TNT Sports has officially gone live today throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland, replacing BT Sport across TV platforms including BT TV, Sky and Virgin Media. The service replaces all BT Sport packages for existing customers.
The new brand promises to usher in “the most significant change in the sports broadcast landscape in the last decade”, with a new (but familiar) line-up of presenting and pundit talent and what it calls “an enhanced value proposition for customers with flexible ways to purchase and watch”.
The launch includes discovery+ becoming the new streaming destination for TNT Sports in the UK, providing access to TNT Sports’ and Eurosport’s portfolios of live sports coverage plus discovery+ entertainment content. TNT Sports will continue to present the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Europa Conference League, Gallagher Premiership Rugby, Heineken Champions Cup, EPCR Challenge Cup, MotoGP, Cricket, UFC, Boxing and WWE.
“We are hugely excited to launch TNT Sports across the UK and Republic of Ireland. TNT Sports goes live with a new and contemporary brand, a fabulous new and exciting line-up of talent, great value for viewers as well as flexible ways to buy and watch,” said Andrew Georgiou, board member of the joint venture and president and managing director, Warner Bros Discovery Sports Europe.
“From today, fans can watch TNT Sports in the same places they enjoyed BT Sport and without any interruption to their access. In addition, with TNT Sports now on discovery+ in the UK we can begin to deliver a simple and even more compelling offer that appeals to the whole household, combining more live sport together with entertainment. We believe this is an exceptional value proposition for fans offering a compelling combination of sport and entertainment that is unique to discovery+.”
Paolo Pescatore, analyst at PP Foresight, observed that today’s launch “represents a key stepping stone since closing the JV back in September last year. Huge effort behind the scenes of building a new platform, designing a new on air look and feel, reimagined talent line up to reflect new brand.
“The reimagined talent line-up which is more inclusive and diverse line-up will help connect with different audiences. There’s a clear desire to ensure that the programming is less male dominated. A challenge when it comes to football at times. Reflection of brand accessibility, humour and fun; passionate, energetic way, love what they do. Part of an ethos that is ‘right by the fans’.”
However, Pescatore also pointed to a variety of short-term challenges that comes with managing a multi-brand strategy. “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.
“We are now starting to see the fruits of why BT decided to partner with WBD; scale and leveraging its expertise in content and media. Sport will now start to become a key differentiator for discovery+ with the goal of offering users everything in one place. It will be interesting to see how TNT Sports will be able to leverage other assets within the wider WBD family including CNN for an example in cross promoting content (sports documentaries).
“This represents a further key step in a long journey where there will be other bumps to overcome,” he concluded. “Maintaining key sports rights will remain ever so important to help during this transition for the next couple of years. All eyes now turn to the Premier League where the entity needs to build upon its current portfolio.”
