rights and pay-television operations to a new company, Mediaset Premium Spa, on December 1.
BSkyB seals deals for Sky Italia, Sky Deutschland to form European giant
BSkyB is to be renamed as Sky after the UK pay-television broadcaster confirmed that it had completed acquisitions of Sky Italia in Italy and a majority stake in Sky Deutschland in Germany and Austria.
Serie A channel could launch in 2018, Infront Italy chief says
Lega Serie A, which operates the top division of football in Italy, could launch its own television channel as early as 2018, according to Marco Bogarelli, the president of the Infront Italy division of the Infront Sports & Media agency.
B4 Capital snaps up Italy national rugby team rights
The B4 Capital agency has struck a deal to distribute global media rights for the Italy national rugby union team.
RCS set to launch new sports channel
Italy’s RCS MediaGroup plans to spend up to €60m ($75m) over five years on launching a new sports television channel, according to the TV Digital Divide website.
BSkyB could merge Sky Italia with Mediaset Premium, analysts say
UK pay-television broadcaster BSkyB could aim to merge Sky Italia with rival pay-television service Mediaset Premium when it finalises a deal to acquire the Italian company, according to analysts at Bernstein.
MP & Silva retains Serie A’s international rights
The MP & Silva agency has extended its hold on the international rights to Serie A, the top division of Italian football, for a further three seasons.
Infront supports launch of new Italian winter sports platform
Federazione Italiana Sport Invernali (Fisi), the Italian winter sports federation, has launched a new website in partnership with the Infront Sports & Media agency that will feature exclusive video content.
Bidders unveiled for Serie A international rights
The MP & Silva, IMG and B4 Capital agencies have tabled bids for the international media rights for Serie A, the top division of football in Italy.
BSkyB’s ‘Sky Europe’ plan moves step closer
BSkyB’s proposal to acquire pay-television broadcasters Sky Deutschland and Sky Italia has been overwhelmingly approved by the UK pay-television broadcaster’s shareholders.
Pro12 secures Italian rights deal
Free-to-air broadcaster Nuvolari has acquired media rights in Italy for the Pro12 European club rugby union tournament.
Telecom Italia strengthens Sky pact with Uefa football rights
Telecommunications company Telecom Italia will show Uefa Champions League and Euro 2016 qualifying games through its TIMvision video-on-demand service after agreeing a sublicensing deal with the football competitions’ rights-holder in the country, pay-television broadcaster Sky Italia.
Mediaset renews World Superbike rights
Italian commercial broadcaster Mediaset has renewed media rights for the Superbike World Championship motorcycling series.
Sportitalia: From now on we will pay all rights fees on time
Italian free-to-air sports broadcaster Sportitalia has vowed to shed its image as a late rights-fee payer, starting with this week’s deal for the 2014 Fiba World Cup.
Michele Criscitiello, director, Sportitalia
Interview with Michele Criscitiello, director of Sportitalia, on the acquisition of the rights to the Fiba World Cup and the channel’s re-launch.