Serie A seeks Abu Dhabi deals on TV rights, Italian Super Cup: Report

MILAN/DUBAI: Italy's top soccer league Serie A is in talks over a broadcast deal with state-backed Abu Dhabi Media and on a separate agreement to host its Super Cup in the emirate, three sources with knowledge of the matter said.

Home to AC Milan, Juventus and other top clubs, Serie A is looking at ways to catch up with major European leagues such as England's Premier League and Spain's La Liga which it lags in terms of revenue from markets abroad.

As part of these efforts, the league is exploring a deal with Abu Dhabi Media, owned by state holding company ADQ, to screen its matches in the Middle East and North Africa for five seasons, according to the sources, who declined to be named.

Under the terms discussed, Serie A clubs would pocket at least €143 million (US$153 million) in total over five years, the same sources said, adding the deal could be worth up to 186 million euros including royalties.

Last year Serie A failed to award its pay-TV licenses in the Middle East and North Africa as previous rights holder Qatar's BeIn Sports did not join the race and talks with Saudi Sports Company proved fruitless.

That left the Italian league with a significant shortfall in its international pay TV revenue, which plummeted by about a third to 640 million euros in the three years to 2024 compared with the previous cycle.

Talks over the new deal, which would involve streaming some matches on Abu Dhabi-based streaming platform Starzplay, are ongoing and there is no certainty it will go through, the sources said.

Serie A's clubs representatives are due to discuss the bid at a meeting scheduled for Jun 7, the sources added.

The Abu Dhabi government's media office, ADQ and Starzplay did not immediately respond to emailed requests for