39 replies to this topic

[Pete_f1]

For those who get Eurosport as part of your TV package will lose Eurosport 1 & 2 from 28th Febuary 2025. The sport will be absorbed into Discovery’s other sports brand, TNT Sports. At the same time if you have Discovery + as part of your Sky package it will be downgraded so you may also loose sports there too. RIP Eurosport (In the UK anyway) some links https://forums.digit...-closure-notice https://www.techadvi...a-tv-users.html https://www.independ...s-b2687479.html

Edited by Pete_f1, 28 January 2025 - 14:34.

[Risil]

Disappointing. MotoGP, WSBK and BSB all on the same channel I guess. Although I wonder how happy BSB are about it, afaik they pay to be broadcast because Eurosport has a big reach and lots of time to fill.

[Red5ive]

Actually all 3 of those linked articles suggest that the jury is still out as to what (if anything) Sky or Virgin Media customers will or wont lose as a result of this change. as neither company has made any announcement and there is suggestion some sort of deal is in place.....

[lustigson]

I thought Eurosport had closed down in 1991...   

[Vitesse2]

My BT/EE box has ten TNT Sports channels as standard, although only four - plus the two Eurosport channels - broadcast full time. TNT 5 to TNT 10 are generally only used for midweek European football competitions - plus more on the red button via Discovery+ if necessary; they will be showing all 18 simultaneous Champions League games on Thursday! TNT 5 also shows WRC.

 

So they have plenty of bandwidth to play with. I wonder if they'll go to a similar set-up to Sky, with dedicated channels for some sports?

[jonpollak]

Discovery+ is a VERY GOOD product.

I will follow them to wherever they go.

I believe the BT/EE deal is solid though, so like Vitesse2, I think I'll be OK

Jp

[BRG]

I am with Virgin Media so I have to wait and see what they make out of this.  The biggest loss from my POV is that pro-cycling is being paywalled.  ITV4 is losing its coverage of the Tour de France and other lesser events and if I lose the Eurosport coverage too, it will be a blow for me.  I have enjoyed the 24 hour coverage of Le Mans and will miss that in the future too.

 

I hate paywalls.

[DinocoBlue]

Its a shame to see the brand go. I've got fond memories of watching F1 on Eurosport back in the day.

[ANF]

I thought Eurosport had closed down in 1991...   

[OvDrone]

Discovery sucks. And they are holding some series like the World TCR hostage. That series downfall is their fault and typical FIA post-Tost mismanagement. 

At least now we might get better content from WSBK, BSB, Speedway and others, as they were held back severely with what they can do, due to Discovery/Eurosport.

Edited by OvDrone, 28 January 2025 - 19:22.

[Sterzo]

I am with Virgin Media so I have to wait and see what they make out of this.  The biggest loss from my POV is that pro-cycling is being paywalled.  ITV4 is losing its coverage of the Tour de France and other lesser events and if I lose the Eurosport coverage too, it will be a blow for me.  I have enjoyed the 24 hour coverage of Le Mans and will miss that in the future too.

 

I hate paywalls.

We pay a licence fee.

We pay Virgin (or another supplier).

The idea of paying a third time is vomit-worthy.

[Dara]

The absolute worst thing about Eurosport is them thinking hey we know you're watching a live broadcast of the WEC and p2 is fighting p1 but here's a top 10 of the best tennis points.

[Jellyfishcake]

Main thing for me these days was watching the Le Mans 24hrs on Eurosport, guessing that'll end up on TNT then

[WonderboyF1]

Going to be a bummer for Le Mans this year as I believe it will now be behind a paywall…

[Ruusperi]

The 90s and early 2000s were really the golden days of Eurosport, when they showed CART, FIA GT, WRC, MotoGP, Superbikes, F3000, ETCC and so on.

But honestly, the fact so many motorsport categories are today streamed on YouTube without commercials is godsent. I really couldn't stand commercials these days.

[TomNokoe]

Everything is getting worse!

