TNT Sports announce their unveiled roster with some new faces along with BT Sport loyalists. Photo: TNT Sports
The new channel, which is expected to replace BT Sport on Tuesday morning, will be the biggest challenge for Sky Sports as the UK's dominant sports pay TV broadcaster.
What is TNT Sports?
TNT Sports is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery and BT Group. will merge the Discovery' content that already includes Eurosport with BT Sport under one new brand. The name TNT comes from an American channel also owned by Warner Bros. Discovery (WBS) has been broadcasting NBA basketball for a long time.
There will be up to four new TV channels and up to six digital or red ones. -channels producing content from new studios in Chiswick and Stockley Park.
The plan is to include current Eurosport sports programming on TNT Sports channels over the next 18 months, but these will remain separate ahead of the Paris Olympics, during which Discovery/Eurosport has continuous live coverage of each event.
Who will be the main presenters and experts?
Laura Woods, the popular former talkSPORT host, will be the new face of the channel along with former Rangers and Scotland striker Ellie McCoist.
Laura Woods to lead TNT Sports' Champions League coverage. Photo: Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Woods, who will be reporting on the Champions League as well as live boxing, is one of four women leading football at the forefront along with Reshmeen Chowdhury, Lynsey Hipgrave and Jules Breach. Breach not only covers the Europa League, but also replaces Des Kelly as chief reporter on the Champions League and Premier League touchlines. Rio Ferdinand, Peter Crouch, Joe Cole, Owen Hargreaves, Steve McManaman, Michael Owen, Paul Scholes and Robbie Savage remain on the expert panel, but former referee Peter Walton is not included.
Orla Chennawi, already Eurosport's lead cycling presenter will also present rugby, with Hugo Monnier taking on an extended role that will include presentation and commentary. Radzi Chinyanganya, currently host of the Eurosport Olympics as well as their lead snooker host, will take on a multi-sport role.
Will it be much different?
The new coverage will include Match of the Day in the middle of the week. The Champions League show promises bold, contemporary coverage that, according to the company's sports managing director, Andrew Georgiou, will “push the boundaries of what's possible.” The hiring of Woods and McCoist highlights the desire to combine fun and sometimes irreverent touches with more serious debate.
The replacement of the very experienced Kelly with Breach followed the decision that she was more suited to their new approach and brand. “It's not something that Des has done in the past – Jules Breach has a special connection with football, with football fans, which I think will make our reporting style and communication style with these clubs and managers very different,” said Scott Young. , SVP of Content and Production.
There will be no live scores on Saturday afternoon in the style of BT Sport's old “Score” program, and the focus will be on a quick transition from “live to live”. » action on the main channels with the flexibility for additional analysis on other platforms.< /p>
TNT will also be pushing to provide viewers with more information about key incidents and referee decisions, such as access to the tape as Var communicates with stadium officials. “We would welcome a change that would allow us to communicate more about what goes on between referees to help inform the audience about the decision-making process,” Georgiou said.
What sport are they playing now and will they be? to compete with Sky Sports for the best games in the Premier League?
The question that will most intrigue media commentators ahead of the auction later this year for the next round of Premier League broadcasts is to what extent they are willing to bet against Sky Sports.
Exactly how the Premier League will package the rights from 2025-26 to 2028-29 has yet to be decided, but 70 more games are expected to be available.
“Our 100 percent stated goal is to remain a premium sports broadcaster and we are reviewing our rights portfolio to ensure it remains high on our agenda,” said Georgiou, who highlighted the likely complexity of the rights packages and the varying order match “elections” with opening slots.
However, he stressed that the Premier League tender will be “a key part of our rights portfolio and something we're focused on.” While not actively reviewed at this time, Georgiou also said that, in theory, TNT would be open to review all content, including the Saudi Pro League.
TNT Sports will immediately acquire the live sports rights owned by BT Sport, especially Premier League and European Football, as well as Premier League Rugby and Moto GP. Eurosport also holds the rights to the Olympic Games, Grand Slam tennis and almost every major cycling event, including the Tour de France.
How to watch?
Existing BT Sport customers will continue to access TNT Sports automatically through BT. TV, Sky and Virgin Media. The BT Sport app will also switch to TNT Sports. Opening+ The app will also now provide access to TNT Sports, Eurosport and entertainment.
The Premier Plan is offered for £29.99 per month – the same price as the BT Sport Monthly Pass – which will include TNT Sports, Eurosport, and Discovery+ entertainment.
This package is already available on mobile devices, tablets and various connected devices and will soon be offered on BT TV and Sky TV.
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