TNT Sports replaces BT Sport in ‘clean slate’ – but bumps lie ahead
TNT Sports will appear on the television screens of sport fanatics across the UK and Ireland from today, replacing BT Sport.
It was revealed in February that BT Sport would undergo a rebrand to TNT Sports as part of a deal between the broadband giant and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), signed last autumn.
The media duo promised the channel would become “the ultimate home for sport fans” and “the most significant change in the sports broadcast landscape in the last decade”.
Independent media analyst Paolo Pescatore of PP Foresight said the move wipes a “clean slate which promises to simplify the overall sports experience for fans in the long term.”
However, managing a multi brand strategy comes with “numerous” short-term challenges which BT and WBD will “need to navigate carefully,” he added.
“Initially there will be resentment as it will feel like another sports brand entering the UK market in an increasingly fragmented world. During a cost of living crisis this might give people a reason to cancel.
“Hence all focus must be placed on positioning and adding greater value for sports fans as part of the Discovery+ umbrella.”
Pescatore said that it is a “key step in a long journey where there will be other bumps to overcome,” such as the upcoming Premier League which could prove to be a test for TNT as it tries to bulk its portfolio.
Under the rebranded channel, programming will remain similar, with TNT Sports centred around live Premier League and Champions League football, domestic and European club rugby and boxing.
BT says it “marks the start of a new relationship with sports fans” who can access a subscription to TNT Sports, Eurosport and entertainment all in the same place.
By 2026 TNT Sports plans to integrate WBD-owned Eurosport’s portfolio of rights, which includes cycling, tennis and the Olympics.
Andrew Georgiou, president and managing director at WBD Sports Europe and board member of the new venture, said: “From today, fans can watch TNT Sports in the same places they enjoyed BT Sport and without any interruption to their access.”
He has previously explained: “The TNT Sports name is already synonymous with premium live sports in a number of countries around the world and a further sign of the global scale and expertise that WBD brings to the partnership with BT.”