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ITALIAN TRADITIONS

EXPLAINED: Why are Italians angry at streaming platform DAZN?

The latest controversy to affect Italy, eliciting reactions from everyone from football fans to politicians, involves the streaming platform DAZN. Here's what's going on.

Published: 15 August 2022 12:30 CEST
EXPLAINED: Why are Italians angry at streaming platform DAZN?
Inter Milan's Argentinian forward Lautaro Martinez reacts after missing a goal opportunity during the Italian Serie A football match between Lecce and Inter on August 13, 2022. (Photo by Vincenzo PINTO / AFP)

If you want to anger an Italian, one sure way is to take away their football games. This is exactly what happened on Sunday evening when the streaming platform DAZN logged users off just before the Serie A matches.

The bug couldn’t have come at a worse time.

The streaming platform has exclusive rights to the Italian first league, Serie A, and earlier this year announced a €29.99 monthly subscription and stricter rules limiting device access and blocking simultaneous viewing from different locations in an effort to curb “piracy”.

This is the first round of Serie A football matches since the new prices came in on DAZN. The championship is also coming back during the summer holidays when most Italians are home ready to watch their calcio, as Italians call soccer. 

READ ALSO: Italian word of the day: ‘Azzurro’

Many have complained that the new high prices come with a lousy service, with Sunday’s “blackout” only the most recent example. Users were given “emergency links” to log in, but many complained they could still not access the programme.

Politicians join the aggravation

Not only did the hashtag #DAZN go up the list of Italy’s trending topics (and it still holds a premium spot over there), but the dispute became political.

The country’s Democratic Party (PD) said: “tens of thousands of citizens have paid for a service in advance and now suffer with a shameful disservice, in almost all parts of Italy, for the problems with DAZN Italy”.

The party called on Agcom, the regulator and competition authority for the communication industries, and Serie A to intervene.

Politicians from all political spectrums have commented on the issue, including Carlo Calenda, Matteo Salvini (Lega), and Maurizio Gasparri (Forza Italia). Football players such as Daniele de Rossi and other Italian celebrities also complained about the lack of service.

READ ALSO: Home entertainment: a quick guide to video streaming, VPNs and audiobooks

On Sunday evening, the streaming service released a statement, later deleted, recognising the connection issues. “Some users are currently experiencing access issues on our platform. We are working hard to find a solution as soon as possible and apologise for the inconvenience.”, the company said.

What will happen now?

Most of the politicians said they would bring the problems to parliament or Italy’s communication regulator. The main issue is DAZN’s exclusivity rights to Italian football.

The problems will likely influence future decisions on who has the rights to show the games – with broadcaster Sky, which used to have broadcast rights to the matches, looking into getting back on the field.

Of course, nothing is certain yet, and at least for this season, DAZN will continue to transmit games to its subscribers.

One thing seems to be sure, though: If there is one issue that can unite all Italians, it is football.

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ITALIAN TRADITIONS

Bella Ciao and a day off: How Italy marks Liberation Day on April 25th

Thursday, April 25th, is a public holiday in Italy, so why exactly do we get a day off work and how do Italians normally spend it?

Published: 24 April 2024 14:53 CEST
Updated: 25 April 2024 08:41 CEST
Bella Ciao and a day off: How Italy marks Liberation Day on April 25th

Italy celebrates Liberation Day on April 25th, known in Italian as Il Giorno della Liberazione, or La Festa della Resistenza (Celebration of the Resistance).

The date has been a public holiday in Italy since 1946 and it marks the end of the Italian Civil War and the end of the Nazi occupation. 2024 marks the 78th anniversary of Liberation Day.

So how exactly is it marked in Italy and what will most people be doing on the day?

A day off work

April 25th is officially a public holiday, so schools are closed and most employees will have the day off work.

Many shops and services including restaurants, post offices and banks are usually closed on this date.

READ ALSO: How to make the most of Italy’s public holidays in 2024

Supermarkets may be open in the mornings only, or not at all, and public transport is likely to be running on a reduced schedule.

Political rallies

As well as being a day off work, the date is seen as an important one by many Italians and the meaning is not forgotten.

Italians tend to spend the day making their political views clear. There are speeches, marches and protests around the country – at many of these, you’ll hear the song ‘Bella Ciao’, the anthem of the Italian resistance movement.

There are usually numerous official ceremonies across the country, including visits to the tombs of partisan soldiers. The biggest event is a political tribute at Rome’s Altare della Patria, the national monument to Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of a unified Italy.

READ ALSO: On the trail of the Italian Resistance in Milan

President Sergio Mattarella usually makes an annual visit to the Ardeatine Caves mausoleum, where 335 Romans were killed by Nazis in 1944.

Foreigners learning about Italian politics are often surprised by the relatively large number of people, including young people, who strongly identify with either communist or fascist politics in Italy.

So if you’re not doing anything more than spending the afternoon eating lunch with your Italian family (the most popular way to mark any public holiday) there’s a good chance you’ll have to listen to political discourse at the table – and you may want to brush up on your Italian historical knowledge if you’d like to join in.

Museum visits

If you’d rather get out and about, it’s also a good day to visit a museum, and not just because pretty much everything else is closed.

Since last year, April 25th has been added – along with June 2nd and November 4th – to the list of dates on which entry is free to all of Italy’s state-run museums, archaeological parks and other cultural sites (under the nationwide Domenica al Museo or ‘Free museum Sundays’ scheme.)

READ ALSO: Six lesser-known World War II sites to visit in Italy

Italy’s culture ministry has confirmed the same dates for 2024, meaning you could spend the holiday visiting the Colosseum, the Uffizi art gallery, Pompeii, or another of the country’s world-famous sights completely free of charge.

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