Private equity firms may soon be able to purchase a stake in Serie A TV rights, with the league reportedly considering inviting bidders to the table.
Stakes in Serie A TV Rights May Soon Be Sold
According to sources close to the matter in a report by Bloomberg, Serie A are considering selling off stakes in their international media rights.
The league has already reached out to private equity firms in order to gauge interest, although the proposal is still in its infancy and nothing concrete has been put in place.
Both the source, and a representative from Serie A declined to comment.
It is the latest attempt from Italy’s top-flight to offer up a slice of television and media rights. In 2021, a deal worth $2 billion collapsed after failing to win over enough clubs, despite the investor group ready and willing to purchase the stake.
Two years later, the league hosted several meetings with overseas equity firms to finance part of its media rights, although no agreement was ever reached.
Broadcasting rights are the key revenue source for Serie A clubs, although the league lags behind some of the continent’s other major European divisions, amid a perceived ‘dip’ in its entertainment value.
Despite this, offshore sportsbooks still favor Italian clubs in two of the three European competitions for next season.
Most Expensive Soccer TV Rights in Europe
- Premier League: $9.16 billion (2025-2029 cycle)
- Bundesliga: $5.1 billion (2025-2029 cycle)
- La Liga: $5 billion (2022-2027 cycle)
- Serie A: $4.5 billion (2024-2029 cycle)
- Ligue 1: $2.5 billion (2024-2029 cycle)
Serie A Planning to Change its ‘No Single Buyer’ Rule
Serie A is also set to overhaul the way its television rights are shared out. Italian soccer introduced a ‘no single buyer’ rule in 2008 to avoid creating a monopoly over broadcasting rights.
However, with the league lagging behind some of Europe’s other elite divisions in terms of broadcasting revenue, they are looking to open up the floor in the hopes of increasing Serie A’s global profile.
The English Premier League and Germany’s Bundesliga — both of which pocket considerably more in TV revenue — have a ‘no single buyer’ rule in place.
Private Equity Firms Active in Financing European Soccer
European soccer has been buoyed by financing from private equity firms — particularly in Italy — where teams like AC Milan and Inter have had their debt refinanced by foreign investors.
Not only have clubs benefitted directly, but investors have also latched onto the global value of media rights.
Jersey-based private investment firm CVC is a key investor in La Liga, and also struck a deal to purchase a sizeable 13 percent stake in the TV rights of France’s Ligue 1 for $1.8 billion.
The Bundesliga was also on the verge of a deal to sell stakes to CVC before strong backlash from fans across Germany saw the deal collapse, amid worries over foreign capital.
