Italian state broadcaster Rai is on the verge of agreeing a sublicensing deal with Rupert Murdoch’s Sky Italia pay-television platform for Formula One motor racing, according to La Repubblica.
Under the deal, Rai would acquire from Sky the free-to-air live rights for nine grands prix next season.
The live rights in Italy pass from long-time Formula One broadcaster Rai to Sky from next season. In order to secure the rights for its platform, Sky had to guarantee to Formula One Management, the commercial rights-holder for the series, that nine races would be shown live on free-to-air television.
Details of the deal have been approved by Rai’s director general Luigi Gubitosi and it will be formally signed off at a board meeting next month, according to the newspaper.
Rai is also in talks with Sky for a swap deal involving rights to the next two Olympic Games, 2014 and 2016, which are held by Sky, and the 2014 World Cup, held by Rai. However, progress on a deal is reported to be slow.
Rai is also in discussions with RCS Sport, the rights-holder for cycling’s Giro d’Italia, about renewing the domestic rights from next season. Rai’s current deal expires at the end of 2012.