BBC lose broadcasting rights to major British sporting event after nearly 100 years

The BBC has been dealt a blow as it loses the broadcasting rights to The Boat Race, with Channel 4 set to take over from next year. This iconic event, an annual race between Oxford University and Cambridge University on the River Thames, is one of Britain's most historic sporting events, first held in 1829.

It was first televised in 1938, with the BBC airing the majority of races since then, apart from a brief period when ITV took over between 2005 and 2009. However, a significant new deal has been struck, with Channel 4 securing the rights to become the exclusive free-to-air TV home of the event for the next five years, starting in 2026.

This means that the broadcaster will cover the centenary of the Women's Boat Race in 2027 and the bicentenary of the Men's Boat Race in 2029.

This shift comes after this year's event attracted record viewing numbers, with the women's race becoming the most-watched female sporting event of 2025 at the time.

Around 2.8 million people tuned in to watch BBC One's coverage in April, with a peak of 2.18 million recorded for the women's race.

Despite these promising figures, the BBC has lost what Channel 4 has described as a "crown jewel" event from its sports coverage.

The new rights holder says that interest in the event has "never been stronger.

"We are thrilled to have secured the rights to one of the most iconic amateur sports events in the British calendar," expressed Pete Andrews, Channel 4's Head of Sport. "The Boat Race is rich in tradition and history and British interest in the event has never been stronger.

"We are committed to bringing the very best sports events to our audience, both from the UK and around the globe, and The Boat Race is the perfect example.

"It's the crown jewel of the rowing calendar and consistently captures the imagination of the British public year after year, both on the side of the Thames and in living rooms across the country. In recent years, it has delivered some truly unforgettable moments, and we can't wait to bring that excitement to our viewers next year."

Meanwhile, Siobhan Cassidy, chair of The Boat Race Company, stated: "We are delighted to work with Channel 4 to broadcast our unique, iconic and intensely British event between our two world-leading Universities.

"We know that this is a huge day out for Londoners, and our independent research has shown that Boat Race Day generates £13-15 million in economic impact for London.

"We are grateful to the support of our previous broadcast partners and have come a long way since our first radio commentary in 1927 and television pictures in 1938. We look forward to seeing how Channel 4 can portray the drama, excitement and heritage of the event on Easter Saturday 2026!"

Channel 4's latest acquisition of The Boat Race is part of its ongoing strategy to bring major sporting events to the channel. Its portfolio now boasts live matches from the Women's FA Cup, the UEFA U21 championship and England's home matches in the Nations League and European qualifiers.

In addition to football, the channel also broadcasts Formula 1 highlights and England hockey internationals.

However, this move comes amidst concerns that the BBC could lose more high-profile events from its sports portfolio, with the future of massive competitions such as the Six Nations and Wimbledon on its channels becoming increasingly uncertain in recent years.

The upcoming Boat Race, scheduled for Easter Sunday, April 4, will see Cambridge striving for a fourth consecutive win in the men's race and an eighth in the women's event, while Oxford aims to reverse the trend.

At present, the overall record in the men's race stands at 88-81 in favour of Cambridge, while the Light Blues also hold a commanding 49-30 lead in the women's event.