Serie B start under threat
Reuters, Rome
The president of Italy's Football League has threatened to postpone the start of the second division Serie B season after the majority of clubs failed to reach agreement on a new television rights deal.Serie B kicks off on Friday with a game between Arezzo and Mantova, with the main round of matches scheduled for Saturday. "If we reach an agreement that pleases both parties, Serie B will start. Otherwise there will be a delay," Antonio Matarrese was quoted as saying in La Gazzetta dello Sport on Wednesday. Of the 22 clubs in Serie B only Juventus and Genoa have reached agreements for the transmission of their home fixtures. The remaining teams have yet to sign deals despite the advances of a number of broadcasters, including state broadcaster RAI, Silvio Berlusconi's Mediaset corporation and satellite broadcaster SKY Italia. "Everything is on the table. We expect to be treated seriously, not taken for a ride. Offers should reflect the true value of Serie B," continued Matarrese. The prospect of a delay to Serie B threatens to add another chapter to Italian football's summer of woe.
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