TDF from 2026 on...!
Discussion
I think it's a crying shame that such a sporting event will be moving to pay to view. I'm sure it and riders in it have inspired so many people to take up the sport.
As much as I love watching it and have done so for 40 years I won't be taking up a subscription with TNT sport or Discovery.
As much as I love watching it and have done so for 40 years I won't be taking up a subscription with TNT sport or Discovery.
If it is just purely for the Tour de France, you could just get access for a month and then cancel, so £30 at current pricing.
I wouldn’t grumble too much at paying that if it is just for TdF access.
There is likely going to be a free highlights option.
It obviously gets more costly if it is all the grand tours, monuments and the spring racing you want to watch.
I wouldn’t grumble too much at paying that if it is just for TdF access.
There is likely going to be a free highlights option.
It obviously gets more costly if it is all the grand tours, monuments and the spring racing you want to watch.
Think it was Ned Boulton who was on a podcast mentioning how an English speaking free to air channel (NZ perhaps) seen a big increase in cycling viewers as soon as Discovery shelved Eurosport in the UK, presumably via UK viewers gaining access via VPN? Might be b
ks but a good little story none the less.
I'll still be tuning in but won't be paying for it... Thought the Eurosport Discovery+ £4.99 was great value, not being held to ransom at £30 a month though. Pretty sure TNT have lost Frank Warrens boxing to DAZN and I have next to no interest in English or UEFA competition football. Not sure what £30 a month is actually getting me!?
Already have VPN services so will try utilise that, even in a foreign language (perhaps a good chance to finally learn a language). Must be the Northern in me or stubborness, probably a bit of both.
ks but a good little story none the less.I'll still be tuning in but won't be paying for it... Thought the Eurosport Discovery+ £4.99 was great value, not being held to ransom at £30 a month though. Pretty sure TNT have lost Frank Warrens boxing to DAZN and I have next to no interest in English or UEFA competition football. Not sure what £30 a month is actually getting me!?
Already have VPN services so will try utilise that, even in a foreign language (perhaps a good chance to finally learn a language). Must be the Northern in me or stubborness, probably a bit of both.
NaePasaran said:
Think it was Ned Boulton who was on a podcast mentioning how an English speaking free to air channel (NZ perhaps) seen a big increase in cycling viewers as soon as Discovery shelved Eurosport in the UK, presumably via UK viewers gaining access via VPN? Might be bks but a good little story none the less.
I'll still be tuning in but won't be paying for it... Thought the Eurosport Discovery+ £4.99 was great value, not being held to ransom at £30 a month though. Pretty sure TNT have lost Frank Warrens boxing to DAZN and I have next to no interest in English or UEFA competition football. Not sure what £30 a month is actually getting me!?
Already have VPN services so will try utilise that, even in a foreign language (perhaps a good chance to finally learn a language). Must be the Northern in me or stubborness, probably a bit of both.
Yes, boxing went to DAZN, but that is aiming to be the boxing platform. TNT have cricket (think the Ashes in Oz this year is TNT), rugby union, Moto GP, British Superbikes, World Superbikes, plus all the cycling not just TDF (all the classics, the Giro, the Vuelta etc) ks but a good little story none the less.I'll still be tuning in but won't be paying for it... Thought the Eurosport Discovery+ £4.99 was great value, not being held to ransom at £30 a month though. Pretty sure TNT have lost Frank Warrens boxing to DAZN and I have next to no interest in English or UEFA competition football. Not sure what £30 a month is actually getting me!?
Already have VPN services so will try utilise that, even in a foreign language (perhaps a good chance to finally learn a language). Must be the Northern in me or stubborness, probably a bit of both.
But ultimately, the £30 a month is to pay their astronomical rights fees for Premier League and Champions League football.
i would also strongly recommend the cycling podcast. If you can't/won't watch, its a fantastic way to spend an hour each day of the tour. lots of insight, and news beyond the obvious, and some subtle, very amusing humour as the weeks tick on. I look forward to the podcast as much as the grand tours now, and am keen to see if the femmes coverage is as good as the mens, no reason to doubt it won't be.
NaePasaran said:
...not being held to ransom at £30 a month though. ...
I think if £30 a month is a problem for you, then you have other issues beyond it going to tnt.I was thinking the other day how I only watch a handful of TV channels regularly. And given I like MotoGP, WRC and WEC (including all 24hrs of LM) as well as procycling.
TNT is probably the one I watch the most!
This just dropped into my Inbox...
I managed to get 50% off for 7 months so had been paying £14.99/month (which still stung after GCN+ and D+ at under a tenner) but, nope, no chance I'm paying that price.
{Edit}
Now I check, I was getting punted onto the plan which included all the other crap on D+. TNT Sports only is still only £30.99. Bargain! Not.
I managed to get 50% off for 7 months so had been paying £14.99/month (which still stung after GCN+ and D+ at under a tenner) but, nope, no chance I'm paying that price.
{Edit}
Now I check, I was getting punted onto the plan which included all the other crap on D+. TNT Sports only is still only £30.99. Bargain! Not.
