How Italian football want to conquer the US market AC Milan is in pole position but there are many teams willing to take advantage of a booming market
With a population of more than 330 million people, unmatched cultural influence, and sublime economic power, the United States are without a doubt the world’s premier sports market. When you look at the revenue that the “Big Four” American Leagues generate - $19 billion for the NFL, MLB at $10.8 billion, NBA with $10 billion, and $5.7 billion for the NHL - it is easy to see why the US is seen as such a great commercial opportunity and break this “Big Four” hegemony is a big goal for many overseas sports leagues.
Take Formula 1 as an example. After handing over its promotion to Liberty Media in 2017, the league sold broadcasting rights to ESPN and ABC, differentiating themselves from others with commercial-free content. Although very unusual for the US, this was highly appreciated by fans, and the past 5 years have seen American F1 viewership increase by 148%, while the market cap went up from $4.4 billion in 2016 to $17.3 billion in 2023. It is safe to say that this experiment worked, and F1 has even added a third US Grand Prix for this season in Las Vegas.
The many attempts of bringing football to the US, on the other hand, have ultimately resulted in a market unsurprisingly dominated by the English-speaking Premier League, the local MLS, and the Hispanic population-backed Liga MX. However, with globalization on the rise, a truly international, foreign league could come in and upset this power balance: Serie A.
Red and black initiatives in New York
Serie A has never enjoyed real popularity in the US. Aside from football’s lower-end status, the league is not culturally or linguistically apt to appeal to an American audience. But recent events point towards a different trend: Serie A is starting to take its brand awareness in the US very seriously, and a lot of it involves AC Milan.
Many other clubs in Italy have American owners, including Fiorentina, Parma, Genoa, Roma, SPAL, and Spezia, although their involvement with the American sports market and audiences is a lot less pronounced than Milan’s or Venezia’s. Serie A itself has been making its presence felt in the US, opening a New York City office in 2021 and an Instagram page to specifically target a North-American audience.
Italian football is serious about establishing itself in the US, reversing the negative trend that has characterised recent years. AC Milan and Serie A seem to be the most aggressive attempts so far, but many others could follow. In terms of football audiences, the US is facing a big growth movement, thanks in part to Lionel Messi's arrival in MLS and the preparations for the 2026 World Cup. The strong presence of US ownership in Italian teams could grant a competitive advantage that, if exploited correctly, could help our football gain a new, crucial, slice of international audience.
