The historic Boat Race event will not be broadcast by the BBC on television or radio this year, marking the first time in nearly 100 years that the broadcasting rights have shifted. Channel 4 secured the television rights in a five-year deal half a year ago, while Times Radio has acquired the radio rights until 2028.
Since the mid-1920s, the BBC has been the traditional home for the rowing competition between Oxford University and Cambridge University on the River Thames. However, this year’s race, scheduled for April 4, will be exclusively available through other platforms.
While the BBC has previously faced gaps in its coverage of the event, such as ITV broadcasting the race from 2005 to 2009 and LBC holding radio rights from 2005 to 2010, this is the first time the BBC will not air the Boat Race in any form. The decision follows reports that the BBC’s director of sport, Alex Kay-Jelski, expressed little interest in acquiring the rights due to his perception of the event as “elitist.” Times Radio secured the rights without cost under the condition of promoting it across the News UK network.
Viewership for the Boat Race on the BBC has declined in recent years while production expenses have risen. Kay-Jelski, who assumed leadership of BBC Sport in 2024, has overseen changes in the broadcaster’s strategy, leading to the loss of rights for events like the Commonwealth Games alongside the Boat Race. There are internal uncertainties about the BBC’s ongoing coverage of Wimbledon and the Six Nations, with Kay-Jelski emphasizing that live sports coverage may not be essential for the BBC’s relevance.
Chair of The Boat Race Company, Siobhan Cassidy, expressed delight in the partnership with Times Radio for live coverage of the event, highlighting shared values of heritage, tradition, precision, and quality. The move marks a new chapter for the iconic race event, which has been a staple of the BBC’s sports coverage for decades.
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