Sky is paying €5.3 million over the two years, a slight increase on the €2.5 million a year that the Lega received previously. The deal covers three live games a week and will run from 2009-10 to 2010-11. Free-to-air broadcasters Rai and La7 were also thought to have had talks with the Lega.
The 14 clubs voted 10-2 in favour of accepting the deal, with two abstentions. The two clubs against the deal were the two members of the media-rights commission, Virtus Bologna and Benetton Treviso. Enzo Lefebre of Treviso said that some of Sky’s demands were “illegitimate and arrogant”, such as demanding access to the court 24 hours before the game and getting interviews with players 10 minutes after the game.
League president Valentino Renzi said “we are continuing our relationship with Sky but in the next two years we want to develop the project of our own league TV channel”.