January 14 – Italy’s competition authority has reduced a fine handed to DAZN in a long-running Serie A antitrust case, cutting the penalty from €7.24 million to €3.67 million.
The decision follows a review by Italy’s Council of State, which accepted part of DAZN’s appeal around how the original fine was calculated. Telecom Italia (TIM), the other party involved, saw its penalty left unchanged at €760,777.
The case dates back to the 2021–24 Serie A domestic rights cycle, when DAZN secured the bulk of the league’s live matches and entered into a commercial agreement with TIM. Under that arrangement, TIM was allowed to exclusively market DAZN’s Serie A coverage, effectively bundling football rights with its connectivity services.
Regulators argued that the arrangement between the two platforms restricted competition and made it harder for rival telecom operators to compete on equal terms.
In July 2023, Italy’s antitrust authority (AGCM) agreed, issuing fines to both companies. While the Council of State has now upheld the substance of the ruling, it found merit in DAZN’s argument that the financial penalty itself had been calculated incorrectly, leading to the reduced figure. TIM’s fine was not adjusted.
The original investigation began in 2021, shortly after DAZN’s partnership with TIM helped underpin its successful bid for Serie A rights. DAZN held seven exclusive matches per round, along with co-exclusive rights to three others. Following regulatory pressure, the two companies reworked their agreement in August 2022 in an attempt to address competition concerns.
While this ruling brings some financial relief for DAZN in Italy, it also adds to a growing list of legal and tender disputes surrounding the sports streaming platform across Europe, most notably in France and Belgium. From rights tenders to distribution deals and competition complaints, DAZN has become a regular presence in courtrooms and regulatory offices, often as leagues, broadcasters, and telecoms clash over how modern football media should be sold, delivered, and, most importantly for the leagues, paid for.
For Serie A and other leagues watching closely, the case is another reminder that the shift toward streaming-first models comes with legal complexity as well as opportunity. For DAZN, even with a reduced fine, the episode reinforces the scrutiny that follows any company trying to reshape how top-level football reaches fans, especially when exclusive rights and bundled services are involved.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1768354247labto1768354247ofdlr1768354247owedi1768354247sni@r1768354247etsbe1768354247w.kci1768354247n1768354247
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