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TNT Sports (United Kingdom)
TNT Sports (United Kingdom)
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TNT Sports, formerly BT Sport, is a British sportscasting pay television channel brand owned by BT Group and Warner Bros. Discovery, first launched on 1 August 2013 and serves the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Key Information

Based at the Warner Bros. Discovery complex in Chiswick Business Park, London since July 2023, having relocated from its original home at Here East, the former International Broadcast Centre in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London,[1] the brand’s channels are available on EE TV, Sky and Virgin Media in the UK and Sky and Vodafone TV in the Ireland.

BT Group established the brand after acquiring rights to the English Premier League; it also acquired the operations of previous rightsholder, ESPN UK, prior to launch, integrating them with BT Sport as BT Sport 4 (now TNT Sports 4). On 11 May 2022, BT Group announced an agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery to form a joint venture that would eventually merge BT Sport with its local Eurosport business, which was approved two months later. BT Sport rebranded as TNT Sports on 18 July 2023 and absorbed Eurosport UK on 28 February 2025.[2]

History

[edit]
Former BT Sport logo

Premier League deal, launch

[edit]

News of BT's first foray into sports broadcasting first came about on 12 June 2012, when it was announced that it had won the rights to 38 live Premier League matches for three seasons from the 2013–14 season, beating ESPN UK, which had held the shared rights with Sky Sports the previous season. BT announced at the same time that it would be launching its own channel for its new football coverage.[3] The news followed speculation that ESPN was reconsidering its position in the UK.[4] The following months also saw BT win rights to Premiership Rugby and its associated 7s Series, as well as American, Brazilian, French and Italian top-flight football.[5][6]

On 25 February 2013, BT announced an agreement to acquire ESPN's television networks in the UK and Ireland, including ESPN and international sports channel ESPN America; this agreement gave BT rights to the FA Cup beginning in 2013–14, the Bundesliga and UEFA Europa League through 2015, and the Scottish Premier League through 2017, as well as other international event rights licensed through ESPN. The value of the deal was not disclosed, but BT was understood to be paying "low tens of millions". The deal was expected to close by 31 July, and BT was expected to operate at least one ESPN-branded channel as part of the BT Sport service.[7]

BT made other notable rights deals ahead of BT Sport's launch, including UFC mixed martial arts under a three-year deal,[8] and MotoGP beginning in 2014, under a five-year deal.[9] In May 2013, BT announced that BT Sport would be offered for free to its internet subscribers via streaming.[10] Media analyst Steve Hewlett felt that BT's entry into the sport market was an effort to help strengthen its triple play business and, in particular, help retain internet subscribers lost to Sky (which he believed would result in greater financial loss than those that would be sustained by operating BT Sport).[11]

BT Sport launched on 1 August 2013.[12] On 12 August, BT reported that over 1,000,000 households had subscribed to the service ahead of the start of the 2013–14 Premier League, although admitting that the majority of them were BT internet subscribers.[13]

The interactive service BT Sport Extra launched in 2014.[14] In January 2015, BT Sport renewed its licensing agreement with ESPN International under a seven-year deal, allowing it to continue operating an ESPN-branded network as part of BT Sport, and hold rights to ESPN original programming, and event broadcast rights that are distributed internationally by ESPN.[15]

UEFA deal, expansion

[edit]

On 9 November 2013, BT Sport announced that it had acquired the rights to the UEFA Champions League and Europa League beginning in 2015–16, under a three-year deal valued at £897 million, replacing Sky and ITV.[16]

On 9 June 2015, BT announced it would launch a new channel, BT Sport Europe, which would carry all UEFA Champions League and Europa League matches. Concurrently it was announced that only the BT Sport 1 channel would be free to BT internet subscribers, and that BT Sport 2, Europe and ESPN would require viewers to subscribe for £5 extra. BT also announced a Freeview HD channel known as BT Sport Showcase, which would carry 12 Champions League matches and 14 Europa League matches per season on a free-to-air basis, including at least one match per-round, each English club appearing at least once per-season, and coverage of the Champions League and Europa League finals.[17][18]

BT Sport also announced that it would launch BT Sport Ultra HD, the first 4K sports channel in the UK, on 2 August for the 2015 FA Community Shield. The channel would initially be exclusive to BT TV on BT Infinity, with a 4K service package and compatible YouView set-top box.[19] In 2016, BT Sport Europe was renamed BT Sport 3.

In 2017, BT Sport began an agreement with boxing promoter Frank Warren, under which Warren's channel BoxNation would be distributed as part of the BT Sport service, and that BT Sport and BoxNation would co-produce and simulcast 20 cards per-year on Saturday nights.[20][21] In April 2018, BT Sport announced a pay-per-view service, BT Sport Box Office, with an intent to broadcast premium boxing events.[22] On 2 August 2019, BT Sport relaunched its 4K channel as BT Sport Ultimate, and began to offer Dolby Atmos sound and high dynamic range (HDR) on supported devices.[23]

On 20 June 2019, BT Sport announced an agreement to carry the programming and pay-per-views of U.S. professional wrestling promotion WWE, ending a relationship with Sky Sports that dated back to the network's launch in 1989.[24]

Joint venture with Warner Bros. Discovery, TNT Sports

[edit]

In April 2021, it was reported that BT was exploring a sale of all or part of BT Sport, in order to focus more on its fibreoptic services. Rumoured suitors included Amazon.com Inc. (which is one of the Premier League's current rightsholders), the sports streaming provider DAZN (which had notably beat out Sky Italia for exclusive domestic rights to Serie A football), and ESPN majority-owner Disney.[25][26][27] By September 2021, DAZN was reported to be in "advanced talks" with BT.[28][29] However, in December, it was reported that negotiations had stalled, and that Discovery Inc.—who owns competitor Eurosport and was preparing to merge with WarnerMedia to form Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD)—was negotiating a joint venture with BT to combine their respective networks.[30][31] In February 2022, the two companies entered exclusive negotiations.[32]

On 11 May 2022 Warner Bros. Discovery EMEA announced that it had reached an agreement to combine its Eurosport UK business with BT Sport in a 50/50 joint venture, in a transaction scheduled to be completed by the end of 2022 pending approval from regulators and sports bodies. Under the agreement, WBD would assume the operations of BT Sport, and merge them with Eurosport under a new brand at a later date. WBD will pay £93 million to BT over three years; if performance targets are met, WBD will pay a bonus of up to £540 million. The company will also have the option to buy out more of BT's stake in the venture. As part of the agreement, BT agreed to distribute Warner Bros. Discovery's factual streaming service Discovery+—which is the streaming platform of Eurosport—at no charge to most BT TV subscribers, and those who subscribe to BT Sport via the company directly.[33][34][32]

The venture was approved by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on 22 July 2022,[35][36] and the merger was completed on 1 September.[37] On 1 August 2022, BT Sport ESPN was rebranded as BT Sport 4, while the BT Sport Extra overflow channels were rebranded as BT Sport 5 through 10.[38]

On 21 February 2023, it was announced that BT Sport would rebrand as TNT Sports on 18 July 2023, ahead of the 2023–24 football season; the branding is derived from WBD's American general entertainment channel TNT (which has historically carried sports coverage, such as the NBA; the brand had also previously operated in the UK),[39] and has also been used by WarnerMedia sports networks in Latin and South America. It was stated that the Eurosport UK channels would be folded into TNT Sports no later than the 2026 Winter Olympics.[40][41][42] The network's new brand identity was developed by DixonBaxi, using a "viewfinder" formed from rotated "T" letters as a visual motif, and using the "N" from the logo as a homophone of "and" to join pairs of concepts (such as fixtures).[43]

