Soccer Serie A seeks Abu Dhabi deals on TV rights, Italian Super Cup – sources

Soccer Soccer – AC Milan celebrate successful Serie A – Milan, Italy – May perhaps 23, 2022 AC Milan fans rejoice with the group throughout the victory parade REUTERS/Flavio Lo Scalzo/File Picture

MILAN/DUBAI, June 2, (Reuters) – Italy’s major soccer league Serie A is in talks above a broadcast offer with condition-backed Abu Dhabi Media and on a different settlement to host its Super Cup in the emirate, a few sources with understanding of the matter stated.

Home to AC Milan, Juventus and other best clubs, Serie A is on the lookout at approaches to catch up with important European leagues these as England’s Leading League and Spain’s La Liga which it lags in conditions of income from marketplaces abroad.

As part of these efforts, the league is checking out a deal with Abu Dhabi Media, owned by state keeping organization ADQ, to display its matches in the Middle East and North Africa for 5 seasons, according to the sources, who declined to be named.

Underneath the phrases reviewed, Serie A golf equipment would pocket at least 143 million euros ($153 million) in total over five years, the similar resources reported, introducing the deal could be worthy of up to 186 million euros like royalties.

Very last yr Serie A failed to award its pay out-Tv set licenses in the Middle East and North Africa as preceding legal rights holder Qatar’s BeIn Athletics did not join the race and talks with Saudi Sports Corporation proved fruitless. read through a lot more

That still left the Italian league with a significant shortfall in its worldwide pay Television set revenue, which plummeted by about a third to 640 million euros in the 3 many years to 2024 in contrast with the former cycle.

Talks about the new offer, which would include streaming some matches on Abu Dhabi-primarily based streaming platform Starzplay, are ongoing and there is no certainty it will go by way of, the resources explained.

Serie A’s clubs associates are due to examine the bid at a assembly scheduled for June 7, the resources extra.

The Abu Dhabi government’s media business, ADQ and Starzplay did not straight away reply to emailed requests for comment. Serie A declined to comment.

Independently, Serie A is in talks with Abu Dhabi’s lifestyle and tourism section above a 5-12 months deal to host the Italian Super Cup in the Gulf state, underneath a new format, the identical sources additional.

The Super Cup would change to a 4-staff competitiveness – as in Spain given that 2019 – relatively than remaining a match involving the winners of Serie A and the Italian Cup, the resources reported.

This other offer, whose conditions are nevertheless getting mentioned, could be worthy of 129 million euros, the men and women additional. It would exchange a equivalent agreement with Saudi Arabia, really worth 21 million euros, right after it expires future year.

The division did not right away respond to a ask for for comment.

($1 = .9327 euros)

Reporting by Elvira Pollina and Yousef Saba Enhancing by Matt Scuffham and David Holmes

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