BT Sport to rebrand as TNT Sports from July 2023

BT Sport will be known as TNT Sports across the UK and Ireland from July 2023.

This is part of a move from the joint venture formed between Warner Bros. Discovery and BT to eventually unify their BT Sport and Eurosport offerings. For now, Eurosport will continue to be known by its current brand in the UK and Ireland, with its change to TNT Sports expected to come after the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. 

Eurosport’s brand will not change outside of the UK and Ireland at any point.

Before July 2023, BT Sport customers will continue to access content in the same way that they do now. After that, discovery+ will become the streaming destination for what will then be called TNT Sports, while linear channels will stay in the same places with the new brand.

BT Sport subscribers already have complimentary access to discovery+, which includes Eurosport’s streaming offer and entertainment programming. Some features that the BT Sport app has, but discovery+ does not, are expected to move over with the content - inlcuding the “Timeline” highlights innovation, that allows viewers to look back on the main moments of a live event if they join it late. 

The TNT Sports name is already in use by Warner Bros. Discovery across the US, where it has the rights to NBA, NHL and NCAA, and Latin America, where it airs top level European and domestic football. It will have its own dedicated brand for the UK and Ireland, separate from these offerings.

Andrew Georgiou, board member of the joint venture and president and managing director, Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe, said: “Today is another important step towards the launch of a simpler and even more compelling offering for sports fans in the U.K & Ireland. The TNT Sports name is already synonymous with premium live sport in a number of countries around the world and a further sign of the global scale and expertise that Warner Bros. Discovery brings to its partnership with BT.

“While Warner Bros. Discovery is excited to contribute its global scale and capabilities, together with its growing portfolio of premium entertainment, we are also determined to ensure we don’t compromise on the inimitable, local style that is at the heart of the way BT Sport has connected with fans over the past decade. Remaining authentically local will remain key to our success.”

Marc Allera, CEO of BT consumer division and chairman of the joint venture with Warner Brothers Discovery, said: “We’re delighted with the progress being made on the joint venture. This change marks the next logical step for BT Sport as well as the broader transformation of our Consumer business. Once launched this will become a hugely exciting new premium sports offering for customers in the UK and Ireland.”

Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that there will not be as many jobs available in the joint venture as there currently are at BT Sport. Over 200 former BT Sport staff were put at risk of redundancy last month after moving across to the joint venture, and its Stratford studio is set to close when the lease ends later this year. BT Sport staff will be given priority for new positions at the joint venture, and an enhanced redundancy plan has been negotiated by union Prospect for those who do not make the move to Warner Bros. Discovery’s west London facilities.