Fans concerned about following the Tour de France in the UK this summer after the demise of ITV’s coverage can have hope that at least some of it will be shown on free-to-air television.
Speaking to journalists last week, Scott Young, EVP at Warner Bros Discovery Sports Europe, said: “I think you need to have a free-to-air product. And there will be a free-to-air product.
Last year, Eurosport also closed, with the price of a monthly subscription to HBO Max with TNT Sports going from £6.99 to £30.99 a month, although it can be purchased for £25.99 a month on a 12-month contract.
“Companies like us and Sky invest in sport, and that’s why sports like the [football] Premier League have been going since day one behind a paywall,” Young said. “There’s a clear audience in this market that accepts paying for sport. Sport in this market generally sits behind a paywall one way or the other.
“There are some people who will not convert from a free-to-air point into paid television,” Young admitted. “I think you have to accept that there’s an audience out there who will do that. But there is also an audience that will watch content, either on free-to-air or on YouTube and actually want the rest of the story. They don’t want to just watch highlights, they want to watch the entire Tour de France.
Last year’s Tour also saw TNT Sports’ ad-free streaming option dropped. Young said: “I think, as a commercial sports broadcaster, an ad-free product doesn’t make a lot of sense.”
“It’s really exciting, because I know we’re going to commit to it,” Young said. “I know what we’re going to deliver on the Tour is going to be extraordinary. Guy guaranteed it’s going to be epic. What we’re going to do on the Tour will elevate our coverage of cycling.”
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