BBC awarded TV rights for 2018 Commonwealth Games

It was announced on Commonwealth Day (14 March 2016) that the BBC has been awarded the UK broadcast rights for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. It will be the 17^th consecutive Commonwealth Games to be covered by the UK’s public broadcaster as the BBC continues to develop its long established relationship at the heart of Commonwealth sport.

The live sporting action will take place 9 hours ahead of the UK, with the BBC promising no less than 180 hours of comprehensive through the night coverage, supported by daytime replay and peak time evening highlights across BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Sport website, iPlayer and national and local radio.

Team England sports fans who enjoyed 170 hours of innovative and immersive network coverage for the table topping Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, with a cumulative broadcast reach of 35m UK viewers, now have the opportunity to continue to support England's athletes across 18 sports – including the newly-added discipline of Beach Volleyball - at the next edition of the Commonwealth Games, taking place from 4 to 15 April 2018 on Australia’s Gold Coast.

David Grevemberg CBE, Commonwealth Games Federation Chief Executive, said:

“I can’t think of a more fitting day than Commonwealth Day to announce that our longstanding broadcast partner, the BBC, has secured our rights for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.

“The BBC has a proud and prolific Commonwealth sporting history, and following their inclusive, innovative and extensive free-to-air coverage from Glasgow 2014, I have no doubt that UK sports fans will be transported “down under” for an inspiring and memorable Games experience in two years’ time.”

Barbara Slater, BBC’s Director of Sport, said:

“We’re delighted to be continuing our relationship with the Commonwealth Games, an event we have covered for over sixty years. The Games never fail to deliver those moments that unite the nation and we’re delighted that we’ll be there to bring all of the action - free to air – to audiences across all of our platforms’.

Mark Peters, Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Chief Executive, said:

“We are delighted that the BBC is continuing its long association with the Commonwealth Games. GOLDOC looks forward to closely working with their talented team to share the sporting achievements and spectacle of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games with UK viewers across BBC's many broadcast platforms.”

The announcement follows confirmation that the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games will feature the largest para-sport competition in Commonwealth sporting history, with 300 para-athletes and 38 medal events across 7 sports.

This latest agreement joins the existing broadcast deals across Asia, Australia, New

Zealand and the United States for Gold Coast 2018, Australia’s first Commonwealth Games since the hugely successful 2006 Games in Melbourne.

A key part of the governing body’s strategic objectives, the Commonwealth Games Federation will retain, coordinate and sell all broadcast rights for the 2018 Games and beyond as part of a new commercial approach outlined in Transformation 2022, the Federation’s ambitious plan which sets out the vision, mission and strategic priorities of the Commonwealth Sports Movement.