The Tour de France is changing channels. Paramount's UK broadcaster 5 has secured exclusive free-to-air highlights rights from ITV in a deal with Warner Bros. Discovery's TNT Sports.
The Tour de France is the world's biggest cycling event. Control of how British viewers watch it on free TV is a major asset. TNT Sports, which holds the exclusive rights to the race, has given 5 the right to broadcast highlights to UK audiences.
For ITV, this ends a long tenure. The network has shown Tour de France highlights for years, but TNT Sports chose to move the highlights to Paramount-owned 5.
British viewers will now watch 5 instead of ITV for daily Tour de France coverage. It is a shift in sports broadcasting, particularly for an event as prestigious and globally watched as the Tour.
The deal reflects how aggressively streaming giants and traditional broadcasters are competing for premium sports content. Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount are vying for viewership, and major events like the Tour de France matter to their UK strategy.
Cycling fans will follow the highlights to 5. The industry is watching to see how this affects other sporting events and which broadcaster moves next.