[Silverstone96]

So WEC to TNT? Not good

[jonpollak]

Everything is getting worse!

Generally speaking you are 💯correct.
I think the turn of the century was the tipping point.

Jp

[Ali_G]

The 90s and early 2000s were really the golden days of Eurosport, when they showed CART, FIA GT, WRC, MotoGP, Superbikes, F3000, ETCC and so on.
But honestly, the fact so many motorsport categories are today streamed on YouTube without commercials is godsent. I really couldn't stand commercials these days.

MotoGP on Eurosport is still a terrible loss. I can’t think of a better commentary trio than Ryder, Moody and Mamola. Just listening to them made it sound exciting.

[Dalton007]

All F1 sessions back in the 90s.    Ben Edwards and John Watson on comms. 

[Vitesse2]

All F1 sessions back in the 90s.    Ben Edwards and John Watson on comms. 

And before Ben it was Allard Kalff.

[sgtkate]

This absolutely sucks. I use discovery+ a lot to watch live sports rather than paying for TNT as I don't watch enough football to make the extra cost worth it. TNT is outrageously expensive on Sky because they paid a lot for Premier League matches I have no interest in. I'm hoping they split the channels and give an option for people to buy "all but the football" at a similar price to discovery+ is (£4.99 a month!).

 

Just realised to watch both Formula E and Formula 1 I'll need to get both Sky and TNT. GAH!!!!!

Edited by sgtkate, 29 January 2025 - 12:22.

[BelievableNonsense]

That's me out then. Eurosport/Discovery were my main ways to watch professional cycling and other obscure sports.

 

I already pay a small fortune to Sky each month. Not adding another £30 on top of our already outrageous bill. 

[Vielleicht]

Just realised to watch both Formula E and Formula 1 I'll need to get both Sky and TNT. GAH!!!!!

Formula E should be back on ITV in the UK now?

[Sterzo]

And before Ben it was Allard Kalff.

Who was one of the best ever English-language commentators.

[Larunss]

Discovery+ is a VERY GOOD product.
I will follow them to wherever they go.
I believe the BT/EE deal is solid though, so like Vitesse2, I think I'll be OK
Jp

The closure of Eurosport is actually a disgrace. Its been a gradual decline for years. First they closed EurosportPlayer which was replaced by EurosportApp. A downgrade.
Last july they closed EurosporApp across Europe and said ->no worries, get Discovery+.

Problem is, not every European country gets the Discovery+ service. Took me months to find out it is part of some dodgy local streaming service package. Eurosport Customer service did not bother telling me that.

So now Eurosport closing in UK for good? Probably gonna be same here aswell in a few months. Lots of good racing stuff, snooker on it, so now will probably need to get some upgraded TV package to see the same stuff.

Atleast with F1 its now simple, annual subscription and np worries about having to buy sone extra sports package with loads of usueless rubbish attached

[Lennat]

Here in Norway I found the transition to Max quite seamless. The total cost of Max plus sport add-on is about the same price as Eurosport's premium thing was, and it works just as well.

 

I basically only have it to watch World Superbike though, so maybe I have missed something.

[sgtkate]

Formula E should be back on ITV in the UK now?

Yes but it doesn't cover all the practice sessions and many races and quali are only highlights. I'd love to be wrong!!!! I can just about justify paying for Sky or TNT but not really both. If F:E is free-to-air for at least all quali and races that makes the choice easy.

[Vitesse2]

Yes but it doesn't cover all the practice sessions and many races and quali are only highlights. I'd love to be wrong!!!! I can just about justify paying for Sky or TNT but not really both. If F:E is free-to-air for at least all quali and races that makes the choice easy.

I'm on a deal from TNT/Discovery+ which includes Sky Sports (only) via a NOW TV package. They introduced that after the old BT Sport app for NOW TV was discontinued.

[Ben1445]

Yes but it doesn't cover all the practice sessions and many races and quali are only highlights. I'd love to be wrong!!!! I can just about justify paying for Sky or TNT but not really both. If F:E is free-to-air for at least all quali and races that makes the choice easy.

