UCI grant Discovery Sports rights to WC racing from 2023 to 2030

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UCI grant Discovery Sports rights to WC racing from 2023 to 2030
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flag commental
Posted: Feb 21, 2022 at 6:03 Quote
The UCI have said they've partnered with Discovery Sports to broadcast WC racing for 8 years from 2023 to 2030. Is this the end of free viewing of WC races? Will Warner still be commentating? Changes are coming and I fear they won't be good ones for the fans.

https://www.uci.org/pressrelease/the-uci-set-to-partner-with-discovery-sports-for-the-organisation-and/5HnMDlfipQhShJdrn5LcPj?fbclid=IwAR29d7y3MH2EHGTeAOcBxLdTa32ua5EejoyXF1owmyQaslW6c0tHD2-JANI
flag tooby111
Posted: Feb 23, 2022 at 2:50 Quote
I can't help worrying that this will signal the start of a subscription based package to watch DH racing.

If it is, but some of the money goes to expanding the prize money in the sport so that it becomes more equal across the male/female races, then that's progress and depending on a reasonable charge to watch, fair enough. The costs of everything are going up and everything we watch on TV is charged for one way or another, whether its BBC licence or Sky TV in the uk, its the way its going unfortunately.

Hopefully the new broadcaster want Rob to continue as commentator, they'll be hard pushed to find better in my opinion. Red Bull have done an amazing job though, and it sad to see that change.

Fingers crossed it does remain free to watch after all that though!!
flag commental
Posted: Feb 23, 2022 at 7:37 Quote
I'm pretty sure anyone who wants to watch will have to subscribe to Discovery Plus. In the UK that's £5.99 per month. I would also be okay with paying that if some of it went towards better deals for the riders, but unfortunately I can't see it going anywhere but into the coffers of Discovery and the UCI. Hopefully their 7 day trial will still be in place so we can gauge if it's worth the expenditure before subscribing. I can't say I'm confident it'll be anywhere near the quality we've become used to.

I'd imagine Warner is under contract to Redbull, I guess it remains to be seen if he was savvy enough to align his contract with theirs to the UCI or if he can extricate himself. WC racing just wouldn't be the same without him for me. Using Crankworx as a comparison (as the only other race series available to watch currently), I find it barely worth watching due to the poor coverage of the tracks and the level of the commentary, it's certainly not something I'd ever put my hand in my pocket for.
flag africranksbiking
Posted: Aug 5, 2022 at 3:18 Quote
Discovery owns Playsport, which operates GMBN/GCN etc. so here’s to hoping the live coverage would move over to GMBN, who are already covering the EWS (although not with any live coverage).

Rob Warner is good mates with the crew at GMBN, so hopefully they can bring him into the fold, but he was once fired from GMBN, so that might be a problem.

Could be fun to see Rob Warner and Martyn Ashton presenting side by side…. But that is probably just wishful thinking.
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