Edited by Harpoon on Monday 28th July 09:46
BunkMoreland said:
I think if £30 a month is a problem for you, then you have other issues beyond it going to tnt.
I was thinking the other day how I only watch a handful of TV channels regularly. And given I like MotoGP, WRC and WEC (including all 24hrs of LM) as well as procycling.
TNT is probably the one I watch the most!
£33 is a problem ... its the principle ... we've been paying £6 a month 'just to watch live cycling' and now its increased x 5 for the same content. I was thinking the other day how I only watch a handful of TV channels regularly. And given I like MotoGP, WRC and WEC (including all 24hrs of LM) as well as procycling.
TNT is probably the one I watch the most!
For you, £33 makes sense when you watch other sports.
And paying for a lesser quality product.
The Channel 4 and ITV coverage had become a well loved institution, with a presenting team who became to feel like old friends. The atmosphere the show created was quite unique, filming on the French streets made you almost feel like you were there. This will now be replaced with American style generic sports broadcasting from a cheap CGI studio with tacky graphics.
I felt very sad at the end of the ITV coverage yesterday, as though it was the Tour itself coming to an end.
I’ll probably follow the result of the race still in the future, but I’ve got no interest in being extorted by yet another American corporation only interested in sucking the largest profit possible from it.
As someone posted in the TdF 2025 thread, the ITV coverage was summer for me, and has been for many many years.
The Channel 4 and ITV coverage had become a well loved institution, with a presenting team who became to feel like old friends. The atmosphere the show created was quite unique, filming on the French streets made you almost feel like you were there. This will now be replaced with American style generic sports broadcasting from a cheap CGI studio with tacky graphics.
I felt very sad at the end of the ITV coverage yesterday, as though it was the Tour itself coming to an end.
I’ll probably follow the result of the race still in the future, but I’ve got no interest in being extorted by yet another American corporation only interested in sucking the largest profit possible from it.
As someone posted in the TdF 2025 thread, the ITV coverage was summer for me, and has been for many many years.
JEA1K said:
£33 is a problem ... its the principle ... we've been paying £6 a month 'just to watch live cycling' and now its increased x 5 for the same content.
Seems you fail to realise that for that £6 a month Eurosport were subsiding the coverage of cycling with other sports. No matter how much you wish it wasn't. Cycling is niche in the UK. So doesn't have the millions of viewers to mean the price is low.If you prefer a non niche sport I hear there's Football and Tennis and Golf available for less per month
mrtomsv said:
The Channel 4 and ITV coverage had become a well loved institution, with a presenting team who became to feel like old friends. The atmosphere the show created was quite unique, filming on the French streets made you almost feel like you were there.
Indeed.I'm not an avid cyclist but I've been watching the Tour de France coverage for longer than I can remember. The sporting spectacle, the scenery and those familiar voices behind the mic. The way the hair used to stand up on the back of my neck every time I heard this theme tune back in the day... https://youtu.be/UpFO53ihLpM?si=if0ozzA6ShRqTsBv
Can't believe another great event is disappearing behind the ransom wall.
One can only hope the ITV4 highlights remain in their current form, even if they're no longer allowed to provide live coverage.
Holdmyhand said:
I think it's a crying shame that such a sporting event will be moving to pay to view. I'm sure it and riders in it have inspired so many people to take up the sport.
As much as I love watching it and have done so for 40 years I won't be taking up a subscription with TNT sport or Discovery.
So you don’t really love watching it?As much as I love watching it and have done so for 40 years I won't be taking up a subscription with TNT sport or Discovery.
I get it’s annoying but it’s a pittance for something you ‘love’. Buy a month and cancel it.
MitchT said:
…
One can only hope the ITV4 highlights remain in their current form, even if they're no longer allowed to provide live coverage.
They’re not - that’s the issue. It’s all gone behind the paywall. A paywall which I was reluctantly considering at £31 a month. Just seeing they’ve price hiked straight to £34 a month after less than a year. It’ll be £37 next spring - they’re clearly doing the £3 annual increase like the broadband and phone companies do - but there’s nowhere else to watch their “product”.One can only hope the ITV4 highlights remain in their current form, even if they're no longer allowed to provide live coverage.
With the possible exception of the BBC showing the road world championships, there’s now no professional cycling in any form - live or highlights - available to watch for free in the UK afaik.
I enjoyed the Discovery commentary with the ex pros & am enjoying the Tour Femme now. La Vuelta up next.
It’s annoying but I watch Moto GP, Sail Gp, Rugby and the Champions League etc so £33 is more than worth it in my eyes.
Same with Sky, even if I watch one Premier League game with my son a month I have already saved money as going in person would be tar more expensive. Never mind the cost to go to F1!
It’s annoying but I watch Moto GP, Sail Gp, Rugby and the Champions League etc so £33 is more than worth it in my eyes.
Same with Sky, even if I watch one Premier League game with my son a month I have already saved money as going in person would be tar more expensive. Never mind the cost to go to F1!
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