Direzione Diritti Sportivi

The activities are performed in observance of the Buying Plan drawn up on the basis of the broadcasting guidelines, taking into consideration the Public Service operations that Rai is required to perform and of the restrictions imposed by the budgets assigned and the economic and financial planning. On this matter, considerable savings were made with respect to the reference budget in 2011.

The negotiations carried out in 2011 were pursued taking care, when possible, to purchase the full rights to use the sporting events in order to make optimum use of the product on all the platforms on which Rai broadcasts, feeding not only the television programming of the generalinterest and two theme-specific channels Rai Sport 1 and Rai Sport 2, but the radio, Rai Italia and internet programming too, with the possibility to generate further forms of return on investment.

Contractual activities were carried out taking into account the different types of counterpart (represented mainly by Italian Federations and Leagues, International Federations, EBU) and the specific nature of the single cases subject to negotiation.

During 2011 these activities made it possible to enter into a considerable number of agreements, which increased the Rai’s portfolio of broadcasting rights, with international events linked to the most significant disciplines and with events at national level in numerous sporting disciplines, covering the minor sporting disciplines which play an important role in Rai’s mission as a public service broadcaster.

In some cases, these were renewals of agreements for the purchase of rights already held by Rai, while others were new purchases, which increased the Rai’s portfolio of broadcasting rights in order to continue guaranteeing the richest free offering with respect to the reference market.

In other words, the unit’s activity focused on both the question of longterm agreements and renewals, and on the analysis and study of new buying opportunities thanks to the constant observation, analysis and monitoring of the sports broadcasting rights market.

For example, some of the important agreements which enabled the broadcasting of important events during 2011 were:

• the agreement with the FIGC for the broadcasting of the matches played by the Italian football team (friendlies and qualifiers);
• the contract with the UEFA relating to the 2011 European men’s Under 21 football championships;
• the agreement with Lega Calcio relating to the highlights of the Serie A and B football championship matches;
• the agreement to purchase the Coppa Italia (Italian Cup) matches played from the eighth round;
• the contract with the UEFA to broadcast the Champions League (one match for every day’s play);
• the agreements relating to the matches organised by the Lega Pro, 5-a-side football, women’s football and other youth events;
• the exclusive contract for the Giro d’Italia and other cycling events;
• the agreement relating to the Tour de France;
• the agreement for broadcasting the Diamond League and World Athletics Championships;
• the long-term agreement for the downhill and cross-country World Cup Skiing;
• the agreements for the purchase of the men’s and women’s Serie A volleyball championship, as well as the European Championships;
• the agreement for the men’s and women’s Italian Serie A basketball championship, as well as the European Basketball Championships.

Lastly, in terms of hours of programming, those dedicated to sport on the generalinterest channels, among news bulletins, features and commentary amounted to a total of 1,100.
These broadcasts allowed four sporting events to be among the twelve most watched programmes of the year.