Julius Young — Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Vantage
Serie A has drawn roughly ten bidders for a minority stake in its international media rights and commercial business, with JP Morgan narrowing the field. American leagues opened this door years ago.
Serie A's latest attempt to bring private capital into its commercial operations has drawn approximately ten bidders for a minority stake in a newly created company holding the league's international media rights, overseas sponsorship, and betting-related business. JP Morgan, advising the league since 2025, is now narrowing the field.
The structure mirrors what American leagues have done for years: package centrally controlled commercial assets into a standalone entity and sell a minority interest, without touching club-level ownership. It is the same logic behind the NFL's 2024 decision to let pre-approved funds buy passive stakes in individual franchises. What is different is the pace, American leagues have seen dozens of such transactions since the mid-2020s, while Serie A and most of Europe's major leagues have moved far more cautiously.
The ten-bidder field is a meaningful signal regardless of who wins. Global sports media rights spending crossed $67 billion in 2026, up nearly 10 percent from the prior year, and Serie A's international rights have consistently lagged other major European leagues. If a minority sale accelerates that growth without disrupting club governance, expect the structure to be replicated quickly elsewhere in Europe. Related: Regional Sports Networks Are Dead