Serie A is expected to pause negotiations for its next domestic broadcast rights deal as it continues to seek a valuation of €1bn per season.
The Italian top division currently has a deal in place to broadcast games in the country with Sky and DAZN, which concludes at the end of the 2023-24 season. DAZN currently pays upwards of €2.5bn across three years and Sky €262m to showcase fewer games.
Serie A Chief Executive, Luigi De Siervo, was hoping for the next broadcast deal to rise to a €1bn per season valuation. However, this price has yet to be matched by broadcasters and has forced the league to pause negotiations, despite remaining optimistic of reaching the valuation target.
De Siervo said: “Despite some improvements…we still have work to do. Our goal remains to collect €1bn per season.”
In order to compete with some of Europe’s other top leagues, De Siervo was initially planning to split the broadcast deals into eight different tender schemes for broadcasters to purchase.
This was an attempt to maximise the amount of money Serie A could acquire from a flurry of interested suitors, with valuations ranging from €3.6bn across three years, and €7.2bn over five years.
However, these plans were shelved after the league negotiated with current rights holders DAZN, Sky and MediaForEurope after bids fell short of what the league was asking for.
Serie A confirmed that both DAZN and Sky will continue to broadcast games and will keep its door open for bids from other broadcasters.