Italian Football League Votes Against Reducing Number of Clubs

The Italian Serie A League announced today, following a meeting of shareholders in Milan, that the clubs voted to maintain the number of teams in Serie A at 20. Only four clubs voted in favor of reducing the number of clubs to 18: Juventus, Inter Milan, AC Milan, and AS Roma. Therefore, the number of clubs will remain at 20, as it has been since the 2004-2005 season. The major clubs had pushed for a reduction in number to decrease the number of matches and increase the quality of football, but they needed a majority of 14 clubs to enact the reform. Additionally, a proposal for reforms will be presented during an extraordinary general assembly of the Italian Football Federation in March. Serie A is seeking more independence from the Italian Football Federation, similar to the English Premier League. After a meeting of the clubs last week, League President Lorenzo Casini stated, "At the moment, the system does not grant Serie A the independence and decision-making weight that it should have regarding economic significance."