Latest news with #DesLynam
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Match of the Day icon tells BBC to create new channel to avoid losing top sports events
The BBC is going through a new chapter after Gary Lineker left his role at Match of the Day following 25 years and former host Des Lynam feels the corporation must show "courage" and make changes Former Match of the Day host Des Lynam has urged the BBC to launch a new pay-per-vew channel that could rival the likes of Sky Sports and TNT Sports. The 82-year-old presented the iconic BBC football highlights show for more than a decade between 1988 and 1999 before Gary Lineker took over. The BBC still has coveted rights to air competitions like the World Cup, Euros, FA Cup and Wimbledon, but they are under mounting pressure from rival TV channels and Lynam believes they might have to put their biggest competitions behind a paywall. He told the Telegraph: "If they are to compete as serious contenders for big-time sport, they will have to form a separate sports channel and that means pay-per-view. They have the brand. "The only way to compete is to find the money to do so. Unless the BBC is content to cover only minor sports they will have to get out into the marketplace. "To do this, the kind of money involved means the funding must come from a source other than the licence fee and that means pay-per-view." Lynam said the BBC needed to have "courage" to do something different if they wanted to keep hold of their greatest assets. "If there is someone at the corporation who agrees with me and has the courage to fight for that cause I mentioned, get ready to summon up the blood, disguise fair nature and prepare for the incoming rage." It comes after a report earlier this month that the BBC are facing a fight to hang onto their Wimbledon rights, which they have owned for the last 90 years. The corporation currently pay the All England Club around £60m a year to cover the Grand Slam, but their current rights expire in 2027. TNT and Sky are both reportedly interested in pouncing for the next batch of rights, according to the Sun. It is claimed that the Wimbledon rights are seen as the "crown jewels" for the BBC, but while it must be aired for free on TV in the UK, it does not have to be exclusively shown on one particular channel. The BBC are in the midst of a new era after Gary Lineker stepped down from presenting Match of the Day, with hosting duties set to be shared by Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan for the start of the 2025-26 season. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Ex-Match of the Day host calls for BBC to create controversial new channel or risk losing events like Wimbledon
LEGENDARY host Des Lynam has called for the BBC to controversially create a pay-per-view channel. The former Match of the Day presenter was in the hotseat from 1988 to 1999 and he also covered the likes of Wimbledon and the Olympics for the Beeb. 2 The BBC have been urged to make a pay-per-view channel Credit: Getty 2 Des Lynam believes the Beeb must move behind a paywall to continue showing 'big-time sport' Credit: Getty Lynam, 82, is concerned the channel could soon be priced out of TV rights deals for major sporting events by companies like Sky and TNT. He has boldly encouraged the BBC to ditch their free-to-air tradition and create a new platform behind a paywall. Lynam wrote in his column for "The only way to compete is to find the money to do so. "Unless the BBC is content to cover only minor sports they will have to get out into the marketplace. "To do this, the kind of money involved means the funding must come from a source other than the licence fee and that means pay-per-view. "If there is someone at the corporation who agrees with me and has the courage to fight for that cause I mentioned, get ready to summon up the blood, disguise fair nature and prepare for the incoming rage." The BBC's current Wimbledon deal expires in 2027 and the channel reportedly Most read in Sport CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS They currently pay £60million per year to the All England Club for the rights to broadcast the action. But that price is set to rise with interest strong from both Sky and TNT Sports. However, the BBC view Wimbledon as one of the most important in the calendar and they are determined to keep it. It has been labelled as a Category A 'crown jewel' event by chiefs.
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Ex-Match of the Day host calls for BBC to create controversial new channel or risk losing events like Wimbledon
The BBC's Wimbledon deal soon expires and there is interest from other channels TURN OVER Ex-Match of the Day host calls for BBC to create controversial new channel or risk losing events like Wimbledon Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) LEGENDARY host Des Lynam has called for the BBC to controversially create a pay-per-view channel. The former Match of the Day presenter was in the hotseat from 1988 to 1999 and he also covered the likes of Wimbledon and the Olympics for the Beeb. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 The BBC have been urged to make a pay-per-view channel Credit: Getty 2 Des Lynam believes the Beeb must move behind a paywall to continue showing 'big-time sport' Credit: Getty Lynam, 82, is concerned the channel could soon be priced out of TV rights deals for major sporting events by companies like Sky and TNT. He has boldly encouraged the BBC to ditch their free-to-air tradition and create a new platform behind a paywall. Lynam wrote in his column for The Telegraph: "If they are to compete as serious contenders for big-time sport, they will have to form a separate sports channel and that means pay-per-view. They have the brand. "The only way to compete is to find the money to do so. READ MORE IN SPORT COMMON KNOWLEDGE Major sporting event facing TV blackout for first time in 70 years "Unless the BBC is content to cover only minor sports they will have to get out into the marketplace. "To do this, the kind of money involved means the funding must come from a source other than the licence fee and that means pay-per-view. "If there is someone at the corporation who agrees with me and has the courage to fight for that cause I mentioned, get ready to summon up the blood, disguise fair nature and prepare for the incoming rage." The BBC's current Wimbledon deal expires in 2027 and the channel reportedly face a fight to extend their agreement. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS They currently pay £60million per year to the All England Club for the rights to broadcast the action. But that price is set to rise with interest strong from both Sky and TNT Sports. However, the BBC view Wimbledon as one of the most important in the calendar and they are determined to keep it. It has been labelled as a Category A 'crown jewel' event by chiefs.
The Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Ex-Match of the Day host calls for BBC to create controversial new channel or risk losing events like Wimbledon
LEGENDARY host Des Lynam has called for the BBC to controversially create a pay-per-view channel. The former Match of the Day presenter was in the hotseat from 1988 to 1999 and he also covered the likes of Wimbledon and the Olympics for the Beeb. 2 Lynam, 82, is concerned the channel could soon be priced out of TV rights deals for major sporting events by companies like Sky and TNT. He has boldly encouraged the BBC to ditch their free-to-air tradition and create a new platform behind a paywall. Lynam wrote in his column for The Telegraph: "If they are to compete as serious contenders for big-time sport, they will have to form a separate sports channel and that means pay-per-view. They have the brand. "The only way to compete is to find the money to do so. "Unless the BBC is content to cover only minor sports they will have to get out into the marketplace. "To do this, the kind of money involved means the funding must come from a source other than the licence fee and that means pay-per-view. "If there is someone at the corporation who agrees with me and has the courage to fight for that cause I mentioned, get ready to summon up the blood, disguise fair nature and prepare for the incoming rage." The BBC's current Wimbledon deal expires in 2027 and the channel reportedly face a fight to extend their agreement. They currently pay £60million per year to the All England Club for the rights to broadcast the action. But that price is set to rise with interest strong from both Sky and TNT Sports. However, the BBC view Wimbledon as one of the most important in the calendar and they are determined to keep it. It has been labelled as a Category A 'crown jewel' event by chiefs.
Daily Mirror
02-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
BBC face fight to keep showing Wimbledon as two rivals eye huge broadcast deal
The BBC have held the rights for Wimbledon since 1927, but the broadcaster could miss out when they come up for renewal after the 2027 tournament with TNT Sports and Sky Sports interested The BBC are reportedly facing a fight to keep the rights to broadcast Wimbledon beyond 2027. Wimbledon is a Category A event, designated as one of the "crown jewels of sport" by the government and must be available on free-to-air TV as a result. However, the 1996 Broadcasting Act does not state that events must be exclusively shown on terrestrial TV. For example, the Olympics is another Category A event but Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) now hold the broadcast rights after beating out the BBC following Rio 2016. WBD have agreed a sub-licence deal with the BBC, but the traditional home of the Olympics are limited to showing just two live events simultaneously. And according to a new report from City AM, something similar could happen with Wimbledon when the current broadcast deal expires after the 2027 tournament. Bidding for the 2028-2030 rights are due to take place later this year and the report states that both TNT Sports, who are owned by WBD, and Sky Sports are looking to add more tennis to their portfolios. TNT recently extended their deal to show the French Open for five more years, while they are also broadcasting daily highlights from this year's Wimbledon and will share live coverage of the men's and women's singles finals with the BBC. Sky, meanwhile, agreed five-year broadcast deals with both the ATP and WTA tours in 2023 and also have the rights to show the US Open. Although the BBC has broadcast Wimbledon since 1927, the report claims they will have to 'significantly increase its rights fee' in order to keep it. It is also noted that the BBC's Royal Charter is also set for renewal in 2027 and that could complicate things, with the charter forming the "constitutional basis for the BBC" and outlining its remit. Legendary BBC broadcaster Des Lynam recently discussed the future of the corporation's Wimbledon coverage in a column for the Telegraph, writing: "For the BBC, the quality of broadcasting takes on a special meaning. "The relationship between the Corporation and Wimbledon has been going on for almost 100 years but so many major live sports have been lost in recent years that there is always an element of concern that Wimbledon, which for the time being remains the jewel in the crown, might go the same way. "The bad news for any potential competitor is that the BBC has a contract with Wimbledon until 2027, which interestingly will be the centenary of the first radio broadcast from the All England Club. "It will be vitally important for the BBC to keep up their very high standards, otherwise in a couple of years the sport could fade away to the highest bidder as most of the other major sports seem to have done."
