WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY TIES UP LOUIS VUITTON 37th AMERICA’S CUP RIGHTS IN EUROPE

Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) and the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup today announce a new broadcast partnership that will bring live sailing coverage from the world’s oldest sporting competition to viewers across Europe.

WBD will leverage the full scale of its linear, streaming and digital platforms to bring the race to millions of viewers around the world to help sailing reach new audiences. This includes live streaming coverage of every America’s Cup race on discovery+ in the UK and Ireland as well as live race content on TNT Sports channels.

A highlights programme will also be broadcast on race days across 50 markets in Europe on Eurosport, Max and discovery+ with live free-to-air coverage also being shown on Three for viewers in New Zealand as previously announced.

Trojan Paillot, SVP Sports Rights Acquisitions and Syndications at Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe, said: “No other broadcaster can match Warner Bros. Discovery’s global distribution, scale and reach and by partnering with the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup to guarantee race coverage on our channels and platforms, we know we can help bring the sport to new audiences.

“Our new collaboration underlines our continued investment in sailing to develop a compelling content proposition that serves passionate fans while helping attract new viewers to the sport. With an exciting sailing offer now available alongside the most diverse sports and entertainment portfolio anywhere in one place, we are maximising the opportunities to expand the storytelling of the sport and its athletes.”

Grant Dalton, CEO of America’s Cup Events, said: "From now until October, we will be working with broadcasters in over 200 territories, the widest distribution ever for an America's Cup.  We are delighted with this partnership with Warner Bros Discovery that will bring the live coverage to viewers in the UK and Ireland and highlights across Europe for Eurosport, Max and discovery+. As our free-to-air broadcast partner in New Zealand, WBD will play a crucial role in helping us bring the stories of the 37th America's Cup to viewers around the world."

The two months of racing from the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup begins on 22 August with the preliminary regatta from Barcelona with all six teams taking part. This precedes the Louis Vuitton Cup challenger selection series which will determine the team the defending champions, Emirates Team New Zealand, will then face off against on 12 October in a first to seven points contest in one of the most eagerly anticipated Cup Matches in years.

The full schedule of events on WBD’s channels and platforms features:

• Preliminary Regatta: 22-25 August
• Louis Vuitton Cup Round Robins: 29 August - 8 September
• Louis Vuitton Cup Semi Finals: 14-19 September
• UniCredit Youth America’s Cup: 17-26 September
• Louis Vuitton Cup Finals: 26 September - 5 October
• Puig Women’s America’s Cup: 5-13 October
• Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match: 12-21 October

WBD is committed to providing sailing fans with the world’s biggest races and in 2024 it was the only broadcaster in Europe to show every minute of sailing at the Olympic Games Paris 2024. In 2023, WBD broadcast every leg of The Ocean Race in its role as host broadcaster, content creator and news distribution partner of one of the toughest tests in team sports. In tandem, it also produced and launched a three-part original docuseries A Voyage of Discovery: The Ocean Race which storied the gruelling six-month round-the-world journey and the athletes taking part to help raise greater awareness of world-class competitive sailing.