RACING

📺 The MTB Streaming Wars

If Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav ever thought to increase his security detail, the outrage from MTB fans this week may be the perfect reason.

🤬 Why Is Everyone Angry?

Warner Bros. Discovery announced this week its moving its coverage of the UCI World Series from Eurosport to TNT Sports in both the U.K. and Ireland starting February 28.

As a result, Discovery+ subscription costs will rise significantly—from £6.99 to £30.99 per month for access to the TNT Sports add on. Racing fans will see a roughly 400% price increase for the season, now costing £216.9, compared to just £48.93 in 2024.

🤓 A Quick History Lesson

Emotions have always run high in the wake of broadcast changes to professional mountain biking.

When Red Bull acquired the rights from Freecaster in 2012, fans were terrified their beloved sport would lose its raw, punk rock energy to the ambitions of a multi-billon dollar company.

⚡️ The Opposite Happened

Red Bull ended up transforming the sport in a way fans loved.

• Providing free, high-quality live streams

• Keeping legendary announcer Rob Warner

• Using innovative camera angles and on-bike footage

• Building better MTB storytelling and athlete profiles

🤑 But then WBD took over in 2023

If mountain bikers were upset about an industry brand like Red Bull picking up broadcast rights, now imagine the reaction to an outsider like WBD.

If you also consider how WBD made several unpopular moves out the gate, you’ll understand why this recent price hike has fans seething.

1. No More Free Streaming: Red Bull’s coverage was free for everyone, while WBD put races behind a paywall. Fans criticized the move as a blatant money grab, reducing the growth potential of MTB.

2. The Loss of Rob Warner: Rob Warner was the voice of mountain biking. His chaotic, no-filter commentary made every race feel electric. When WBD took over, they didn’t bring him back.

3. Worse Production: Fans hated the first few broadcasts. There were missing camera angles, poor replays, and awkward pacing. While some of these things were improved, many still consider it a step down from Red Bull.

🙋‍♂️ RECON’s Take

WBD is adding insult to injury with the price increases imposed on the UK and Ireland. It looks like the company is taking advantage of passionate racing fans who WBD thinks will pay no matter what.

At the end of the day, the free market means one company’s mistakes are another’s opportunity. Red Bull is rumored to be transforming Hardline into a full-on series while Monster Energy’s Pro Downhill series is attracting talent with bigger prize money.

So will enough fans protest by cancelling their subscriptions to force change? We can’t predict where downhill MTB is going but we can promise you one thing.

If the startup idea we’re launch soon here at RECON works out, we’ll buy the rights one day and make the broadcasts free again.