Tuesday 30 October 2007

Serie A clubs agree TV cash distribution

Serie A clubs have agreed on the division of pay-per-view television rights money after a marathon nine-hour meeting.

The debate had threatened to cause a schism between the big sides and the smaller outfits that worried they were going to be left in a financially unstable position.

The move finally passed with 15 votes in favour and just four against – Atalanta, Siena, Palermo and Cagliari. Fiorentina were absent from the meeting.

From 2010 Serie A will return to selling its pay-per-view TV rights in a package deal, just like the English Premier League, rather than the current method where each club negotiates its own individual contract.


The smaller clubs feared they would be given a very small slice of the pie, but the agreement will see 40 per cent of the money shared out equally, 30 per cent based on the history of the side and another 30 per cent divided up based on the number of fans.

The remaining 10 per cent goes to the Government to help support sport in general around the country.

"The Presidents showed a great sense of responsibility, which was not easy," commented Lega Calcio President Antonio Matarrese.

"Our suggestions were taken to heart and this solution strengthens all of Italian football. This is still only a step, though, and not a finish line."

Palermo owner Maurizio Zamparini had been vehemently against the motion, calling AC Milan’s Adriano Galliani "the antithesis of football" and stating earlier this week that an agreement "would not be reached on Tuesday."

The way the history of the club is analysed will be in three sections. The previous season’s table sees the top team given 20 points and the bottom one point, deciding where five per cent of the money is distributed.

Another 15 per cent takes into account the placements in the previous five years and the remaining 10 per cent is based on "sporting tradition."

Source: C4 Football Italia

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