Italian men’s soccer’s top-tier Serie A has a new major global commercial partner after entering into an agreement with Maeci, Italy’s ministry of foreign affairs and international cooperation.
Through the ‘beIT’ campaign, and in collaboration with ICE, the governmental agency for the promotion and internationalization of Italian companies, the league aims to give Italian brands and lifestyle a significant platform and exposure through its array of international broadcast partners.
The Serie A Ambassadors team will “be actively involved in events abroad to promote Italian production chains”, the league has said, with TV coverage to include specific beIT-graphics during telecasts of games.
Serie A is currently shown live in over 200 countries by around 60 countries.
The partnership, Serie A has said, means Italian soccer “becomes a platform for the promotion of ‘Made in Italy’ around the world, with the aim of telling a story of style, passion, innovation, and creativity.”
Luigi De Siervo, Serie A’s chief executive, said: “Thanks to this collaboration, we will promote the best of what Made in Italy has always represented for millions of people.”
Carlo Ferro, president of ICE, added: “This collaboration will help promote our brand around the world. Few sports like soccer attract the attention of consumers around the world, that’s why I’m confident in the results of this initiative.”
In November last year, Serie A was reported as planning to expand its operations into the US by opening an office in New York.
The Serie A US headquarters will be based in the center of Manhattan. The team on the ground will include Charlie Stillitano, who was previously in charge of organizing the International Champions Cup pre-season competition on behalf of soccer events and media business Relevent Sports Group, Scott Guglielmino, the former ESPN vice-president and Marco Messina, founder of IFTV, the US-based Serie A-focused digital platform.
The trio will work closely and coordinate with Serie A’s commercial and marketing team, led by director Michele Ciccarese.
Serie A also wants to support club initiatives in North America through its dedicated office and improve existing relationships as well as develop new business opportunities.
Serie A follows in the footsteps of other major European leagues in opening an office in the US including Germany’s Bundesliga and Spain’s LaLiga.
Also in November, it was reported that the league’s commercial revenues for the 2021-24 period would grow by 38% thanks to multiple new recent sponsorship deals.
Serie A’s most lucrative deal is with TIM after the telecoms firm renewed its title sponsorship of the league for a further three years until 2024, prolonging a 25-year association with the competition.
That agreement is understood to be worth a total of around €15 million ($17 million).
