Analysis: Mediaset secures Serie A TV and archival rights until 2018
Italian Lega Serie A has awarded Mediaset TV rights relating to football during the 2015-2018 period, covering pre-game images in the locker room, interviews in the break and the first choice for post-game interviews. In addition, Mediaset has been assigned to the management of the archives of the different teams. This is the famous ‘Package C’, which had so far remained ‘unsold’ and had previously been attributed to Sky.
The value of the offer is around 3 million euros per season. In a press release announcing the arrangement, Mediaset commented: “With the exclusive three-year rights Package C and archiving of 360 games out of 380, Mediaset Premium pay TV becomes the reference [for] Serie A until 2018.”
The Package C complements and supports the viewing experience of subscribers to pay TV services. For the first time, Mediaset Premium customers, in addition to the transmission of the matches, will see the first exclusive interviews from the pre- and post-game periods, images from the locker rooms and the access tunnel to the field, and comments from field border benches, in addition to interviews on the field between the first and second round.
Needless to say, this exclusive premium content will no longer be visible to subscribers of competitor pay TV.
Explanation of Serie A rights
From 1 July 2015 and for the next three years, Mediaset Premium will own the rights for each league archive of 360 games (from 380 in total) for 15 Serie A teams, including 210 on an exclusive basis: including matches already played, actions and goals from past to present, and the highlights of matches taking place up to 30 June 2018.
In addition, Mediaset Premium has acquired exclusive triennial rights for the ‘Current Seasons’ archive (matches from 2008 to present) and Historical archive (years prior to 2008).
The agreement covers all the clubs involved in Serie A, with the exception of Empoli, Juventus, Roma, Sassuolo and Torino, which will deal directly with Pay TV broadcasters for their archives.
The reassignment of the TV rights for ‘Current Seasons’ indicates a major change in viewing habits among subscribers to pay TV. Regardless of the transmission of the matches on a live basis, any other provider can transmit pictures taken from the Serie A matches played between the 15 teams once eight days have elapsed after each given match.
Meanwhile, services related to 210 league games crucial to paying subscribers – content that justify the price of football channels even on weekdays – will be visible only on Mediaset Premium. Some examples include: services with a selection of the best goals; images and slow-motion replays of the games; reconstruction of key moments; and more.
In addition, only Mediaset Premium subscribers can watch live TV pre-game press conferences involving the coaches from the 15 teams, and follow everyday life within the sports centres through coverage of workouts and interviews with players.
With the exclusive Package C and archive rights, the offer of Mediaset Premium has been enriched significantly for the next three years. This adds to the experience of a more complete view of Serie A and live matches involving the best eight teams of the Championship, as well as the most important tournament in Europe, the Champions’ League.