Discovery Sports to regroup all its sports content brands

Eurosport, Global Cycling Network (GCN), Global Mountain Bike Network (GMBN), Golf Digest Und GolfTv powered by PGA Tour, as well as all sports on Discovery+ and Discovery’s free-to-air networks, will now be managed under the Discovery Sports brand.

Already collaborating on all aspects of content production, distribution and commercial activity, Discovery’s combined sports portfolio offers rights holders and brand partners the opportunity to reach an audience of more than 130 million people each month across all platforms – free-to-air, pay-TV, streaming and online.

The change provides an external corporate identity that embodies Discovery’s unique sports proposition. It highlights Discovery’s combined strength in sports media, encompassing the scale of the growing Discovery+, its new streaming service, and its extensive free-to-air networks in Europe; the breadth of sports offerings across Eurosport in more than 75 markets and 230 million homes; the depth of international superfan services with Global Cycling Network (GCN), Global Mountain Bike Network (GMBN), Golf Digest and GolfTv, as well as completing a 360 offering with its event management and promotion arm, Eurosport Events.

While each of Discovery’s consumer-facing sports brands will continue to present and operate as usual, Discovery Sports will support collaboration within all areas of the combined sports business that Discovery brings to market.

Leadership changes

Andrew Georgiou will lead Discovery’s entire portfolio of sports brands and businesses reporting to Discovery International CEO Jean-Briac Perrette. Until now he already oversaw global sports rights and marketing solutions for Eurosport and Discovery, as well as Play Sports Group – which includes Global Cycling Network (GCN) – and Eurosport Events.

Jean-Briac Perrette, CEO of Discovery International, says, ” We have an unparalleled multi-platform offering for rights holders and marketers that uniquely provides the broad reach of television with the targeting and interactive capabilities of digital. With two Olympic Games in quick succession and Eurosport’s live content now rolling out onto discovery+ in many international markets, there has never been a greater opportunity to leverage the scale and expertise of our sports offer.”

“As we organise all our sports business under Discovery Sports, I am hugely excited to have Andrew lead the charge for this consolidated group. His expertise, strategic vision and strong relationships have steered our sports business through last year’s challenging period for live sports, and set us on a course for further transformation and growth going forward,” acknowledged Perrette.

Discovery Sports: an extensive portfolio

Andrew Georgiou, president of Discovery Sports, acknowledges that “when taken together, Discovery’s portfolio of sports brands, channels and platforms is unrivalled for its ability to engage audiences however the viewer chooses to watch. From the scale of Discovery’s free-to-air networks, to the breadth of sports offering through Eurosport and the depth of super-fan engagement from GOLFTV, Golf Digest and GCN, taken together Discovery Sports serves passionate fans everywhere and brings limitless opportunities for our brand and rights-holder partners.”

“By collaborating as one global team, Discovery presents an unprecedented level of sports media expertise. We bring the only truly 360-degree offer, from platforms to promotion, that can truly grow an event, series or even an entire sport. Together we are able to unlock the power of sports with even greater impact, thanks to inspirational storytelling, best-in-class live coverage and sports journalism. This potential will only grow over the coming months as we increasingly bring our live sports content to discovery+ and the broad household audience it engages every day,” concludes Georgiou.