The Boat Race, a historic event between Oxford University and Cambridge University, will not be broadcasted by the BBC on TV or radio for the first time in almost a century. Channel 4 secured the TV rights for the renowned competition in a five-year agreement six months ago, while Times Radio has acquired the radio broadcasting rights until 2028.
Since the mid-1920s, the BBC has been the traditional broadcaster of the Boat Race on the Thames, initially on radio and later on television starting from 1938. However, the upcoming race scheduled for April 4 will not be accessible on BBC platforms.
While there were previous instances where other broadcasters like ITV and LBC held broadcasting rights temporarily, this marks the first time the BBC will not air the Boat Race, which garnered 2.6 million viewers last year.
The decision follows reports from The Telegraph indicating the BBC’s director of sport, Alex Kay-Jelski, showed little interest in retaining the rights, citing concerns about the event being deemed elitist. Times Radio has taken over the rights without cost, with an agreement to promote the event across News UK’s network.
Viewership for the Boat Race on the BBC has seen a decline in recent years alongside rising production expenses. Kay-Jelski’s tenure at BBC Sport since 2024 has seen strategic shifts, including losing rights to events like the Commonwealth Games and now the Boat Race.
Speaking at the Financial Times’s Business of Football Summit, Kay-Jelski emphasized the evolving media landscape, stating that the BBC’s relevance doesn’t solely rely on live sports coverage. Despite not having video rights for Formula 1, the BBC leverages other content formats to engage a vast audience in the digital age.
Siobhan Cassidy, Chair of The Boat Race Company, expressed excitement about the partnership with Times Radio, highlighting shared values of heritage, tradition, and quality in delivering live coverage to the audience.
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