UCI, Warner Bros Discovery partnership
June 13, 2022
The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has selected Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) to deliver a new vision for mountain biking. The UCI will harness WBD’s global scale and media platforms, as well as collaborate with two of the company’s specialist organisations. This will see Discovery Sports Events join forces with the Enduro Sports Organisation (ESO Sports) to deliver the organisation, media production and broadcast, promotion and commercialisation of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup.
Discovery Sports Events, the global promoter, will extend its relationship with the UCI to help promote the sport in support of further growing its global audience. ESO Sports, the owner and operator of the Enduro World Series and in whom WBD recently invested, will drive the project to globally unify mountain biking and elevate it to new levels, in collaboration with the UCI.
David Lappartient, UCI President, said: “I am elated by our partnership with Warner Bros Discovery, which will take our UCI Mountain Bike World Cup to the next level. Discovery Sports Events has already worked wonders with track cycling – thanks to the innovative UCI Track Champions League – and I know that the exciting discipline of mountain bike will also benefit from their expertise, their in-depth understanding of the expectations of athletes and fans, and the increased exposure that this partnership will bring. Mountain bike will get the impetus it deserves as we work together for the future of this vast and varied discipline.”
Andrew Georgiou, President and Managing Director, Warner Bros Discovery Sports Europe, said: “Extending our relationship with the UCI to support the next phase of development and growth for mountain biking fits Warner Bros Discovery’s expertise and ambitions perfectly. We will bring the scale of our global broadcast, streaming and online platforms to engage millions of people with the sport, as well as the capabilities of Discovery Sports Events and ESO Sports. Together they have the expertise and tools to develop the sport, alongside the understanding of the intricacies and existing strengths of mountain biking that are essential to best support the mountain bike community and grow the sport.”
WBD’s cycling portfolio of content – across Eurosport, GCN+, GCN, EMBN, GMBN, discovery+ and more – already features more than 200 professional events across road, track, BMX, cyclo-cross, mountain bike, as well as all Olympic cycling disciplines.
Discovery Sports Events also partnered with the UCI as the founding global promoter who devised and delivered the UCI Track Champions League which launched in 2021.
The agreement concludes a period of exclusive negotiations and follows an extensive competitive tender. Further details around the 2023 season and calendar will be announced in due course.