The Champions League derby live in the clear? The situation is moving towards this solution. There AgCom legislation on the events to be broadcast unencrypted, in fact, it provides that the matches of the semi-finals of the Champions League with at least one Italian team as protagonist must be broadcast unencrypted. Rules that clash with the current situation of the TV rights of the former Champions Cup, considering that for the first leg it should in fact be broadcast exclusively by Amazon Prime Video.
In the “list of events of particular importance for society whose diffusion on unencrypted schedules is ensured” there are also the Champions League semi-finals, only if they foresee the presence of at least one Italian team. For example, last season the problem didn’t arise because the semi-finalists were all foreigners.
«The Authority establishes the following list of events considered of particular relevance for society, which television broadcasters subject to Italian jurisdiction cannot broadcast exclusively and only in encoded form, in order to ensure at least 80% of the Italian population the possibility to follow them on a free schedule without additional costs». At point “e” of this list you will find «the final not Champions League semifinals e of the Europa League if Italian teams are involved».
In its regulation, Agcom adds: «If the transmission rights of one or more of the events referred to in paragraph 1 are acquired by an unqualified broadcaster (to broadcast unencrypted, ed), the latter publishes it with reasonable advance on its website, giving simultaneous notification to the Authority , the proposed transfer, under fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory market conditions, of the rights that allow the transmission of this event under the conditions foreseen”.
“If no qualified issuer formulates any offer or fails to formulate it under fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory market conditions, the issuer holding the rights has the right to exercise them notwithstanding the conditions”.
It therefore remains to be understood whether in the case – considering the rules established by AgCom – Amazon will open to unencrypted transmission and eventually in what ways. According to what has been learned from Calcio e Finanza, the platform is choosing the partner who will broadcast the match in the clear: discussions are underway with all the main broadcasters, from Sky (for TV8) and Mediaset up to La7, Rai and even Discovery. Difficult, however, the decision will be made before next week.
