Just under 10 years after launching, BT Sport is to become TNT Sports, with Eurosport due to be rolled into the new brand in the future.
Discovery+ will become the new streaming home of the service, where viewers will be able to access the full range of sport on offer from both TNT Sport and Eurosport as part of a single subscription.
The changes will take place in July, ahead of the 2023-24 football season, in what Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) describes as “the start of a new journey and relationship with sports fans.”
TNT Sports/Eurosport combined have access to live UK/Ireland TV rights including the Olympic Games, the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, Premiership Rugby, MotoGP, UFC, Boxing, WWE, tennis Grand Slams, cycling Grand Tours and the winter sports season.
▶ Main points
- TNT Sports will continue to broadcast all the live sports carried by BT Sport today. It will broadcast from Chiswick, replacing BT Sport’s original HQ at the Olympic Park.
- Discovery+ subscribers will be able to access all sports channels in one place.
- Eurosport will continue to broadcast in its current form, and available through its current distribution channels.
- Eurosport is expected to be rolled into the new brand in the future in the UK and Ireland.
TNT Sports is a brand WBD already uses for sports channels in the Americas. Its notable that WBD did not opt use their new corporate name, created by the merger of Warner Bros and Discovery, for its sports channel business.
BT Sport first launched on 1st August 2013, as part of BT’s push into premium sport. Since then, BT has changed its strategy. It’s in the process of a major restructure, which will see most consumers migrate from BT to EE, while BT continues to serve businesses and governments.
▶ BT – WBD Joint Venture: a brief history
In September 2022, the two companies entered a 50:50 joint venture. The joint venture was the legal mechanism to merge BT and WBD’s sports business into one operation.
WBD has taken operational control of the channels. Staff working for BT have been transferred over to WBD. However, a number of them face redundancy. BT Sport’s operations in the Olympic Park are closing.
The next step is the rebrand.
BT has an option to exit the joint venture in the future. If this occurred, WBD would take full control of the channels.
The joint venture, which allows for a gradual BT exit, was also designed to allay fears from sports rights holders. They may have objected if BT Sport had been sold and broadcasts directly transferred to another broadcaster.
Corporate responses
Andrew Georgiou, board member of the Joint Venture and President and Managing Director, Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe, said:
“Today is another important step towards the launch of a simpler and even more compelling offering for sports fans in the U.K & Ireland. The TNT Sports name is already synonymous with premium live sport in a number of countries around the world and a further sign of the global scale and expertise that Warner Bros. Discovery brings to its partnership with BT.
Meanwhile, Marc Allera, CEO BT Consumer Division and Chairman of the Joint Venture with Warner Brothers Discovery, said:
“We’re delighted with the progress being made on the joint venture. This change marks the next logical step for BT Sport as well as the broader transformation of our Consumer business. Once launched this will become a hugely exciting new premium sports offering for customers in the UK and Ireland.”
Marc Thornham