[EvanJ]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...129/index.html

[SirFozzie]

Originally Posted by EvanJ

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...129/index.html

Note: This is for Italy, and will not affect the granting of Serie A rights here in the US when the FSC contract runs out at the end of the season

[huhe888]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

Note: This is for Italy, and will not affect the granting of Serie A rights here in the US when the FSC contract runs out at the end of the season

This development will likely slow down the tender process for the international TV rights to Serie A. (The bids were due on November 2. Infront is handing the international TV rights sale.)

Until domestic TV rights are resolved, international TV rights will be in limbo.

==

The English and Spanish-langauge video rights to Serie A in the U.S. should be available relatively cheaply.

FSC is getting awful ratings for Serie A matches this season (less than 50,000 viewers per match, or about 1/3 what FSC averages for EPL).

(FSC already has EPL and UEFA CL so Serie A is definitely in the "filler" category.)

I would not be surprised if Serie A were to end up in English mostly on ESPN360.com for the next two seasons (the new Sunday 6:30am or 7:30am New York time Serie A match could conceivably fit on ESPN Deportes in Spanish and possibly ESPN Classic or ESPN2 in English. That time slot does NOT work for FSC's Los Angeles-based crew.)

GolTV doesn't need Serie A (it couldn't afford to keep 100% of La Liga).

FSC really doesn't need Serie A either (because it already has EPL locked up for 3 more seasons, though it can't afford to keep 100% of EPL).

The jury is still out on whether Setanta Sports USA will survive past May 2010. Setanta needed to sublicense Greece vs Ukraine (among other products) to ESPN, Inc. in order to pay the bills and keep the lights on at 501 Second Street....

[blackhornet]

if FSC and GolTV can't make money from La Liga (and one suspects with the Champions League, FSC might not even want Serie A) why would ESPN take it? Are they that desperate for stuff for Deportes?

[DAGSports]

Originally Posted by blackhornet

if FSC and GolTV can't make money from La Liga (and one suspects with the Champions League, FSC might not even want Serie A) why would ESPN take it? Are they that desperate for stuff for Deportes?

I agree, and frankly, Serie A has a history of trying to significantly overvaluing itself to broadcasters- practically at La Liga or even EPL levels.

On the other hand, ESPN may like having the right to stream games online (which they currently do) and feel that simulcasting one of those on TV could generate very modest ad revenue (probably packaged with an incumbent soccer product). Or yes, they may just need inventory for Deportes as I doubt SAP of ESPN/ESPN2's current English-language content during afternoons would get high ratings.

[huhe888]

As far as the U.S. TV market is concerned, Serie A is caught in "no man's land".

The English-language sports TV channels in the U.S. are able to sell EPL and UEFA CL. Everything else is filler (including MLS, whose TV contracts are up for review after the 2010 season).

The Spanish-language sports TV channels in the U.S. are able to sell Liga Mexicana (with emphasis on Chivas and Club America), El Tri, Barcelona, and Real Madrid (the rest of La Liga doesn't sell). Everything else is filler.

I would not be surprised if ESPN, Inc. ends up with Serie A by default, with many games airing on ESPN360.com and ESPN Deportes.

[mattteo]

Serie A worldwide international rights for the next 2 seasons were awarded some days ago to MP & Silva for 91 million Euros.

[huhe888]

Originally Posted by mattteo

Serie A worldwide international rights for the next 2 seasons were awarded some days ago to MP & Silva for 91 million Euros.

MP and Silva bought the international (ex-Italy) video production and distribution rights to 2 seasons of Serie A for EURO 181.5 million (USD $270 million), according to a report dated Friday November 6.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKL611538520091106

Those rights will still have to be sliced and diced on a territory by territory basis.

EURO 181.5 million (USD $270 million) for 2 season of Serie A on a worldwide ex-Italy basis is relatively small when compared to what EPL can generate from the sale of international video rights.

Recall that EPL currently receives USD $67 million per season for the Hong Kong market (with only 2.5 million TV households) alone.

Serie A is still in the dark ages as far as international TV is concerned.

[mattteo]

Originally Posted by huhe888

MP and Silva bought the international (ex-Italy) video production and distribution rights to 2 seasons of Serie A for EURO 91 million (USD $136 million), according to a report dated November 6.

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slu...goal&type=lgns

Those rights will still have to be sliced and diced on a territory by territory basis.

Exactly.

Your assumption about international rights being 'slowed down' by this court decision was totally wrong.

Originally Posted by huhe888

EURO 91 million (USD $136 million) for 2 season of Serie A on a worldwide ex-Italy basis is "chump change" when compared to what EPL can generate from the sale of international video rights.

Recall that EPL currently receives USD $67 million per season for the Hong Kong market (with only 2.5 million TV households) alone.

91 million Euros is good money, considering Serie A caters to the domestic market exclusively.

The EPL talk is OT.

Originally Posted by huhe888

Serie A is still in the dark ages as far as international TV is concerned.

That's great, it means we rely on our own resources.

[huhe888]

Originally Posted by mattteo

That's great.

You may be the only idiot in Italy who believes that Serie A should not be televised outside Italy.

You are welcome to live in the 19th century.

Thankfully, the Serie A lives in the 21st century and understands:

1) the majority of TV consumers of Serie A around the world now speak Chinese as their native language instead of Italian, English, or Spanish.

2) the majority of TV consumers of Serie A watch Serie A on CCTV5 (which has 3 times as many households passed compared to ESPN US). They don't watch Sky Sports Italia, ESPN, or FOX.