Well, I have good news. It is in fact all available free-to-air with no paywall. 

 

All practice sessions are live and free on YouTube. 

 

Every Qualifying and every Race is streamed live on ITVX.

 

Nine of the races will additionally broadcast live on ITV4. 

 

Both the São Paulo and Mexico City broadcasts (race and qualifying) are available on ITVX right now. I literally just checked. 

 

I cancelled my TNT Sports subscription ahead of this season because of this change (£20 a month for me via a broadband deal, and I've never had Sky). 

 

Only thing I really used the Eurosport part of the package for was dipping in an out of WEC. I figure if I want to do any of that again I'll just go direct to the WEC website/app. 

Edited by Ben1445, 29 January 2025 - 15:55.

[DS27]

It keeps getting worse; trying to come to terms with losing WSBK, BSB, tennis opens, Tour de France, Le Mans, WEC, etc, only to remember I will also lose all the speedway. 

 

Maybe the house will get painted this year after all.

[sgtkate]

Well, I have good news. It is in fact all available free-to-air with no paywall. 

 

All practice sessions are live and free on YouTube. 

 

Every Qualifying and every Race is streamed live on ITVX.

 

Nine of the races will additionally broadcast live on ITV4. 

 

Both the São Paulo and Mexico City broadcasts (race and qualifying) are available on ITVX right now. I literally just checked. 

 

I cancelled my TNT Sports subscription ahead of this season because of this change (£20 a month for me via a broadband deal, and I've never had Sky). 

 

Only thing I really used the Eurosport part of the package for was dipping in an out of WEC. I figure if I want to do any of that again I'll just go direct to the WEC website/app. 

Ah thanks Ben! I misread the marketing gumph then and thought it said only highlights on ITV4 and ITVX! This saves me a lot of money!

[Silverstone96]

Whilst £60 in itself might not be much for the WEC season pass, all these subs add up and it becomes tiring as well as financially hard to justify

[mstar]

All F1 sessions back in the 90s.    Ben Edwards and John Watson on comms. 

 

These where the days!! i loved the morning warm-ups before the race!! i wish we had those back again! it gave a good idea who had some decent race pace

[BRG]

We will also lose all those classic snooker games.  Many is the time that I have found that whatever I was hoping to watch on Eurosport is delayed due to an engrossing frame in the Papua New Guinea Open Snooker.

[Vitesse2]

The absolute worst thing about Eurosport is them thinking hey we know you're watching a live broadcast of the WEC and p2 is fighting p1 but here's a top 10 of the best tennis points.

We will also lose all those classic snooker games.  Many is the time that I have found that whatever I was hoping to watch on Eurosport is delayed due to an engrossing frame in the Papua New Guinea Open Snooker.

Ah, the halcyon days of Grandstand, as visualised by Russell Brockbank via Major Upsett ...

 

[Sterzo]

^ This is horribly realistic. I remember one afternoon nearly assaulting the telly when the announcer said: "There's not much happening at Snetterton..." (it was mid race)  "so we'll go over to hockey at..."

[markeimas27]

Eurosport is / was a big part of why I have just re-contracted my house to Sky for another 2 years. F1 is now the only reason to keep Sky. Although the product is actually quite good, with a nice EPG, decent UI, and lots of choice for cinema etc, it isn't something I actually spend my time watching. So it's going to waste. I can only hope and pray that F1TV Pro will be in the UK in 2 years time. At which point it will be sayonara to Sky.

[ArnageWRC]

Will be a massive loss (and only UK & Ire); WEC, BSB, WSBK, MXGP.....plus all the various cycling disicplines, especially MTB which was on Red Bull TV for years, and free; moving to Eurosport had Pinkbike/VitalMTB in meltdown.

[F1 Mike]

I don't understand why they couldn't just leave the channels and content alone and just rebrand, leaving the product basically unchanged. The cost was fair for what was on offer. The vast majority of it is not premium content, and I can't imagine many will migrate over who aren't already subscribed to the premium offering