Mediaset scores Champions League FTA & streaming rights
February 19, 2021
From Branislav Pekic in Rome
Mediaset has been awarded the Italian free-to-air and streaming rights for the UEFA Champions League for another three years, until 2024.
The broadcaster will be able to air the best match of each round of Europe’s premier football competition free-to-air as well as the final, which will also be available online for free.
In addition, Mediaset will offer 104 other matches per season in live streaming and in paid mode, watchable on all devices, from smart TVs to tablets, PCs and mobile phones.
Commenting on the deal, Mediaset CEO, Pier Silvio Berlusconi, pointed out that Italian viewers will be among the few in Europe to be able to follow the best Champions League matches free to air, both on TV and online.
Meanwhile, Italian public broadcaster RAI and Amazon are close to being awarded the Italian TV rights to the World Cup Qatar 2022, after bidding over €180 million.
According to Italian news agency Radiocor, RAI is likely to be awarded the so-called ‘B1′ package consisting of 28 matches, with first-choice rights, including semi-finals and finals, for around €135 million.
Amazon Prime Video, on the other hand, has focused on the B2’ package, with the 36 remaining matches, plus the semi-finals and the final, offering around €50 million.