RIP GCN+

[Devil's Elbow]

Folding next month.

 

[Netserk]

Not good.

 

[Wyndbrook]

Not good.

Very perfunctory and almost curt email, would have thought my future options would have been more fully outlined and explained.

 

[samhocking]

Doesn't sound like much is changing. We paid Eurosport our subs, then GCN Eurosport and now going back to paying Eurosport again.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

I wasn't a subscriber to GCN+, instead chose Eurosport, as they also cover WEC, snooker, ski-ing, etc I did miss out on the GCN documentaries, which were meant to be excellent.
However, it never made much sense when they had Eurosport Player, Eurosport, GCN+, and the GCN app, all covering the same product....It's just cutting costs, and streamlining their services. (And probably raising the subscription)
As usual, there have been lots of over reaction on Twitter, but I've watched seasons of cycling ad-free on Eurosport.......

 

[Lequack]

Doesn't sound like much is changing. We paid Eurosport our subs, then GCN Eurosport and now going back to paying Eurosport again.

In Europe yes maybe. But not so in other markets which had GCN+ only.

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

If just we could ensure the knuckleheads on channel would follow same direction, and replaced by studio - and live broadcasting commentators with a classically basic understanding of cycling without having had the pot well and thoroughly stirred between the ears, then we could all be happy.
But I'm afraid that's not gonna happen.

 

[red_flanders]

In Europe yes maybe. But not so in other markets which had GCN+ only.

Indeed. Not clear to me at all if there's any reasonable substitute in the works for the US. Back to streaming Tiz? Gawd, I hope not. This seems like a major bummer, kinda shocked to get that email just now. Trying to parse the marketing-speak here...

"This decision comes from our parent company Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) and is driven by its global strategy to consolidate its streaming services, and to offer content in fewer places, making it easier for customers to access and discover more content," a more detailed message explained.

"Given the news, we really want to express our thanks, to you, and the hundreds of thousands of cycling fans who have supported us and subscribed to GCN+.

"We also want to say thank you to the talented and hard-working people at GCN+ and on the GCN App who have poured their hearts and souls into creating such amazing content.

"The reality is that the media industry landscape has changed, and this is why WBD's streaming services are being consolidated to offer content in one place."

Mmmm...okay. Sounds like the same content will be available via the Discovery+ app? Which has literally nothing else I'd want, but at $8.99/mo US it's not a big deal. Or does this mean (see the bold) that they're not creating any more content?

Can't really tell if this is just same broadcasts on another platform or...well...I'm not sure.

Information for viewers in the USA and other territories around the world served by GCN+ was not yet available.

I wonder if my days of using VPN to get all the GCN+ races are finished. Welp. Fun while it lasted.

 

[Ricco']

Was never a subscriber of GCN but was considering due to something that's been *** since Eurosport Player ended and we're watching on demand on the Eurosport app: the *** search engine, which makes almost impossible to search for some past event that occurred more than 14 days ago, plus the annoying thing that when it's impossible to resume viewing from where I was when I closed the browser, making me search for the specific minute every time.

Was considering to give GCN a try to check if the viewing experience was better, but not anymore I guess.

 

[Izzyeviel]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Does this mean we're getting refunds?

 

[red_flanders]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Does this mean we're getting refunds?

Sounds like it. Story on cyclingnews.com has some more details. I just cancelled out of my subscription to make it simpler. Not watching this time of year anyway, obviously.

 

[Savant12]

Damn! What crap timing. I'm based in Asia so I was initially signed up to Eurosport Player but then needed a VPN (paid for) to access my Eurosport Player UK account. Anyway, I canceled the paid VPN that was up for renewal this month and planned not to renew my Eurosport subscription in May and switch to GCN+ because it seemed I could access all the races in my country and save some money.
Now, I might have to renew Eurosport after all and try to use it on a free VPN.
And hey, there's always Tiz.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

Welp, back to Tiz or other crappy streams.

I live in Belgium and we can't even get Discovery+ and no way I'm watching that dumpsterfire of a TV-channel called Eurosport.

 

[VeloMaster]

In Europe yes maybe. But not so in other markets which had GCN+ only.