In January 2025, WBD announced that Eurosport would be discontinued in the UK and Ireland on 28 February, with its content to be folded into TNT Sports platforms afterward.[44]

On 17 May 2025, the Financial Times reported that WBD was preparing to invoke its option to acquire BT's stake in TNT Sports.[45]

In June 2025, it was reported that WBD would be ending an agreement with Red Bee Media to handle playout for the TNT Sports channels in August 2025, and re-locating these operations in-house at a WBD facility in Atlanta, United States.[46]

Availability

[edit]

In the UK, TNT Sports is available in standard definition with all BT TV packages for BT Broadband customers. The 4K channel TNT Sports Ultimate is also available to BT Superfast Fibre customers for an additional fee.[19] TNT Sports operates six part-time overflow channels, originally branded as BT Sport Extra, but branded since July 2023 as TNT Sports 5–10. They are carried via the red button on Sky, and displayed as individual channels on the BT and Virgin Media EPGs.[38] TNT Sports is also available to EE mobile phone contract customers to view via TNT Sports & Discovery+ apps or to stream via Discovery Plus' website. This can be streamed on a laptop or PC which is a stark contrast to how BT Sports used to work.

On Sky, TNT Sports 1 only is currently offered for free to broadband subscribers as 'TNT Sports Lite', regardless of what subscription they have. Plusnet TV also offered the same until 1 November 2021 when their TV brand was discontinued,[47] however, TNT Sports is still available to Plusnet customers via the app service.[48] Customers who wish to view the remaining channels can subscribe to the 'TNT Sports Pack' in either standard or high definition.[49] BT also provide broadband subscribers access to the channels via the Discovery+ app.[50]

Virgin Media customers receive TNT Sports 1, 2, 3, 4, and Ultimate as part of their "Full House" bundle however, they do not receive AMC from BT.

TalkTalk TV customers subscribed to the TNT Sports Pack in order to receive the entire range of channels.

In addition, Freeview HD customers received BT Sport Showcase and Virgin Media customers received BT Sport Free. They closed on 30 June 2018.

On 4 December 2018, the SD versions of BT Sport and BT Sport ESPN stopped broadcasting on Virgin Media.

On 6 February 2019, BT Sport released the app for Xbox One.[51][52] It was later released for PlayStation 4 on 31 May 2019.[53] On 8 September 2020, BT Sport also launched on Fire TV, Android TV and Roku TV.[54] On 18 July 2023, following the rebrand to TNT Sports, the channels became available on the Discovery+ service for viewers in the UK, with the BT Sport application discontinued on all platforms from 12 October 2023.

Programming

[edit]

Plans for the channels launch came about when it was announced in June 2012 that the broadcast rights to the Premier League from the 2013–14 to 2015–16 seasons were awarded to BT and Sky, outbidding existing broadcaster ESPN for the rights.[55] BT showed 38 live matches from the Premier League each season, including 18 first pick matches, from the 2013/14 season til the end of the 2015/16 season.

In October 2012, BT announced it had also agreed deals to air Serie A, Ligue 1, Brasileirão and Major League Soccer, all of which were previously broadcast on ESPN,[56] as well as Premiership Rugby.[57]

In January 2013, BT announced it would also broadcast Women's Tennis Association matches from 21 tournaments.[58]

On 25 February 2013, BT announced that it had acquired ESPN's UK channels and their sports broadcasting rights, including rights to the FA Cup, UEFA Europa League, Scottish Premier League, Bundesliga and NASCAR.[59] This led to the shutting down of ESPN Classic and ESPN America in favour of the BT Sport channels.

On 7 May 2013, BT Sport acquired the rights to air Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) events and taped programming in the UK and Ireland for three years, from 1 August.[60] Two days later it was announced that BT Sport had acquired an exclusive five-year deal to broadcast MotoGP races from the 2014 season, including free practices and qualifying as well as full coverage of Moto2 and Moto3.[61] BT Sport also broadcasts the FA WSL, A-League and programming from Red Bull Media House.[62][63]

On 9 May 2013, BT announced that it had acquired the exclusive UK TV rights to MotoGP along with the Moto2 and Moto3 championships. Later in May, BT Sport acquired rights to the Football Conference for two years with 25–30 live games a season, including the end-of-season play-offs.[citation needed]

In January 2014, it was reported that BT Sport had acquired the rights to broadcast the World Rally Championship for the 2014 season.[64][65]

Football coverage

[edit]

BT Sport has carried the Premier League since its launch; as of the 2020–21 season, BT Sport holds rights to around 52 live matches per-season, including 32 Saturday matches with 12:30 p.m. kickoffs, and 20 midweek fixtures scheduled around the winter break in January and February.[66][67][68]

On 9 November 2013, BT announced a £897 million deal with UEFA to broadcast the Champions League and Europa League exclusively on BT Sport from the 2015–16 season for three years. The deal ended two decades of the competition being broadcast free-to-air on ITV, although BT stated that the finals of both competitions and at least one match per season involving each participating British team would still be broadcast free-to-air (doing so via the BT Sport Showcase channel).[16] TNT will show the event until 2027, after which the rights will move to streaming services Amazon Prime and Paramount+.[69]

For the 2016–17 season, BT Sport premiered the studio programme BT Sport Score, which airs on Saturday matchdays and competes primarily with Sky's Soccer Saturday.[70]

BT Sport has held rights to the National League since 2013, which were most recently renewed in 2020; BT Sport carries a weekly match on Saturdays, and the weekly National League highlights show.[71] It has also carried the FA Trophy and FA Vase matches.[72]

It has also carried France's Ligue 1 since 2013,[73] and Italy's Serie A (which most recently returned to the network in 2021).[74]

On 15 February 2024, it was announced that TNT Sports had agreed a four-year deal with the Football Association to show the FA Cup from the 2025–26 season.[75] BT Sport had previously aired the competition from its launch until 2020–21,[76] after which BT Sport's share of the rights had transferred to ITV.

From 2015 to 2020, BT Sport held exclusive live coverage of the FA Community Shield. From 2021, these rights transferred to ITV but moved to TNT Sports in 2025.

Rugby union coverage

[edit]

Premiership Rugby

[edit]

BT became a senior broadcast partner of Premiership Rugby in 2013–14. The original Premiership coverage deal ran until the 2016–17 season and allowed BT Sport to exclusively broadcast up to 69 live games per season. The Aviva Premiership's viewing figures rose by 40% in TV audiences in its first season with BT Sport.[77] A third deal was signed in December 2020 to cover Premiership Rugby and the Premiership Rugby Cup until 2024.[78] The deal covers up to 80 matches a season from 2016 to 2017 and introduced an extended highlights programme from the 2015–16 season.[79] Subsequently, in 2017 Channel 5 announced a deal that would see them simulcast five matches per season until the end of the 2020–21 season.[80] ITV subsequently took over the simulcasting rights, broadcasting up to 6 league season matches and the final between the 2021–22 and 2023–24 seasons.

The deal with BT Sport also sees them exclusively broadcast the league's associated sevens series and the Premiership Rugby Cup. BT Sport also had exclusive live rights to the Anglo-Welsh Cup from 2016–17 until its final competition in 2017–18.

