Volleyball World, the new commercial joint venture between the FIVB, the international volleyball federation, and CVC Capital Partners, the private equity firm, has agreed partnerships with the top men’s and women’s leagues in Italy to help them exploit their media rights.
Under the five-year deals, Volleyball World will be responsible for leveraging the domestic rights of the men’s Lega Pallavolo Serie A Maschile and the domestic and international rights of the women’s Lega Pallavolo Serie A Femminile.
It will also help to enhance the value of the products with a focus on gameday presentation, fan experience, digital opportunities and sponsors’ visibility.
In addition, VBTV, Volleyball’s World’s new subscription-based streaming channel, will showcase the two leagues, with live games and additional content.
The platform has already demonstrated its capabilities at the Volleyball Nations League held in the Italian city of Rimini.
Volleyball World was created this year as part of a deal worth a reported £300 million ($412 million) between the FIVB and CVC earlier this year and is responsible for the commercial exploitation of top-tier tournaments such as the World Championships, Olympic Qualifiers and the Volleyball Nations League.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalDataHowever, it has also been looking to expand its activity to national leagues, as shown by the new Italian tie-up.
Finn Taylor, the chief executive of Volleyball World, said: “Volleyball World’s mission is to drive commercial growth within the sport by focusing on the volleyball product, fan experience, media, sports data/digital opportunities and sponsorship. This will ensure the long-term success of volleyball and deliver lasting legacies for the whole ecosystem of the sport.
“We are delighted to have taken another huge step on this journey by partnering with both the women’s and men’s Italian Professional Volleyball Leagues. Of course, there is still much work to be done, but I have no doubt that these partnerships will be incredibly successful and bring benefits to all stakeholders including the players and fans.”
Massimo Righi, the president of Lega Pallavolo Serie A Maschile, added: “This partnership with the Volleyball World is the result of months of strong negotiations. However, from the very beginning, we understood the enormous potential of this deal.
“We are taking this path with passion, happiness and enthusiasm, being once again together and aligned with the FIVB and with the support of one of the strongest private equity companies investing into sport, we can secure more visibility for our league and our clubs.”