The Italian antitrust regulator AGCM has opened an investigation into the acquisition by Sky Italia and Mediaset of the rights to broadcast Serie A football on suspicion the companies may have colluded to exclude new entrants. As part of its inquiry, AGCM said it has already searched the offices of the companies in question with the assistance of the financial police. The move follows the June 2014 decision by Italy's top tier football league to award rights to broadcast matches of the eight leading Serie A teams during 2015-2018 to Sky Italia and Mediaset after weeks of competing bids. Sky Italia was subsequently given the exclusive rights to air matches of the other 12 teams in Serie A, a package that had first been awarded to Mediaset. The total value of the TV rights for the 2015-18 period came to EUR 945 million per season, some EUR 114 million more than the previous three-year deal.
The regulator said it would be looking at whether the deal infringed EU competition laws. In addition, it would investigate possible “sharing agreements” between Sky and Mediaset since the final deal between the parties did not appear to reflect the bids that had been submitted. In its statement, AGCM added that the investigation would also include the Italian football league and Infront Italy SRL, the agency that managed the auction. It said the said the probe would be completed by 30 April 2016.
