BT Sport to broadcast Henley Royal Regatta live for the first time

BT Sport UK has secured rights to broadcast Henley Royal Regatta live for the first time this year as the event capitalises upon the success of the 2015 broadcast project. Live BT Sport coverage takes place Wednesday 29 June, Thursday 30 and Friday 1 July, with the full day’s racing shown live on Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 July. Coverage of the event on BT Sport will be a valuable update to the Regatta’s YouTube coverage, which streams the whole event live around the world.

In 2016, the Regatta has received a record high 629 entrants, with crews entered from Singapore, China, New Zealand, Canada and the USA amongst others. The Dutch Olympic men’s squad has also sent a contingent to Henley, including their men’s eight who were winners of the World Cup Regatta in Lucerne earlier this month.

Sir Steve Redgrave, Chairman of Henley Royal Regatta, said: “It’s a fantastic opportunity for us to continue to widen our reach and improve the coverage of the best-known regatta in the world. Along with Sunset+Vine, our production partner, we are proud of what we achieved in our first year of broadcasting the Regatta on YouTube, using innovations like drone footage.”

Simon Green, Head of BT Sport said, “We’re delighted to welcome the Henley Royal Regatta to BT Sport in its record breaking year and we are looking forward to bringing the excitement of the regatta to our viewers for the first time.”

Andrew Preece, Sunset+Vine’s Executive Producer on Henley Royal Regatta, commented: “This is the second year of our production partnership with Henley Royal Regatta. To have secured a live broadcaster of BT Sport’s stature, so quickly in our association, is great news. BT Sport’s commitment to broadcast the entire five-day regatta can only help to further the reputation of this prestigious event to a domestic audience known to embrace rowing when it is available to watch.

“Our production teams will further enhance the viewing experience with a number of coverage innovations that will also appear in the World Feed we are producing. In Michael Cole, Jonathan Edwards [World Feed] and James Hopkins and Rob Levi [BT Sport], we have four of the country’s best leading the coverage. We are also pleased that Mark Durden-Smith will anchor the BT Sport coverage.”