Premium sports broadcasting: boosting sport or driving piracy?
Associate Charlie Edwards comments on the rise of illegal streaming in cycling, the increasing profitability of sports broadcasting rights, and the potential negative impact of paywalls on viewership and the sport’s growth, in Cycling News.
On how cycling compares to other sports, Charlie commented, "Women’s football just saw a newly signed deal for the Women's World Cup in 2027, which will be free-to-air on the BBC and ITV.
"Women’s football is a great example of a rapidly growing sport, and implementing paywalls at this stage could negatively impact that growth."
Discussing changing viewer habits, Charlie commented, "We could see broadcasters developing their services so it's more interactive, more personalised and more akin to the streaming platform.
"There’s also the potential for a cross-pollination of industries, as we’ve seen in LIV Golf, where music licences have allowed them to play music on the course and interact and engage fans in different ways."
"TV rights in sport are becoming more and more lucrative."
Charlie's comments were published in Cycling News, 1 September 2025, and can be found here.
