The UK government has said that it has no plans to add the Tour de France to the list of 'Category A' sporting events which would mean it has to be broadcast on free-to-air TV.
In response to a petition which has gained over 14,000 signatures, a spokesperson for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said: "The current list of events strikes the right balance between encouraging access to a number of sporting events and maximising broadcasting income. There are no plans to review the list at this time."
ITV's free Tour de France coverage will end this year in the UK, along with Eurosport closing down. With Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) - via TNT Sports - now owning exclusive rights to show the Tour, it seems like it will be much more expensive to watch the biggest bike race of the year next July. At the moment a new subscription costs £30.99 a month.
"Cycling is one of the most accessible sports to take up but one of the least accessible to watch," the petition's creator, Peter Treadway, said earlier this month. "British cycling is in a dire state right now, with the UK’s last [men's] UCI Continental team, Saint Piran, recently closing down. If we want to inspire more people to ride, especially the next generation, we need to keep the biggest race in the sport freely available. Right now, we have a chance to change that before it’s too late."
Once a petition reaches 10,000 it requires a response from the government; if it reaches 100,000, it will be considered for a debate in Parliament.
On Friday, the DCMS spokesperson said: "The government recognises concerns raised about losing free-to-air coverage of the Tour de France. Ensuring live cycling can be enjoyed by a wide reaching audience is important to growing the sport and inspiring the next generation of cyclists. Professional cycling, in particular the Tour de France, captivates fans with its exciting races and inspires people across the country to get on their bikes every weekend.
"That said, broadcasting rights also provide essential income for sporting National Governing Bodies (NGBs) and event organisers, including British Cycling, which enables them to invest in better facilities for participants and spectators, improve elite performance, hire the best coaches, and keep up with mounting competition. NGBs, including British Cycling, need to consider the trade-offs between visibility, access to live cycling events and maximising broadcasting revenue. It is important to get the balance right, and that balance is for each sport’s NGB to determine."
However, in this case, the broadcasting revenue from selling the TV rights exclusively to WBD does not go to British Cycling, but to the Tour de France's organiser, ASO.
"All UK broadcasters are operationally and editorially independent of the government," the DCMS spokesperson continued. "Therefore decisions relating to coverage of particular sporting events - including the Tour de France - are ultimately a commercial decision for the relevant broadcaster and/or the rights holder of the specific sporting event.
"It is important to point out that listing the Tour de France as a ‘group A’ event would not guarantee that it will be broadcast live, or on a free-to-air channel. Rights holders are not required to sell live rights for listed events and free-to-air broadcasters are not obliged to purchase them.
"The government believes that the current list of events works well and that it strikes an appropriate balance between encouraging access to a number of sporting events and allowing sports to maximise broadcasting revenue. The government has no plans to review the list at this time. However, developments continue to be monitored."
The statement from DCMS also ran through funding that has been put into cycling in the UK, including at an elite level through UK Sport, and funding for local authorities to help expand active travel.
It also noted that the government is supporting the hosting of the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes in 2027: "The Tour will travel throughout England, Scotland and Wales, inspiring girls and boys as their sporting heroes cycle directly through their communities, with the races free to view in person."
WBD Sports Europe's senior vice president, Scott Young, has previously made clear that free-to-air live cycling is not on the broadcaster's "road map". He has also said that there are no concerns within WBD that putting the sport behind a paywall will stunt future fan growth.
The petition is open to UK residents, and can be found here. For more information on how to watch cycling in the UK and around the world, read our streaming guide.
