Red Bull gives up World Cup live broadcast to Discovery Sports
Cross country and downhill racing head to a new home for first time in 10 years
Photo by:
Bartek Wolinski / Red Bull Content Pool
Changes are coming to the mountain bike World Cup series. The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) announced today that Red Bull will no longer be the broadcaster for World Cup cross country and downhill racing after 2022.
Instead, the UCI is entering into new, eight-year contract with Discovery Sports. The proposal by Discovery includes “sporting and commercial matters, as well as those concerning the production and broadcasting of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup.”
The contract is not yet signed, but 2022 will be the last year the World Cup is free on Red Bull TV. Further details on what “the concept” is that won Discovery the contract will be provided when the contract is signed.
The UCI thanked Red Bull for “significantly increasing the series’ audience” during the decade it was the main broadcaster. During that time, all World Cup events were free to watch.
Red Bull will remain involved in mountain biking through events like Red Bull Rampage, Formation, Joyride and Hardline.
Full UCI press release
At its recent meeting in Montreux (Switzerland) from 10 to 12 February, the Management Committee of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) decided to enter into exclusive negotiations with Discovery Sports for the organisation and promotion of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup for eight seasons, from 2023 to 2030.
The proposal by Discovery Sports, which was selected by the UCI as part of a tender process, comprises several strands: those relating to sporting and commercial matters, as well as those concerning the production and broadcasting of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup.
More detailed information on the concept developed by Discovery Sports to further drive the development of the discipline will be communicated at the signing of the contract that will bind the two parties.
The UCI would like to thank Red Bull Media House, the producer and main broadcaster of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup, who has used all its expertise to satisfy the passion of mountain bike fans around the world for more than 10 years, while significantly increasing the series’ audience during this period.
Discovery Sports will get in touch with the 2022 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup organisers as well as all the organisers that expressed their interest in hosting a round of the series for 2023 and 2024.
Meanwhile, all rounds of the 2022 Mercedes-Benz UCI World Cup will be available for viewing on Red Bull TV (RBTV) and on the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup broadcasters’ channels.
