Italy
New government pressures Rai to drop sports rights swap with Sky
The rights-exchange deal between Italian state broadcaster Rai and satellite operator Sky Italia covering the football World Cups of 2010 and 2014 and the Olympic Games of 2010 and 2012 is under threat.
Pay-TV growth slashes Serie A highlights value
The Italian football league suffered a drop of more than 50 per cent in the value of its free-to-air highlights rights after failing to generate competition between broadcasters.
TV RIGHTS DEALS 2: Greece, Cycling, MotoGP and more
Basketball: Greek pay-operator NetMed acquired the rights for A1 league club PAOK in a three-year deal from 2008-09 to 2010-11
TV RIGHTS DEALS 1: Greece, Israel, World Cup Qualifiers and more
Football: Greek commercial broadcaster Antenna acquired the rights for top Greek club Olympiacos’ home first round match in the Uefa Cup and its two home group stage matches, paying €1.605m (£1.25m)
Rai votes 4-3 in favour of sports rights swap with Sky
Sky Italia, agreed a deal under which Rai will sub-license to Sky rights to football’s World Cup finals of 2010 and 2014 and Sky will sublicense to Rai rights for the Olympic Games of 2010 and 2012.
Lack of Rai rivals punctures Giro TV plans
The attempt by RCS Sport to boost the value of the event’s international rights failed because of the lack of competition in the domestic market.
Regulator’s attack suggests loophole in collective-selling law
Attack by Italy’s antitrust authority could lead to a reform of the recent collective-selling law and potentially allow a return to individual selling by the back door.
Opening ceremony draws China’s biggest-ever TV audience
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV’s coverage of the Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Games attracted the country’s largest-ever television audience.
New season, new crisis: same old story for Serie A
Italian football appears to be heading for its annual last-minute television-rights crisis
EBU faces uphill task as IOC looks beyond united front
The early signs are not good for the European Broadcasting Union
Sport spared as La7 faces up to spending cuts
Italian commercial broadcaster La7 said last week that its sports coverage would not be a victim of the major spending cuts
Lega’s ambitious €250m target
The Italian football league’s target of €250 million (£198 million) for its centrally-sold media rights looks extremely ambitious
Clouds gather over Infront’s expected adviser victory
Juventus plans legal action to overturn hiring of agency by Lega Calcio
Eurosport still not for sale despite Murdoch advances
Pan-European sports broadcaster Eurosport said this week that it is not for sale, despite rumours to the contrary and strong interest in the company
News in brief
Rivals fear Silva in front of queue for Serie A rights.
A week to match Infront’s Lega bid
Sports rights agencies Sportfive and IMG have one week to match the offer made last month by Infront for the rights to Italy’s top football division, Serie A.
Mediaset in bitter row over Uefa TV deal with Rai
Mediaset claims it outbid Rai, but was then forced to withdraw bid