The BBC will not broadcast the Boat Race for the first time in almost a century, having lost all rights to the iconic rowing event. The BBC had been the home of the annual race between Cambridge and Oxford since the 1920s, when it was first broadcast on radio, and first televised it in 1938.
Times Radio has picked up the radio rights from this year's race on April 4 until 2028, reportedly for free, in exchange for promotion across News UK's network. Channel 4 secured the TV rights in a five-year deal announced in October. This marks the first time the national broadcaster will not air the contest in any format.
The news follows reports that BBC director of sport Alex Kay-Jelski showed 'very little enthusiasm' during negotiations, viewing the event as 'elitist'. A source close to the talks said: 'The head of sport showed very little enthusiasm, believing that a showcase for London, the UK and two of our top universities is elitist.'
Kay-Jelski, who took over BBC Sport in 2024, has overseen a change in approach, with rights to the Commonwealth Games also lost and internal doubts over continuing to show Wimbledon and the Six Nations. He told the Financial Times: 'You can still be relevant, you can still matter if you don't show the sport. No one out there can show it all.'
The BBC has seen increased production costs and declining viewing figures, with a peak audience of just 2.82 million for last year's Boat Race. In a statement, the BBC said: 'Our decision not to continue reflects the difficult choices we need to make to ensure we deliver the best value for audiences.'
Times Radio will provide live commentary of both men's and women's races. Programme director Tim Levell said: 'The Boat Race is a brilliant fit for Times Radio and our listeners, for whom this is a much-loved annual tradition.' Siobhan Cassidy, chairwoman of The Boat Race Company, added: 'We're delighted to announce Times Radio as our new radio partner.'
