Public-service broadcaster France Télévisions has agreed a five-year extension to its rights deal for the Tour de France as part of a fresh agreement with event promoter Amaury Sport Organisation that will result in enhanced coverage of the cycling ‘Grand Tour’.
France Télévisions agreed a similar five-year extension, running from 2016 to 2020, in April 2013 and has now extended that commitment through to 2025.
Under the agreement, France Télévisions will continue to show the Tour de France as well as the Paris-Nice, Critérium international, Paris-Roubaix, Flèche Wallonne, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Critérium du Dauphiné and Paris-Tours cycling events, which are also operated by ASO.
The deal also includes rights to the Dakar Rally motor-racing event and the Paris Marathon, which are also organised by ASO. In total, these events accounted for more than 180 hours of broadcast this year on France Télévisions channels.
The new contract was unveiled today (Tuesday) as ASO detailed the route for the 2017 Tour de France, which will run from July 1-23.
France Télévisions also confirmed the implementation in 2017 of a production and broadcast platform that will cover all stages of the Tour de France in full, as well as the Paris-Roubaix race. France Télévisions added that it will additionally, in partnership with ASO, provide enhanced coverage via its digital platforms.