Semi Off Topic: GCN+ Closing Down

[Adam Bowie]

There are one or two fans of watching cycling on TV in this group, so this is perhaps relevant. 

GCN+ is a streaming service that supplied global coverage of a multitude of cycling races, many of which would never have been covered by any other network. There were some regional restrictions. So NBC/Peacock has rights to the Tour de France in North America. But cycling fans globally used it. 

It closes down in mid December.

It was actually pretty inexpensive - around $40/£40/€40 a year for ad-free coverage. And outside of live coverage, they produced comprehensive highlights packages (useful for those not available to watch live during European daytime hours!) and at least one new cycling documentary a week.

The thing to know is that it's part of Warner Bros. Discovery, so this feels very much like another David Zaslav cost-cutting measure. 

In Europe, most of the live coverage will probably end up on Discovery+ where it'll sit alongside Eurosport's coverage which is already on the platform (Discovery spent big on Olympic rights through until 2032, but mostly have lesser sports rights - winter sports/snooker/cycling. There is also  the newly rebranded TNT Sports in the UK with some premium rights. But that's an upsell, and not the case across the rest of Europe). 

Of course, there is no sports element of Discovery+ in the US where a lot of fans are very worried. I know Bleacher Report sports have just arrived on Max, so maybe that sets the precedent, but the cost is going to be a lot more than it was before.

And with 100+ jobs going, there won't be any new documentaries.

If you're reading this thinking WBD had a lot of different sports brands in Europe - GCN+, Eurosport, TNT Sports, Discovery+ - then you're right. I have absolutely no idea what their longtime plan is! But now they have one fewer.

As I say, all very niche, but sadly a new reality of 2023's streaming landscape.

Adam