Here in Canada, we are screwed. Of course, no one cares about our tiny market.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

I hope the price for a future subscription option will be lower than the current one for Discovery+, but it probably won't. I've missed out on some football and snooker by only having access to cycling, but it's cost me a lot less, and I'm proud to call myself a cheapskate.

 

[Wyndbrook]

Sounds like it. Story on cyclingnews.com has some more details. I just cancelled out of my subscription to make it simpler. Not watching this time of year anyway, obviously.

What not cross fan,! Races almost every day at Christmas to keep getting your fix.

 

[saunaking]

Here in Canada, we are screwed. Of course, no one cares about our tiny market.

Yeah brutal. I think to be able to access the same live content we would need flosports AND whatever WB is replacing GCN+ with in Canada/North America?

GCN+ and VPN give me basically every cycling race that is broadcast

 

[scribers]

Man it was a nice product and presentation

 

[Samamba]

Back to Tiz for the races that aren't live on Eurospor (or Sporza) on TV then I guess.

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

Was never a subscriber of GCN but was considering due to something that's been *** since Eurosport Player ended and we're watching on demand on the Eurosport app: the *** search engine, which makes almost impossible to search for some past event that occurred more than 14 days ago,

Recently I made a longer and rough inquirement to Eurosport with alot of specific suggestions on those matters. In fact I recieved a responce from Eurosport that they have noted my examples and highlights and immediately admitted that "it must be a mistake" and that they "would pass it on" and that "it will certainly be taken seriously."
Now OK that 'recently' is now +3 months ago and nothing has yet happened. Still same mess. For instance I KNOW they have specific one day races still avaible - if just you know the correct direct link! But it's completely hidden via official menu & search ways.

plus the annoying thing that when it's impossible to resume viewing from where I was when I closed the browser, making me search for the specific minute every time.

Yes annoying too, and one subject I forgot to create an inquiry on. But AFAIR I've experienced it working on a few times - but that was back to this July I think - maybe motivated by a much larger amount of users at that time who do not use the service on a daily/weekly basis, but just once a year fo the big thing.

 

[red_flanders]

What not cross fan,! Races almost every day at Christmas to keep getting your fix.

Not really. I’ll watch the big races with the big riders but that’s about it.

We have real live mountain biking to do in Northern California during the winter! We finally get a bit of rain to freshen up the trails.

 

[RedheadDane]

I wasn't a subscriber to GCN+, instead chose Eurosport, as they also cover WEC, snooker, ski-ing, etc I did miss out on the GCN documentaries, which were meant to be excellent.
However, it never made much sense when they had Eurosport Player, Eurosport, GCN+, and the GCN app, all covering the same product....It's just cutting costs, and streamlining their services. (And probably raising the subscription)
As usual, there have been lots of over reaction on Twitter, but I've watched seasons of cycling ad-free on Eurosport.......

Here's to hoping the video quality on Eurosport has/will improve significantly from the crap they introduced after ES Player folded...

 

[Faserr]

I think in germany we ware lucky that discovery+/eurosport are still covering all the races. At the moment I fear that I can't watch live cycling without ads like at GCN+ anymore. I would pay some money to get rid of the ads during live broadcast.

Samsung TVs doesn't seem to have a discovery+ app. GCN+ was working fine. A fire tv stick could solve the problem.

I hope the GCN crew can continue at discovery+. I really started to enjoy all the films.

 

[search]

I think in germany we ware lucky that discovery+/eurosport are still covering all the races. At the moment I fear that I can't watch live cycling without ads like at GCN+ anymore. I would pay some money to get rid of the ads during live broadcast.

in Germany I think we've had at least four apps/sites (Eurosport Player, GCN+, Discovery+, Joyn+) to watch additional and/or ad-free Eurosport content which they've all advertised for at certain points over the past years. So in that regard, I guess it makes sense to combine it in one. Also economically, as many will be willing to pay a bit more for Discovery+, even if they don't watch any of the movies and series in the end.

Outside of Europe, it's a bigger loss of course, so let's hope they'll offer another solution as well. But I also wouldn't be too surprised if the subsciprion numbers in the US or Canada just didn't justify to buy all those broadcasting rights - while in Europe, Discovery more or less owns them anyway.

 

[jsem94]

Eurosport has gotten so damn expensive, this is horrible