Premiership Women's Rugby

[edit]

BT Sport originally only had rights to show both the semi-finals and the final of Premiership Women's Rugby in the 2022–23 season. Ahead of the 2023–24 season, TNT gained broadcasting rights to one game per weekend as well as both the semi-finals and the final.[81][82][83] As part of the deal, there is provision for a free-to-air provider to show both the semi-finals and final alongside TNT.[83]

Cricket coverage

[edit]

In August 2015, BT Sport acquired rights to Cricket Australia under a five-year deal starting in the 2016–17 season; the package included rights to internationals hosted by Australia (including English tours of Australia such as the 2017–18 Ashes series), as well as rights to the domestic Big Bash League.[84] BT Sport renewed its rights in the 2021–22 season, holding rights to Australian internationals through the 2025 season (including the 2021–22 Ashes series); the rights to the BBL and Women's Big Bash League were sold separately to Sky Sports.[85][86] In February 2021, BT also reached deals for New Zealand and West Indies home matches.[87]

In January 2024, TNT announced its first major cricket rights acquisition when it obtained the rights to the India national cricket team from 2024 to 2028. The deal is signed just a few days prior to the start of the India v England test series.[88]

Motorsport coverage

[edit]

BT Sport's flagship motorsports event is MotoGP. In addition it shows the Moto2, Moto3, Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup and JuniorGP. Suzi Perry hosts the coverage alongside pundits Colin Edwards, Sylvain Guintoli, Michael Laverty and Neil Hodgson. Commentary is provided by Gavin Emmett and Hodgson, with Charlie Hiscott joined for Friday sessions coverage. Natalie Quirk appears as reporter. Emmett also presents Chequered Flag which is aired after the MotoGP race has finished.[citation needed]

The channel also has live broadcasts of the World Rally Championship (since 2014) and Formula E (since 2024).[89][90] The FIA World Endurance Championship (2014-2020, since 2025) is also shown. Previous coverage included the FIA European Formula Three Championship (2015-2018), British Formula Three Championship (2015-2017), World Series by Renault (2014-2018), Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (2014-2023), International GT Open (2014-2019) and now also shows the Supercars Championship (2014-2023, since 2025).

Tennis coverage

[edit]

Eurosport's pan-European rights to Roland-Garros moved to TNT Sports in 2025; in conjunction with the move, TNT Sports began collaborating with its American sister division to produce coverage of the tournament for its local outlets, as part of its own rights to the tournament which began that year.[91][92]

Also, TNT Sports inherited Eurosport's coverage of the Wimbledon Championships, which sees the channel air highlights of the tournament plus live coverage of the two singles finals.

American sports coverage

[edit]

BT Sport showed extensive coverage of American sports, including Major League Baseball (MLB), College sport, Major League Lacrosse and the X Games. This was supplemented by BT Sport's long-term agreement with ESPN to carry its original programming (including original documentaries and studio programmes), and events whose international rights are owned by ESPN International.[93] However, when TNT Sports replaced BT Sport in 2023,[94] it continued its coverage of baseball, but dropped its coverage of college sport.[95]

World Poker Tour

[edit]

In February, the World Poker Tour (WPT) announced a new deal with BT Sports to broadcast the World Poker Tour in the UK and Ireland across BT Sports networks. The company will broadcast season XV of the WPT, which took place from 2016 to 2017. Highlights from the season include the first WPT victory of poker commentator Mike Sexton and the first victory by a woman in an open WPT event.[96]

Previous coverage

[edit]

Boxing

[edit]

Since 2017, BT Sport has an association with BoxNation to show certain live fights from Frank Warren Promotions. On 15 September 2018 BT Sport showed its first boxing pay-per-view boxing event – the rematch between Gennady Golovkin and Saul Alvarez[97] and on 1 December 2018 BT showed the Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury fight. Both were shown on BT's pay-per-view channel BT Sport Box Office. Paul Dempsey leads the coverage alongside Richie Woodhall, Steve Bunce and other guests. John Rawling and Barry Jones provide commentary with Caroline Pearce or Ronald McIntosh the ringside reporters.

TNT's coverage of Queensberry Boxing finished at the end of April 2025, with the rights moving to streaming service DAZN.[98]

Professional wrestling

[edit]

On June 20, 2019, U.S. professional wrestling promotion WWE announced that its programming would move to BT Sport in the beginning of 2020 (with pay-per-view programs sold via BT Sport Box Office), ending a relationship with Sky Sports that dated back to the network's launch in 1989.[24] As well as live shows, BT Sport also shows repeated highlights of Raw, SmackDown, NXT, NXT UK and pay-per-views. In addition, it shows certain WWE Network programs, such as WWE Ruthless Aggression and WWE 24, as well as special editions of No Filter WWE.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, WWE were unable to film their NXT UK shows under typical circumstances. To resolve this, BT let WWE utilise a set at the BT London Studios. NXT UK recommenced tapings on September 17, 2020.

The deal between WWE and TNT Sports expired in January 2025, where all WWE content in the UK is now broadcast through Netflix as part of a new arrangement.[99]

Football

[edit]
Scottish Professional Football League

BT hosted rights to show 30 Scottish Professional Football League games a season, sharing the rights with Sky Sports and BBC Alba. Darrell Currie was the main presenter with pundits including Chris Sutton, Stephen Craigan, Ally McCoist, Michael Stewart and Alex Rae. All of these pundits also contributed to co-commentary duty alongside Derek Rae, Rory Hamilton, or Rob MacLean who were the lead commentators. There was always a 3-man commentary line up on the Scottish coverage with the most prominent co-commentary pairing being Craigan and Sutton. Emma Dodds and Connie McLaughlin were the match reporters on the coverage. From the 2016–17 season, BT Sport had aired a 30-minute preview show "Scottish Football Extra" before every live match. From the 2020–21 season, all 48 live SPFL Premiership matches will be on Sky Sports.[100]

Scottish League Cup

From the start of the 2016–17 season, BT Sport had been the home of exclusive live coverage of the Scottish League Cup, showing two or three live matches per round, from July through to the final in November. The same personnel used on the SPFL coverage was used on Scottish League Cup coverage. From 2020, Premier Sports took over the rights for the competition, showing 12 to 16 games per season.[101]

Bundesliga

BT Sport had full exclusive rights to the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga. Lead commentary on Bundesliga action comes from Ben Andrews, Steve Bower, Simon Brotherton, Paul Dempsey, Dave Farrar, James Fielden, Seb Hutchinson, Alistair Mann, Dan Mason, Jonathan Pearce, John Roder, Dan Roebuck, Mark Scott, Joe Speight, Adam Summerton, Paul Walker, Oliver Wilson and Steven Wyeth. The co-commentators include Jim Beglin, Tony Dorigo, Efan Ekoku, Kevin Gallacher, Don Hutchison, Chris Perry, Stewart Robson and Nigel Spackman. Occasionally, Premier League pundit and ex Bayern Munich player, Owen Hargreaves also contributes to co-commentary. Ben Andrews, Tim Caple, James Fielden, Mark Scott and Oliver Wilson are the lead commentators on 2. Bundesliga coverage.[citation needed] BT Sport lost rights to the Bundesliga from the 2021–22 season onwards for the next 4 years to Sky Sports.[102]

DFB Pokal

BT Sport previously broadcast DFB-Pokal.[103] From the start of the 2018–19 season, coverage moved to Eleven Sports for a season only,.

CONMEBOL Libertadores

Previously, BT Sport showed both 2018 Copa Libertadores Finals between the Argentine Superclásico rivals Boca Juniors and River Plate; in simulcast with FreeSports.[104][105] A year later, the Copa Libertadores final coverage moved to BBC Two.

