Sky Italia, a leading pay-TV broadcaster, has recently secured two new TV rights packages for Serie B, Italy's second-tier domestic soccer league. The acquisition will last until the end of the current season.
The broadcaster has purchased a highlights package that includes goals and highlights from all matches played in each remaining round of the league. Additionally, Sky has also acquired a bar-hotel package which grants it rights to provide live broadcasts of Serie B matches in commercial establishments.
The new packages were tendered by Serie B on Tuesday (March 18) and Sky's offer was accepted shortly after. The bar-hotel package was purchased for €90,000 and will allow Sky to showcase four matches during each of the remaining eight matchdays of the 2024-2025 season. Meanwhile, they paid €70,000 for the highlights package.
Agreement commencement
This agreement commences on matchday 31 of the championship which begins on March 28. It also includes any playoffs and playouts that may occur during this period.
With this acquisition, Sky becomes Serie B’s third domestic media rights partner alongside DAZN - a global streaming service holding primary rights - and Amazon Prime Video OTT platform.
Complex sales process
DAZN stepped in to secure main domestic Serie B rights following an intricate sales process by the league that involved several rounds of tenders due to failure in finding an immediate solution. To avoid a domestic broadcast blackout situation, Serie B agreed upon a three-year deal with DAZN covering campaigns from 2024-25 through to 2026-27.
In partnership with Amazon Prime Video OTT platform, Serie B launched its own channel dedicated to streaming its matches on Prime Video platform as part of their deal together. From seasons beginning in 2021-22 through to the end of 2023-24, Serie B was broadcast by a combination of Sky Italia and now-defunct streaming service Helbiz.
Sky Italia's acquisition of these new rights packages signifies an exciting development for sports fans and sports betting enthusiasts alike. With more access to live broadcasts and highlights, viewers can stay updated on all the action from Serie B matches. This move also demonstrates Sky's commitment to providing comprehensive coverage of Italian football, further enhancing its reputation as a leading broadcaster in the sports industry.
