RIP GCN+

[Sciatic]

From that point of view one could argue broadcasting Tour on public TV in most of Europe isn't free either:

Television licence - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

But in reality it isn't perceived like that. Even if and when some sport is moved to some sports oriented channel on cable TV, on where a reasonable monthly fee is required and most households in the country have access to it. That is still rather OK-ish. Moving some sport to some special TV scheme, on where most households in the country don't have access to it any more, due to high cost. If it would work like that world wide, then forget about the Tour as being a thing. That is once the existing audience is milked, presumable middle age men, then it's mostly over.

This particular part of the discussion was about the Sky era and thereabouts. At that time you couldn’t turn on the Tour in England or France or Italy or Spain to watch for free without a cable subscription?

 

[CyclistAbi]

When looking for some reference:

Tour de France expected to remain on free-to-air TV in the UK from 2026

ITV deal runs out in 2025 after Warner Bros. Discovery signed exclusivity deal with race organiser

www.cyclingweekly.com

The Tour has been available on free-to-air television in Britain since the 1980s. It was initially shown on Channel 4 before it moved to ITV in 2001.

So it doesn't seem that Tour was ever behind some giant paywall in the UK? At least i always perceived it as being omnipresent, on where now i feel the target audience should automatically become less. Likely to remain relevant at least until the generation that grew with omnipresent Tour loses interest. After milking that segment, from where is the future general interest supposed to come from?

 

[wansteadimp]

When looking for some reference:

Tour de France expected to remain on free-to-air TV in the UK from 2026

ITV deal runs out in 2025 after Warner Bros. Discovery signed exclusivity deal with race organiser

www.cyclingweekly.com

So it doesn't seem that Tour was ever behind some giant paywall in the UK? At least i always perceived it as being omnipresent, on where now i feel the target audience should automatically become less. Likely to remain relevant at least until the generation that grew with omnipresent Tour loses interest. After milking that segment, from where is the future general interest supposed to come from?

The original coverage on Channel 4 was a highlights programme in the evening. I can't recall if they ever showed it live or whether it was only available live on Eurosport.

The sad truth is that virtually the only sport left "free to view" on UK tv are the events that are protected by law. The terrestrial channels just don't have the funds to compete with Sky & TNT for sports rights.

 

[Sciatic]

The original coverage on Channel 4 was a highlights programme in the evening. I can't recall if they ever showed it live or whether it was only available live on Eurosport.

The sad truth is that virtually the only sport left "free to view" on UK tv are the events that are protected by law. The terrestrial channels just don't have the funds to compete with Sky & TNT for sports rights.

Things are headed that way in the U.S. too, with the big difference being that most games played in the biggest sport in the country—the NFL—are still broadcast for free on the main TV networks. But the landscape is changing as more of those games on weekdays are behind paywalls.

 

[Rob5091]

More on the demise of Eurosport and the price hike-
https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/...tnt-sports-price-hike-after-eurosport-closure

Almost 90% of those polled were categorical that they would not sign up to the new £30.99 per month offering.

 

[CyclistAbi]

There are different systems in place world wide, on how "television" is being broadcasted in terms of access to it. In general i would say that it's in the end not all that important, for a sport event like Tour, if households need to pay some fee, being public or cable TV or ... As long as most households are prepared to do it anyway. When done like that i feel that such sport event, as the Tour is, can flourish on the long term. Once you decide to cut majority of households off, due to pricey paywall, that in my opinion will bring damaging results to the sport itself on the long run.

 

[Wyndbrook]

More on the demise of Eurosport and the price hike-
https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/...tnt-sports-price-hike-after-eurosport-closure

The price incease has actually benefited me, I've signed up at £31 a month and will save money.
I've been a long time Sky subscriber generally viewing Eurosport. Now cancelled my Sky subscription and splashed out on a new tv.
I will break even after ten months and then be saving money based on my original Sky sub.
Also still able to watch all the other sports I like plus premiership rugby and motogp.

 

[Rob5091]

The price incease has actually benefited me, I've signed up at £31 a month and will save money.
I've been a long time Sky subscriber generally viewing Eurosport. Now cancelled my Sky subscription and splashed out on a new tv.
I will break even after ten months and then be saving money based on my original Sky sub.
Also still able to watch all the other sports I like plus premiership rugby and motogp.

Glad to hear you've managed to "square the circle"! So Sky loses out though which is interesting.

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

The price incease has actually benefited me, I've signed up at £31 a month and will save money.
I've been a long time Sky subscriber generally viewing Eurosport. Now cancelled my Sky subscription and splashed out on a new tv.
I will break even after ten months and then be saving money based on my original Sky sub.
Also still able to watch all the other sports I like plus premiership rugby and motogp.

Now I've subscribed (albeit at the intro rate of £15 for seven months), I'm looking for value for money so will be watching Moto GP and stuff. I also found their comedy channel last night. Manchester United were on.