Süper Lig

Towards the end of the 2019–20 season, BT Sport began showing 3 games a week from the Turkish Süper Lig.[106]

Rugby Union

[edit]

European Professional Club Rugby

[edit]

BT originally shared rights to European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR)'s champions and challenge cups with Sky Sports. The shared nature of the deal meant each broadcaster would exclusively broadcast up to 30 pool matches, 2 quarter-finals and 1 semi-final from each competition with the finals being shown by both. BT also received first pick on Champions Cup matches involving Premiership Rugby clubs.

For seven seasons from the 2018–19 season, BT Sport became the official broadcast partner of the Champions and Challenge cups and broadcast up to 134 matches per season.[107] The Challenge Cup will be shown exclusively on BT Sport whilst broadcasting of the Champions Cup was shared with Channel 4 in the UK and Virgin Media Sport in the Republic of Ireland until 2022 and with ITV and RTÉ from 2022 to 2024. Both channels simulcast one match from each round and the final.

Cricket

[edit]
Caribbean Premier League

BT have broadcast all 34 matches from the Caribbean Premier League most recently in 2017. Sky Sports took over the rights from the 2018 edition onwards.

Indian Premier League

In 2019, BT Sport also won rights off Sky Sports to broadcast every match of the 2019 Indian Premier League, however from the 2020 Indian Premier League the rights switched back to Sky Sports.

Tennis

[edit]

In January 2013, BT Sport signed a deal with the WTA to show 21 live tournaments from the women's tennis tour. The coverage consisted of up to 800 live hours of coverage every year until 2016, each season ending with the WTA Finals.

From January 2017, BT Sport had the rights to show 52 WTA tournaments every year until 2019. Coverage on most competitions took feeds from the WTA international TV feed, but with larger events from the Premier Mandatory and Premier 5 category matches, Sam Smith or occasionally Annabel Croft presented coverage alongside Martina Navratilova. Lead commentary was provided by Chris Bradnam, David Law and David Mercer alongside co-commentators, Annabel Croft, Nigel Sears, Anne Keothavong and Jo Durie.

The last competition on BT Sport was the 2019 WTA Finals in which Clare Balding presented coverage alongside Anne Keothavong and Jo Durie. With Annabel Croft and Nigel Sears reporting from Shenzhen. Lead commentary came from David Law and David Mercer alongside Keothavong and Durie.

For the 2020 WTA Tour onwards, Amazon Prime Video are now the exclusive UK broadcaster, showing 49 tournaments a year.[108]

Darts

[edit]
BDO Darts coverage

It was announced in December 2014 that BT Sport would share the rights to the 2015 BDO World Darts Championship alongside BBC Sport. Coverage would be presented by Ray Stubbs for the first two years of their coverage. In August 2016 it signed a new 2-year deal to share rights this time with Channel 4. Matt Smith took over as presenter with Chris Mason as studio pundit and Reshmin Chowdhury as roving reporter. Commentators on BT Sport Darts coverage were John Rawling, Jim Proudfoot, Vassos Alexander, Paul Nicholson, Deta Hedman and Chris Mason, these are shared with Channel 4's coverage, as the commentary is produced independently. BT Sport did not renew their contract for the 2019 tournament and the rights are now held by QUEST and Eurosport

American Sport

[edit]
NBA

BT Sport had inherited the rights to the NBA from ESPN UK.[109] In the 2017–18 NBA season, BT Sport lost the rights to Sky.[110] TNT Sports regained the rights ahead of the 2023–24 NBA season, with plans to broadcast at least nine games per-week throughout the regular season.[111][112] This continued for two seasons until they passed back to Sky Sports for the 2025/26 season under a new multi-year deal.[113]

WNBA

As the men's league games, the Women's NBA games also moved to Sky Sports from 2018 to 2019 season.

NCAA

Throughout its decade on air, BT Sport showed extensive coverage of American College sports, particularly NCAA football and NCAA basketball. BT Sport gave over significant parts of its schedules to this coverage, often showing two, sometimes three, College Football games simultaneously. The coverage was enhanced by BT Sport broadcasting ESPN's studio-related College Sport programming via a long-term agreement with ESPN to carry its original programming, which also included original documentaries and studio programmes, alongside events whose international rights were owned by ESPN International.[93] This ended when TNT Sports replaced BT Sport in July 2023[94] and TNT Sports subsequently decided to drop all coverage of College Sport.[95] These were the only rights that TNT Sports decided not to continue showing when it replaced BT Sport.

Magazine shows

[edit]

Current

[edit]
  • UFC: Beyond The Octagon - Presented by Adam Catterall alongside Gareth A Davies and Dan Hardy
  • UEFA Champions League Magazine

Former

[edit]
  • BT Sport Score (2016–2023) Saturdays at 3:00 pm. The programme kept viewers up to date with the latest scores from across the UK and Europe, and was presented by Darrell Currie and Jules Breach who were joined by various pundits.
  • ESPN FC - A football debate show alongside a list of pundits and writers including Craig Burley, Stewart Robson, Steve McManaman, Steve Nicol, and Don Hutchison. This programme has not been seen since BT Sport was relaunched as TNT Sports in July 2023.
  • College GameDay (football TV program) - ESPN's pre-game show for College Football. This was shown in full almost every week. This, along with other related College Football programming from ESPN, ended when TNT Sports decided not to continue showing the NCAA when it replaced BT Sport in July 2023.[94] The programme eventually transferred to Sky Sports when Sky took over coverage of NCAA Football and Basketball in November 2023.[114]
  • Baseball Tonight - Again this stopped being broadcast when TNT Sports replaced BT Sport.
  • Rugby Tonight - Sundays at 17:15 pm sees Martin Bayfield, Ugo Monye and Lawrence Dallaglio present a debate about rugby union. Their guests include current and former players and referees reviewing and previewing the Gallagher Premiership and the Heineken Champions Cup. Cancelled in July 2023 as part of a review into studio programming before the TNT Sports rebrand.
  • Boxing Tonight - Presented by Paul Dempsey

Documentaries

[edit]

BT Sport produced a series of feature-length sports documentary films under the title BT Sport Films. Among the films shown on the channel are The Beautiful Game, I Believe in Miracles and Don't Take Me Home. Documentaries that have been critically well-received include Rocky & Wrighty: From Brockley To The Big Time, about childhood friends David Rocastle and Ian Wright,[115] Shoulder To Shoulder, on the Ireland national rugby union team during The Troubles,[116] and Brothers in Football, which tells the story of Corinthian Football Club.[117]

TNT Sports is continuing to show new documentaries as well as showing repeats of BT Sport Films.

Classic sport

[edit]

BT Sport's weekday daytime schedules often included sporting action from yesteryear. Football features heavily and includes league matches from the 1970s and 1980s from both the ITV Sport, including full editions of The Big Match, and the BBC's Match of the Day archives. Also featured are FA Cup matches from the 1970s to the present day and UEFA Champions League matches. Other archive sporting action included boxing matches from the ESPN and ITV Sport archives as well as MotoGP races and Australian cricket.

