Five-year agreement with Athletic Ventures ensures broadcast continuity for UK Athletics events through 2029
BBC Sport has secured the long-term broadcast rights to major domestic athletics events in the UK in a new five-year agreement with Athletic Ventures, confirmed last Friday.
The deal, which runs until 2029, will see the BBC provide live and highlights coverage of key UK Athletics events across its TV, iPlayer and digital platforms. The rights package includes the London Athletics Meet, the UK Athletics Championships and the UK Athletics Indoor Championships.
The agreement marks one of the most significant commitments to athletics coverage from a UK broadcaster in recent years, particularly at a time when shorter rights cycles and platform fragmentation have become commonplace across the sports media landscape.
Jack Buckner, Chief Executive of UK Athletics, said the five-year term reflects a “long-term vision” for the sport and “the proven appetite for athletics in this country.” He added that the BBC “remains the gold standard in reach and coverage.”
Alex Kay-Jelski, Director of BBC Sport, said: “It’s fantastic that fans will be able to enjoy UK events like the amazing London Athletics Meet across our digital platforms and on free-to-air TV for another five years.”
The deal comes as broadcasters continue to re-evaluate the value of Olympic sports in the post-pandemic cycle, with some governing bodies turning to direct-to-consumer models or seeking hybrid arrangements across streaming and traditional platforms. By securing long-term free-to-air coverage, UK Athletics appears to have prioritised reach and visibility ahead of potential monetisation through subscription services or streaming-first partners.
For the BBC, the deal reinforces its summer sport portfolio as it prepares for potential shifts in other flagship rights, including Wimbledon, which is set to move to TNT Sports from 2028. With its continued coverage of the Olympic Games, World Athletics Championships and the London Marathon, the broadcaster now holds a comprehensive slate of athletics content in the lead-up to the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
Athletic Ventures, which manages the commercial and broadcast rights for UK Athletics events, has not disclosed any financial terms associated with the deal. However, the five-year duration suggests a level of confidence in the sport’s ability to retain audience engagement across both linear and digital channels.
As part of the agreement, BBC Sport will continue to offer multi-platform coverage, aligning with its strategy to cater to both traditional viewers and digital-first audiences. With athletes such as Keely Hodgkinson, Josh Kerr and Katarina Johnson-Thompson attracting growing interest, the BBC and UK Athletics will hope that consistency in exposure can help drive year-round fan engagement and sponsorship opportunities.
The deal also comes amid wider discussions around the future of free-to-air sport in the UK. While high-profile rights such as Premier League matches and major tennis finals have increasingly moved behind paywalls, athletics remains a rare example of a sport maintaining national reach via public service broadcasting.
Neither the BBC nor Athletic Ventures have confirmed whether the agreement includes any additional content provisions or digital innovations beyond standard matchday and highlight programming.
