Bravo and Setanta revive Football Italia after poaching Eurosport rights

by Sam Matthews, Brand Republic 04-Aug-05, 11:00

LONDON - Male-skewed satellite channel Bravo and Irish sports broadcaster Setanta have wrested the rights to Italian Serie A league football from British Eurosport.

The two-year deal worth £1m will see Flextech-owned Bravo screen the "superclassico" matches on Sunday nights from the end of August, a mid-week game, an hour-long highlights show and a weekly magazine show.

Setanta will air the remaining matches on Setanta Sports Live and Setanta Ireland.

Bravo has commissioned independent production company North One to produce the entire package of programming and has picked cult 'Gazzetta Football Italia' host James Richardson to present the shows.

Serie A is home to internationally renowned clubs such as Juventus, AC Milan, Lazio and Sampdoria and features some of the world's leading football stars.

Televised Italian football was big in the UK in the 1990s when Channel 4 and production comapny Chrysalis, now North End, produced shows like 'Gazzetta Football Italia'.

Bravo channel editor David Clarke believes Italian football had been dormant in the UK for too long.

"We intend to invigorate Italian football in the UK and showcase all the passion, skill, style and footballing culture it bring," he said.

The deal marks Flextech's biggest sporting acquisition and will be the pillar of Bravo's new programme strategy -- to produce quality weekend sports entertainment.

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