TNT continues to show classic sport, but without the ESPN content.[94]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
TNT Sports is a British and streaming service dedicated to live sports broadcasting, launched on 18 July 2023 as a rebranding and expansion of the former BT Sport network through a 50:50 between and . The service delivers premium coverage of major events across football, rugby, combat sports, and more, and is accessible via dedicated TNT Sports channels on platforms like , , and BT TV, as well as through the discovery+ streaming platform. The rebranding emerged from 's acquisition of a 50% stake in BT Sport in September 2022, aiming to create a unified sports brand under the established TNT name used internationally by . This partnership leverages 's existing assets, which integrated 's channels and content into TNT Sports on 28 February 2025 in the and , expanding access to Olympic coverage, Grand Slams, events, and more without separate subscriptions. As of May 2025, is in advanced discussions to sell its remaining stake to , potentially consolidating full ownership under the latter. TNT Sports holds significant broadcasting rights in the UK, including 52 matches per season, over 185 games (with rights transferring to Paramount+ from the 2027–28 season), all matches from the and Conference League, and domestic cups like the Emirates and Adobe Women's . It also features exclusive UFC pay-per-view events, NBA regular-season and playoff games, the full Six Nations rugby tournament, and major tennis events such as the Australian Open and Roland-Garros. Additional coverage encompasses MotoGP, , boxing, and winter sports, with content available in up to on compatible discovery+ devices. Viewers can access TNT Sports through discovery+ subscriptions, with the TNT Sports plan priced at £30.99 per month or TNT Sports & Entertainment at £33.99 per month (as of November 2025), bundling all live channels and on-demand highlights, or as an add-on to TV packages from providers like , BT Broadband, , and , with prices varying by provider and often lower than the direct discovery+ subscription rates (e.g., £18–£25 per month depending on the provider and bundle). Detailed pricing and availability can be found in the Availability section. The service emphasizes a multi-platform approach, combining linear TV with digital streaming and interactive features to enhance fan engagement across the and .

History

Launch as BT Sport and early expansion

BT Sport was launched on 1 August 2013 by , a British telecommunications company, as part of its strategy to enter the sports broadcasting market. The channel's formation was driven by BT's acquisition of live broadcasting rights for the 2013–2016 seasons, secured in a £738 million deal that covered 38 matches per season, including up to 18 top-of-the-table clashes and bank holiday fixtures. This move positioned BT Sport in direct competition with , which had dominated football broadcasting for over two decades, and marked the first significant challenge to Sky's monopoly since the Premier League's inception in 1992. From its inception, BT Sport's programming emphasized premium football content, with the as its cornerstone, broadcast across three channels: BT Sport 1, BT Sport 2, and BT Sport Europe (later rebranded). The service quickly expanded its portfolio by securing rights to the Aviva Premiership Rugby, providing comprehensive coverage of all matches starting from the 2013–2014 season, which helped attract rugby enthusiasts and diversify its audience beyond football. Additional early acquisitions included motorsport events like the German Touring Car Championship and promotions, establishing BT Sport as a multifaceted aimed at rivaling established broadcasters. In 2015, BT Sport underwent significant expansion with the acquisition of UEFA club competition rights for the 2015–2016 to 2018–2019 seasons, valued at £897 million. This deal granted BT Sport exclusive live coverage of all 350 matches across the (including all matches from the group stage onward except the final) and the . The rights package enhanced BT Sport's prestige, drawing high-profile European football and boosting subscriber growth amid intensifying competition. To support its broadcasting operations, BT Sport established state-of-the-art studios at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in , which opened in and served as the network's production hub. The facility, spanning over 40,000 square feet, featured advanced technology for live coverage and analysis, underscoring BT's investment in infrastructure to deliver high-quality sports programming. This setup enabled seamless integration of multi-camera feeds and expert commentary, laying the groundwork for the channel's early technical reliability and viewer experience.

Rebranding to TNT Sports

In February 2023, and (WBD) announced that the 's sports service, formed the previous year, would rebrand from BT Sport to TNT Sports, launching that summer. The , established in May 2022 with equal 50-50 ownership between the two companies, aimed to combine BT Sport's offerings with WBD's under a unified premium sports brand, with WBD taking the lead on content, commercial operations, marketing, and production. The rebranding took effect on 18 July 2023, when BT Sport 1, BT Sport 2, and BT Sport 3 were replaced by TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports 2, and TNT Sports 3, respectively, across linear TV and streaming platforms. This transition retained core broadcasting rights secured prior to the rebrand, including the Premier League package of 52 matches per season, which continued into the 2023–24 campaign under the existing 2022–25 rights agreement. Similarly, UEFA club competition rights—covering the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League through 2027—were preserved, ensuring comprehensive live coverage of these events. As part of the initial integration of WBD's content portfolio, TNT Sports secured a multi-year deal with the NBA in October 2023, introducing over 250 live regular-season games, playoffs, and programming to and Irish audiences each year. This marked an early expansion into , leveraging WBD's global NBA partnerships to diversify the channel's lineup beyond traditional football and rugby focus.

Integration of Eurosport and recent developments

Following the 2023 rebranding to TNT Sports, which laid the groundwork for deeper synergies within the (WBD) ecosystem, the service underwent significant structural changes in 2025. On 28 February 2025, 's operations in the UK and fully integrated into TNT Sports, resulting in the discontinuation of standalone channels in those markets. This merger transferred a broad array of Eurosport's premium rights to TNT Sports, enhancing its portfolio with events such as the Australian Open and Roland-Garros Grand Slams in , the Grand Tour cycling races (including the , , and La ), the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, major winter sports competitions, British and World Superbikes, and tournaments. Additionally, Olympic coverage rights for the in Milano Cortina and the in shifted to TNT Sports as the primary broadcaster, alongside extended pan-European Olympic rights through 2032. The integration aimed to consolidate WBD's sports assets under a unified , allowing Eurosport content to air across TNT Sports channels and the discovery+ streaming platform while preserving the Eurosport in over 50 other European territories. In parallel with the Eurosport fold-in, TNT Sports secured several new broadcasting rights in 2025 to bolster its offerings. A landmark four-year deal with , announced in February 2024 but commencing from the 2025–26 season, positioned TNT Sports as a co-exclusive broadcaster for the Emirates FA Cup, sharing select live matches with free-to-air partners like . Cycling coverage expanded notably, with TNT Sports gaining rights to air every stage of the 2025 live—marking its first full broadcast of the event on the channels—alongside the and other Grand Tours, previously under . Motorsport rights also saw key enhancements. In 2025, TNT Sports extended its multi-year broadcasting rights for MotoGP, continuing as the dedicated and home for the series with comprehensive coverage of all rounds across its three classes, including new broadcasts of sprint races from every event on the Quest channel shortly after completion, complemented by on discovery+ featuring interactive timeline markers. Additional motorsport additions encompassed the endurance race for the first time on TNT Sports channels, Speedway GP, and expanded British and World Superbikes programming. These acquisitions contributed to over 3,000 hours of live sports content planned for summer 2025 alone, distributed across TNT Sports channels, Quest, and discovery+. Amid these operational expansions, corporate ownership dynamics shifted in mid-2025. In May 2025, reports emerged of advanced discussions between and WBD for BT to sell its 50% stake in the TNT Sports , potentially granting WBD full control by the end of 2026 when its existing buyout option expires. Such a transaction would conclude BT's decade-long involvement in premium sports broadcasting, initiated with the original BT Sport launch in 2013, and could streamline decision-making for future rights acquisitions while raising questions about TNT Sports' long-term independence from broader WBD strategies. As of November 2025, no final agreement had been publicly confirmed, though the talks underscored evolving priorities in the UK sports media landscape.

