The BBC has not broadcast the Commonwealth Games for the first time in 72 years, a move that has generated criticism from fans and athletes participating in the event in Glasgow. Live television coverage in English is now exclusively available through TNT Sports, which secured the broadcast rights after owner Warner Bros Discovery reportedly paid £5 million. Radio coverage has also moved from the BBC to talkSPORT.
The BBC, which has held broadcast rights for the Games since 1954, reportedly attempted to extend its partnership but was outbid. The corporation has indicated a prioritization of other sporting events. While the main English-language coverage requires an HBO Max subscription, ranging from £4.99 to £14.99 per month, some free television coverage is accessible on BBC Alba, the broadcaster's Gaelic channel, due to existing agreements for programming in indigenous languages. Channel 5 is also airing highlights that include commercial breaks.
Critics argue that the BBC, as a publicly funded broadcaster, should be committed to showing national events like the Commonwealth Games. The corporation faced similar scrutiny for scaled-back coverage of the World Cup, where pundits remained based in a studio for much of the tournament.
In 2022, the BBC broadcast 200 hours of the Commonwealth Games across up to 11 live streams when the event was held in Birmingham. This year's Games in Glasgow feature a streamlined program with ten sports, a reduction from 19 sports held four years ago. The event was nearly canceled after original host Victoria, Australia, withdrew due to projected costs, leading Glasgow to step in.
Former Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies commented on the broadcast rights situation, criticizing the BBC's offer as insufficient and calling the organizing committee's decision a "bad decision." She emphasized the importance of adequate exposure for the future of the Games. Gymnast Luke Whitehouse noted the diminished publicity, stating, "It's definitely different. There are still people at home watching – it's not free to watch but hopefully people can watch it one way or another." Fans have also expressed disappointment with the limited free-to-air options, with one online commenter remarking, "Why is the Commonwealth Games not on the #BBC this year? I absolutely love sports but it feels slightly pushed to one side this year!"
This year's Commonwealth Games feature 3,000 athletes competing in 215 events, with over 1,000 medals to be awarded. King Charles officially opened the Games on Thursday at the Hydro Arena. The BBC declined to comment on the matter.