Eurosport will be absorbed by TNT Sports in the UK and Ireland from the end of February as channel’s owner consolidates its sports business.
- Sports shown on Eurosport will switch to TNT Sports.
- The move could make some sports events more expensive to watch.
- Selected sports programmes to be shown on Freeview channel Quest.
Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) has confirmed it is taking the axe to Eurosport in the UK and Ireland, 35 years after the sports broadcaster first made its debut.
Eurosport’s coverage of events including the Tour de France, Australian Open and the Olympics will switch to TNT Sports. Eurosport 1 and 2 will cease to broadcast on TV platforms including Sky, Virgin Media and EE TV after 28th February 2025.
WBD is yet to clarify if TNT Sports will gain additional linear channels to absorb the extra content, or whether it will be making more output streaming only, initially via discovery+ until replacement streaming service Max launches at the beginning of 2026.
Changes to Eurosport in the UK and Ireland had been expected following owner WBD’s launch of TNT Sports in 2023, when it started a joint venture with BT to replace BT Sport. This left WBD operating two different sports brands in the UK at a time when the business has sought to reduce its brands. WBD had already axed Eurosport’s standalone streaming service in favour of creating a single streaming destination.
Some sports coverage to be shown on Freeview
WBD has confirmed that following the closure of Eurosport, a selection of sports programmes and documentaries will be made available on free-to-air channel Quest, available on Freeview channel 12.
The free-to-air sports broadcasts will be used to promote the TNT Sports pay TV service and WBD’s streaming service.
In 2025, this will include broadcasting every MotoGP Sprint race, adding to existing live Bennetts British Superbikes coverage, a brand-new weekly cycling show covering all key moments of the season, continued highlights of the Giro d’Italia and La Vuelta a España, plus premiering a range of new sports documentaries
WBD’s free-to-air strategy has been muddled in recent years, with some sports programming including Australian Open highlights popping on lesser known Freeview channel DMAX instead.
More expensive for subscribers
The closure of Eurosport will remove some sports from cheaper pay TV packages. Viewers could access Eurosport even if they didn’t pay extra for access to sports channels.
Fans of sports that frequently feature on Eurosport including cycling and skiing will now have to pay for TNT Sports.
TNT Sports usually requires a separate add-on subscription. On streaming platform Discovery+, TNT Sports is available through the premium tier, although some content may continue to be offered to non-premium subscribers on certain occasions. (Last year, the UEFA Champions League finals were offered to all Discovery+ account holders.)
From the beginning of next year, Max will replace discovery+ as the streaming home of TNT Sports and all other WBD services in the UK and Ireland.
Eurosport survives elsewhere
Eurosport will continue broadcasting as normal outside of the UK and Ireland.
By: Marc Thornham | Image: Eurosport logo (c) WBD | Updated: 23:30