Availability

Channels

TNT Sports maintains a core lineup of four primary channels—TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports 2, TNT Sports 3, and TNT Sports 4—designed to deliver live sports events and related programming. These channels are broadcast in high-definition (HD) formats, with TNT Sports 4 part of the lineup since the 2023 rebrand. TNT Sports 1, 2, and 3 serve as the main outlets for flagship live coverage, while TNT Sports 4 supports additional live feeds and on-demand content integration. All core channels support HD broadcasting, with select events offering ultra-high-definition (UHD) enhancements where platform infrastructure allows via TNT Sports Ultimate. These channels are also distributed via the BT TV service and the discovery+ streaming app for flexible access. Complementing the core channels are the part-time TNT Sports Extra channels, numbered 5 through 10, which activate during high-demand periods to provide overflow coverage and multi-view experiences. These extras are particularly utilized on busy weekends, such as matchdays, allowing simultaneous broadcasts of multiple games or events without interruption. Access to these channels is typically through interactive features on supported platforms, ensuring comprehensive event viewing. On major distribution platforms, TNT Sports channels occupy specific electronic program guide (EPG) positions for easy navigation. For Sky viewers, TNT Sports 1 is at EPG 410 (HD), TNT Sports 2 at 411 (HD), TNT Sports 3 at 413 (HD), and TNT Sports 4 at 414 (HD) as of November 2025; the Extra channels 5–10 are accessed via the red button interactive service. On Virgin Media, the HD variants are positioned at 521 for TNT Sports 1, 522 for TNT Sports 2, 523 for TNT Sports 3, and 524 for TNT Sports 4.

Distribution platforms

TNT Sports is primarily distributed in the through the discovery+ streaming service, which offers a standalone TNT Sports plan for £30.99 per month as of November 2025, providing access to all four channels without additional content. For viewers seeking both sports and , the TNT Sports & plan costs £33.99 per month, incorporating content integrated into TNT Sports channels since February 2025. These plans are available on a monthly rolling via the discovery+ app and website, with trial periods offered for new subscribers to sample live events and on-demand content. For BT Broadband and EE customers, TNT Sports is accessible as an add-on to existing packages, priced at £23 per month for full access to the discovery+ TNT Sports & Entertainment subscription, including integrated Eurosport content. Non-BT customers can obtain TNT Sports through partnerships with Sky, where it is added to Sky TV or Sky Stream for approximately £25 per month as of November 2025, and Virgin Media, which bundles it into select TV packages typically for £22-£25 additional per month depending on the bundle and promotions. These provider integrations allow viewing on set-top boxes alongside streaming on discovery+, with no extra cost for the app access in most cases. Additionally, TNT Sports is available as an O2 Extra for £26.99 per month on compatible mobile plans. Availability extends to Ireland on a limited basis, primarily through and NOW TV, where TNT Sports is included in the Sports Extra membership at €33.99 per month as of November 2025, with occasional promotional rates starting from €14.99. Additional elements include highlights and clips available on the official TNT Sports website, while discovery+ provides promotional trials for select events to broaden accessibility.

Current programming

Football coverage

TNT Sports holds the UK broadcast rights to a minimum of 52 live matches per season as part of the four-year domestic deal running from the 2025–26 to 2028–29 seasons, focusing on key fixtures such as Saturday lunchtime games and full midweek rounds. This package includes comprehensive studio analysis featuring pundits like , who joined the broadcast team in August 2025 to provide expert insights alongside figures such as and . The coverage emphasizes high-profile matches to capture major moments in the competition, with selections prioritizing viewer interest in top clubs and derbies. In European football, TNT Sports broadcasts 187 live matches per season, alongside all fixtures from the and UEFA Europa Conference League, under a deal extended through to 2027 following the expanded format introduced post-2023. This extensive package covers the league phase, knockouts, and finals, providing UK audiences with near-complete access to continental club competitions and highlighting British clubs' performances across the tournaments. For domestic cup and league action, TNT Sports secured full broadcast rights to the Emirates FA Cup starting from the 2025–26 season in a four-year agreement, including live coverage of rounds from the third stage onward, co-exclusive with for select games. Additionally, the channel airs select matches from the EFL competitions and , complementing its slate with additional English and regional football content. TNT Sports' football presentation employs multi-camera production for immersive viewing, integrating real-time VAR decision audio and graphics to explain on-pitch rulings, enhancing transparency during live matches. Post-match programming, such as dedicated goals shows and analysis segments, follows key games to break down highlights, player performances, and tactical insights, often hosted from on-site studios at stadiums.

Rugby union coverage

TNT Sports holds exclusive broadcasting rights for the Gallagher Premiership Rugby, airing all 93 matches of the men's competition live each season, including the play-offs and final, with the agreement extended through to the end of the 2030-31 season. This comprehensive coverage ensures fans can follow every round on TNT Sports channels and the discovery+ streaming platform, emphasizing the league's high-stakes domestic rivalries. In parallel, TNT Sports provides dedicated coverage of the Allianz Premiership Women's Rugby (PWR), broadcasting the top match from each round—typically around 21 games per season—under a new four-year deal starting in the 2025-26 season. This builds on the channel's involvement since the 2023-24 season, when it first aired more than 20 live matches, contributing to the league's growing visibility and professional development. Beyond domestic leagues, TNT Sports covers select international fixtures, including all matches of the Quilter Nations Series (Autumn Internationals), delivering live broadcasts with enhanced production elements. The channel also holds shared rights for tours, producing and airing exclusive documentaries that offer behind-the-scenes access to the tours. TNT Sports' rugby union presentation features comprehensive on-site reporting from match venues, in-depth player and coach interviews, and expert tactical analysis to enhance viewer engagement. Productions include pre-match build-up shows, such as 30-minute previews, and post-match programs like "The Rugby Review" for detailed breakdowns, all accessible via linear TV and streaming.

Cricket coverage

TNT Sports holds exclusive broadcast rights in the and for all Australian home series through the end of 2026, encompassing matches, One Day Internationals (ODIs), and Internationals (T20Is). This agreement includes comprehensive coverage of England's 2025–26 tour of , featuring five matches across major venues, with live broadcasts available on TNT Sports channels and the discovery+ streaming platform. The deal ensures fans access to key bilateral series involving , such as the upcoming vs. T20I in November 2025. In addition, TNT Sports secured a five-year partnership with the Board of Control for (BCCI) in 2024, granting exclusive rights to all home international matches hosted by from 2024 to March 2028. This covers high-stakes tours like England's 2024 Test series in and select future engagements, including the India vs. Test in November 2025, providing viewers with full live coverage of these encounters. The arrangement extends to other international fixtures in , emphasizing TNT Sports' commitment to South Asian cricket events. TNT Sports further expanded its portfolio in September 2025 by acquiring exclusive rights to the ACC Men's T20 Asia Cup, broadcasting all 19 matches live from the tournament hosted across and . For presentation, TNT Sports deploys dedicated on-site production teams for flagship series like , featuring host Becky Ives alongside expert analysts including former England players , , and to provide in-depth match insights and post-session reviews. The coverage incorporates a hybrid commentary approach, blending on-ground reporting with UK-based contributions from specialists in and to offer diverse perspectives on gameplay and strategy. All broadcasts are complemented by daily highlights packages and integration with digital platforms for extended accessibility.

