The BBC won’t broadcast this iconic sporting occasion for the primary time in over 72 years when it arrives in the summertime
For the primary time for the reason that Fifties the BBC can have no broadcasting rights in anyway for the Commonwealth Video games. The celebrated sporting occasion makes its return to Scotland this summer time.
Dwell TV and digital media rights to the Video games, final staged in Birmingham in 2022, had already been snapped up by TNT Sports activities after it outbid rivals. It had been broadly anticipated that the BBC would nonetheless be granted a free-to-air highlights bundle, together with each day round-ups and night highlights.
But the BBC will not air the 2026 occasion in any respect, with Channel 5 stepping in to offer free public entry via highlights protection. It marks the primary time in additional than 70 years that the company will haven’t any involvement in broadcasting the Video games.
The BBC has additionally misplaced the rights to a number of different main occasions this yr. In March, it was confirmed the company wouldn’t broadcast any of The Boat Race, with Instances Radio securing the radio rights after Channel 4 took over the TV protection. It additionally misplaced the dwell broadcasting rights to England’s matches within the males’s Six Nations.
JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! All the perfect sports activities information and far more on our devoted Fb web page
Viewers can catch round 600 hours of dwell Commonwealth Video games protection on TNT Sports activities this summer time. The competitors will run for 11 days and happen in Glasgow.
The Video games have been initially scheduled to be hosted by Victoria in Australia, however the Victorian authorities pulled out of its internet hosting commitments as a consequence of dramatically escalating price projections. Glasgow, which final hosted the occasion in 2014, stepped in to avoid wasting the competitors.
Channel 5 would be the broadcaster displaying free highlights. Chief content material officer Ben Frow stated: “The Commonwealth Video games is without doubt one of the standout occasions in a unbelievable summer time of sport this yr.
“Right here at 5 we’re delighted to be working with TNT Sports activities to deliver the most important sports activities stars to a free-to-air viewers in the UK.”
This setback for the BBC is the newest in a string of disappointments. Priorities seem to have shifted inside the company, which has been grappling with funds constraints.
Beforehand, The Open, dwell Formulation 1 races and dwell Check Match cricket have been all broadcast on the BBC’s channels. Nonetheless, director of sport Alex Kay-Jelski admitted earlier this yr that they don’t must air dwell sport to remain related.
Talking on the Monetary Instances Enterprise of Soccer convention, he stated: “My problem to us on the BBC on a regular basis is let’s simply ensure that we’re within the dialog of the issues that matter.
“For instance, we’ve audio rights to Formulation One however not video rights. However we nonetheless have reporting and dwell pages and digital video that attract thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands of individuals.
“You may nonetheless be related, you possibly can nonetheless matter when you do not present the game. Nobody on the market can present all of it. So, you simply should be sure to’re within the dialog.”
Purchase Wimbledon 2026 VIP tickets from Seat Distinctive
Wimbledon 2026 is simply across the nook and Seat Distinctive has tickets on sale now with VIP entry.