dailyloe.com – Warner Bros. Discovery announced a major renewal of its television rights for the Giro d’Italia on Wednesday. The deal extends through at least 2029 and covers broadcasts in Europe and the United States. The races will be shown on TNT Sports and HBO Max platforms. This secures exclusive rights in Europe outside of Italy.
The agreement includes rights to the men’s and women’s Giro d’Italia races. It also covers other events organized by RCS Sport. These include Strade Bianche and Milan-San Remo. The full package contains many prestigious Italian cycling competitions.
According to Warner Bros. Discovery, its coverage of last year’s Giro set records. It was the most-watched Giro broadcast ever for the company. Streaming platform viewership grew by 44 percent. Social media engagement saw an 84 percent increase.
Trojan Paillot, SVP Sports Rights Acquisitions at WBD Sports Europe, commented on the deal. ‘Cycling is at the heart of our live multi-sport offer,’ Paillot said. ‘No-one covers this sport like we do through unparalleled race coverage and rider storytelling.’ He emphasized the company’s long heritage in cycling broadcasting.
‘With a rich cycling heritage that spans multiple decades, we are recognised as the home of cycling,’ Paillot stated. He called the platform a go-to destination for cycling’s greatest events. The executive highlighted the Giro d’Italia and Giro d’Italia Women specifically.
‘By extending our rights to show the Giro d’Italia, Giro d’Italia Women and a whole host of premier Italian races, we have underlined our commitment to supporting the long-term growth of the sport,’ Paillot added. The company plans to continue investing in its coverage. The goal is to attract a wide global audience and inspire new fans.
Warner Bros. Discovery already holds rights to other major races. Its portfolio includes the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España. It also has rights to the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift and Paris-Roubaix. These are organized by ASO, a different race organizer.
In the United Kingdom, cycling coverage airs on TNT Sports or HBO Max. HBO Max is also the streaming service used across Europe and the United States. In the U.S., non-exclusive coverage will additionally be shown on truTV. This provides multiple viewing options for American audiences.
The renewed rights package is comprehensive. It includes the Giro d’Italia, Giro d’Italia Women, and Giro Next Gen. Other races are Strade Bianche, Tirreno-Adriatico, and Milan-San Remo. Milan-Torino, Il Lombardia, Gran Piemonte, and the UAE Tour are also part of the deal.