Motorsport coverage

TNT Sports provides extensive coverage of major motorsport events in the , focusing on high-profile championships with live broadcasts, highlights, and supplementary analysis. The portfolio emphasizes two- and four-wheeled series, including full-season rights to key competitions starting from 2025. From the 2025 season, TNT Sports holds exclusive rights to broadcast all MotoGP races and Sprint events, alongside the full (BSB). This marks a significant expansion in coverage, with live sessions available on TNT Sports channels and streaming via Discovery+. The broadcasts feature multi-angle viewing, including onboard cameras for rider perspectives during high-speed action, and post-session driver interviews to provide insights into race strategies. Pit lane reporting adds real-time updates on team preparations and adjustments. In rally racing, TNT Sports airs select (WRC) events, including live coverage of key stages from rallies such as the and Central European, supplemented by highlight packages. Coverage includes onboard footage from competing vehicles to capture the intensity of and tarmac challenges, along with expert commentary on driver performances. Pit lane equivalents, such as service park updates, feature interviews with crews discussing tire choices and repairs. TNT Sports delivers complete live coverage of the ABB FIA , broadcasting all 17 races of the 2025 season. Sessions encompass , qualifying, and races, with enhanced production elements like onboard cameras showcasing electric powertrains in urban circuits, and immediate post-race interviews with drivers on energy management tactics. Pit lane segments highlight charger installations and team strategies during ePrix weekends. A notable addition for is the live broadcast of the endurance race, marking TNT Sports' first full coverage of this highlight. The event receives non-stop transmission over the 24-hour duration, starting from qualifying and extending through the main race, with onboard cameras from multiple classes (Hypercar, LMP2, LMGT3) and pit lane reporting on overnight stints and mechanical issues. Driver and team interviews are integrated throughout, offering analysis on reliability and pacing in the grueling format.

Tennis coverage

Following the integration of into TNT Sports, the broadcaster expanded its tennis portfolio in 2025 to include comprehensive live coverage of major Grand Slam tournaments, leveraging Eurosport's established European rights. This merger enabled TNT Sports to offer enhanced access to global tennis events for viewers via its linear channels and the discovery+ streaming platform. TNT Sports provided full live coverage of all courts and matches at Roland-Garros, the , marking the first time the tournament aired extensively on its channels from May 25 to June 8, 2025. This included every match from qualifying rounds through the finals, with multi-court streaming options on discovery+ to capture the clay-court intensity. For Wimbledon, held from June 30 to July 13, 2025, TNT Sports broadcast daily 90-minute highlights shows and select live matches, including both men's and women's singles finals, in partnership with the BBC's primary rights. Select coverage of the other Grand Slams continued through Eurosport's legacy agreements, with live matches from the Australian Open (January 12-26, 2025) available on TNT Sports channels, focusing on key rounds and British player performances. The Open (August 25-September 7, 2025) featured highlights, recaps, and select live sessions on TNT Sports, complementing the primary broadcast. Additionally, TNT Sports aired key ATP and WTA tour events, including finals and Masters 1000 tournaments such as Indian Wells, , and the Nitto ATP Finals, providing live action from over 80 combined events across the season. Complementing the live broadcasts, TNT Sports incorporated in-depth features such as player profiles, interviews with legends like and , and specialized analysis of playing surfaces, including clay-court strategies at Roland-Garros and grass-court tactics at Wimbledon. Studio programming like "Live at Roland-Garros" offered daily breakdowns with expert insights from Hall of Famers, enhancing viewer understanding of tournament dynamics and player narratives.

American sports coverage

TNT Sports provides dedicated coverage of Major League Baseball (MLB), one of the key American sports leagues, broadcasting select regular season games to UK viewers throughout the season from late March to early October. This includes high-profile matchups aired weekly, allowing fans to follow the progress of teams across the American and National Leagues. The channel's postseason offerings are particularly comprehensive, encompassing the full playoff slate such as the Wild Card round, Division Series, League Championship Series, and the World Series, with all games available live. For the 2025 World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays, coverage began on TNT Sports 1 at 12:30 a.m. UK time, ensuring accessibility despite the transatlantic time difference. TNT Sports' 2025 regular season MLB broadcasts achieved significant audience growth, recording a 29% increase in average viewers and a 74% rise in viewership among 18- to 34-year-olds compared to the prior year, highlighting the rising popularity of the sport in the . Presentations are synchronized with primary feeds from networks like TBS, adapted for timings that typically fall in late-night or early-morning slots to accommodate the five- to eight-hour time difference. Pre- and post-game studio segments offer analysis and highlights tailored for British audiences, enhancing contextual understanding of the fast-paced, strategy-driven nature of . While TNT Sports previously held NBA broadcast rights, airing over nine live games per week during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons along with and the , these concluded at the end of the 2024-25 campaign, with rights shifting to for the 2025-26 season onward.

Cycling coverage

TNT Sports provides comprehensive coverage of major events in the , integrating Eurosport's rights following the channel's merger into TNT Sports platforms from 2025. This includes live broadcasts of the three Grand Tours and select international competitions, available on TNT Sports channels and the discovery+ streaming service. Coverage emphasizes high-production-value presentations, marking the first full season of these events airing directly on TNT-branded channels. The receives full live coverage of all 21 stages, along with daily highlights and analysis, broadcast from July 5 to July 27, 2025. Each stage is accompanied by the pre-race show The Breakaway, featuring expert previews, rider interviews, and tactical breakdowns. This marks the debut of uninterrupted Grand Tour stages on TNT Sports linear channels, previously handled separately by . Similarly, the is broadcast in full, with live transmission of every stage from May 9 to June 1, 2025, including highlights and The Breakaway segments for stage previews. The coverage highlights the race's demanding mountain stages and sprint finishes, drawing on aerial drone footage to capture the Italian landscapes and dynamics. For the Vuelta a España, TNT Sports airs every stage live from August 23 to September 14, 2025, supplemented by daily highlights and The Breakaway pre- and post-race programming. The broadcasts incorporate innovative visuals such as drone shots for scenic Spanish routes, enhancing viewer immersion in the race's late-season intensity. Free-to-air highlights are also available on ITV4, broadening accessibility. TNT Sports also covers the Tissot , held in October 2025, with live sessions across multiple days, focusing on events like the sprint, , and . This complements the road racing portfolio, offering viewers a mix of track speed and endurance disciplines.

Other sports coverage

In athletics, TNT Sports airs select Wanda meets throughout the season, offering live action from international competitions. The broadcaster also delivers exclusive live coverage of the British Athletics Championships, capturing key national events such as the 2025 edition held in Birmingham. Coverage includes live timing graphics and performance analytics to highlight athlete results and records. For , TNT Sports holds exclusive and rights to the through at least the 2030-31 season, following a five-year extension secured in 2025. This agreement encompasses live broadcasts of the and various ranking events, such as the 2025 and English Open.

Former programming

Combat sports coverage

TNT Sports, formerly known as BT Sport, provided extensive coverage of combat sports until the mid-2020s, encompassing and wrestling events that attracted significant audiences through live broadcasts and (PPV) offerings. This programming highlighted high-profile matches with dedicated pre-event analysis and ringside commentary, fostering an immersive viewing experience for audiences. The network's combat sports portfolio ended with shifts in to streaming platforms, marking a transition away from traditional linear for these disciplines. Boxing formed a cornerstone of TNT Sports' former combat sports lineup, with rights secured in 2016 through a landmark multi-year deal with promoter Frank Warren and his channel , described as the biggest TV agreement in British history. This partnership enabled the broadcast of up to 20 major fight nights annually, including world title bouts and high-stakes heavyweight clashes such as those featuring , delivered via TNT Sports channels and the PPV service for premium events. The coverage emphasized ringside commentary from experts like and pre-fight hype shows that built anticipation around fighters' narratives and tactical breakdowns. These rights concluded at the end of April 2025, when they transferred exclusively to , reflecting a broader industry shift toward subscription-based streaming amid rising production costs and global competition for combat sports content. The legacy of this era included elevating 's visibility on pay-TV, with events drawing peak audiences exceeding 1 million viewers and contributing to the sport's commercial growth in the UK before the pivot to digital platforms diminished linear TV's role. Professional wrestling coverage on TNT Sports centered on WWE's flagship programs Raw and SmackDown, which the network acquired in a multi-year deal starting January 2020, positioning it as the exclusive home for these weekly shows alongside NXT and premium live events. Broadcasts featured live episodes with on-site commentary teams, including analysts like , and supplementary programming such as post-show recaps to engage fans with storyline developments and wrestler interviews. This arrangement ran until December 2024, concluding a five-year run that delivered consistent weekly exposure to WWE's global roster and major pay-per-views like . The rights lapsed as part of WWE's new 10-year global agreement with , effective January 2025, which prioritizes international streaming accessibility over regional TV deals to expand the promotion's reach to over 200 countries. The impact of TNT Sports' WWE tenure lay in revitalizing wrestling's presence on British television following a previous era, boosting linear viewership during a period of streaming disruption and leaving a foundation for hybrid consumption models in .

