Soccer-Sky says TIM-DAZN Serie A accord may harm competition

Sky expressed concerns in a letter to Italy's top soccer league on Thursday that an accord between Telecom Italia and DAZN Group over potential rights to screen Serie A matches for the next three seasons may harm competition.

Sky expressed concerns in a letter to Italy's top soccer league on Thursday that an accord between Telecom Italia and DAZN Group over potential rights to screen Serie A matches for the next three seasons may harm competition. Sports streaming service DAZN and pay-TV provider SKY are vying to win Serie A rights for the next three seasons, with DAZN leading the race, sources have said.

Sources said earlier this week Telecom Italia (TIM) had agreed to team up with DAZN were the streaming app to secure the rights. TIM will cover more than 40% of yearly payments for the rights, in addition to providing commercial and technological support, the sources said.

TIM confirmed it had agreed to extend its existing distribution accord with DAZN and amend its financial terms to become its main pay-TV partner in Italy if DAZN won the Serie A tender. Sky objected to TIM receiving preferential treatment in distributing DAZN's content despite the fact TIM is the incumbent in the Italian market, especially for broadband services.

"Such a distribution accord may potentially generate competition issues," Sky said in a letter of which Reuters obtained a copy. "In the interest of millions of Italian football fans, we believe it's extremely important Serie A matches are distributed across all platforms and the broadest number of devices possible," it added.

Telecom Italia and Serie A declined to comment. DAZN was not immediately available for a comment.

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