Rugby competitions

TNT Sports, formerly known as BT Sport, held exclusive pay-TV broadcasting rights for (EPCR) competitions in the and from the 2018–19 season through to the end of the 2023–24 season. Prior to this exclusive period, BT Sport shared rights with starting from the inception of the tournaments in 2014, broadcasting at least 37 matches across both the Champions Cup and each season. Under the exclusive deal, TNT Sports aired all 63 matches of the Investec Champions Cup annually, covering every pool stage game, knockout fixture, semi-final, and final, while also providing extensive coverage of the , including dozens of pool and knockout matches per season. This comprehensive slate positioned TNT Sports as the primary destination for European club rugby, complementing broadcasts of select matches by ITV, , and . The agreement concluded after the 2023–24 season, with EPCR awarding a new three-year pay-TV deal to starting from 2024–25, valued at around £6 million per year—reportedly less than the previous TNT Sports arrangement. This shift was influenced by EPCR's strategy to consolidate under a dedicated rugby-focused channel, amid criticisms of lower financial terms compared to TNT's offer. As a result, TNT Sports no longer holds to EPCR competitions. Additionally, TNT Sports lost access to select highlights from the following the 2022–23 season, with comprehensive rights renewing exclusively for and ITV through to 2029, prioritizing accessibility.

Other events coverage

BT Sport secured the UK broadcast rights for the () Tour in January 2013, initially covering 21 live tournaments from the women's professional circuit each year, with up to 800 hours of live content. This agreement marked an early expansion into tennis for the channel, providing comprehensive coverage including qualifying rounds, main draw matches, and finals across various international events. In May 2016, BT Sport renewed and expanded its WTA deal for three years through 2019, increasing the number of tournaments to up to 52 per season and emphasizing a commitment to promoting . The broadcasts featured live action from key stops on the tour, such as the and premier mandatory events, complemented by studio analysis and highlights to engage audiences. The rights concluded after the 2019 season, with acquiring the UK package starting in 2020 for at least 49 tournaments annually, ending BT Sport's direct involvement in coverage prior to the 2025 Eurosport integration. During its tenure from 2013 to 2019, the coverage helped elevate visibility for in the UK pay-TV market, contributing to broader interest in the sport amid growing global emphasis on gender equity in athletics.

Supplementary content

Magazine shows

TNT Sports magazine shows provide preview and review programming for major sports, emphasizing expert analysis, , and audience engagement through guest pundits and interactive elements. These programs typically feature studio discussions, clip compilations from recent , and segments allowing viewer interaction via or live polls to enhance the viewing experience. Among current offerings, "Rugby Tonight" airs Sunday evenings from around 2013, presented by and with rotating guest experts like Saracens' or former England captain . It offers weekly reviews of , European competitions, and international fixtures, incorporating tactical breakdowns, player interviews, and highlight reels to recap the weekend's action. The show's format includes interactive fan Q&A sessions and pitch demonstrations for educational value. Former magazine shows include "," a flagship weekly magazine show that delivered post-game reviews, player interviews, and humorous commentary on NBA action until the end of the 2024-25 season. Hosted by Ernie Johnson alongside analysts , , and , it aired following marquee doubleheaders and was renowned for blending insightful breakdowns with entertaining banter, as part of TNT Sports' broadcast deal covering over 250 live games per season in the UK and . "BT Sport Score," a Saturday afternoon multi-sport roundup that ran from 2016 to 2023, hosted by with regular pundits such as , , and . The program focused on live score updates, match highlights, and debate segments across football and other sports, competing directly with similar formats on rival channels before being discontinued amid the rebrand to TNT Sports.

Documentaries

TNT Sports has produced and acquired several documentary series focusing on sports figures and events, particularly in football and Olympic-related narratives. A notable current example is the 2025 documentary Beacon of Hope: The Grenfell Athletic Story, which chronicles the formation and journey of Grenfell Athletic Football Club, a community team established in response to the 2017 , highlighting themes of resilience and community rebuilding through football. This film, part of TNT Sports' partnership with the club, premiered on TNT Sports 1 and is available for streaming on discovery+. Additionally, drawing from Eurosport's legacy integrated into TNT Sports, documentaries on Olympic athletes include the 2024 special The Greatest Date in Olympic History, which explores pivotal moments and personal stories from the Olympic movement through interviews with key figures. The broadcaster also features the Athletes to Watch series, short profiles on emerging Olympic talents such as snowboarder , emphasizing their training and motivations ahead of events like the . Prior to the 2023 rebranding from BT Sport, the network's BT Sport Films strand (2015–2022) delivered acclaimed documentaries on rugby players and teams, often examining personal and societal impacts of the sport. For instance, Shoulder to Shoulder (2018), narrated by former Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll, details how rugby fostered unity between Protestant and Catholic communities in Ireland amid The Troubles, featuring archival footage and player testimonies from the era. Another series, Rugby Stories (2021–2022), produced 13 club-specific films for the Gallagher Premiership, profiling players' backgrounds and challenges at teams like Saracens and Exeter Chiefs, with episodes typically running 30–45 minutes. These rugby-focused works, part of over 50 films in the BT Sport Films collection, received awards for their narrative depth and were streamed on the BT Sport app before transitioning to discovery+. Documentaries under TNT Sports are primarily produced in-house at Warner Bros. Discovery's facilities in , , where the network's studios support content creation for both linear broadcasts and streaming. Most entries run 45–90 minutes, allowing for in-depth storytelling on athletes' journeys, and are exclusively available on discovery+ for on-demand viewing, often promoted via tie-ins with TNT Sports' magazine shows. Examples like the 2025 Tour documentary Lions Uncut further exemplify this approach, offering access to the team's preparation and matches.

Classic sports programming

TNT Sports provides archival content through dedicated classic highlights series, focusing on historic replays of football and rugby matches. These compilations showcase iconic games from past seasons, including 1990s-era encounters featuring legendary players and pivotal moments that shaped the competitions. Examples include tense derbies and unforgettable rugby internationals, such as England's clashes with in the Autumn Nations Series or New Zealand's battles against France, allowing viewers to relive defining performances without alteration to the original footage. Prior to the 2023 rebranding, BT Sport offered WWE classic matches as part of its multi-year deal, which included archival wrestling content until the agreement ended ahead of WWE's shift to in January 2025. All such programming is accessible on-demand via the app, with options for themed curation like compilations of "greatest goals" or rivalry-specific collections to enhance viewer engagement.

References

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