TNT Sports pots World Snooker extension

TNT Sports has agreed an extension to its deal with World Snooker, meaning it will show its competitions until at least 2031. 

The World Championship, the Masters and the UK Championship will all be shown by the broadcaster on its linear channels, in addition to at least 16 tournaments held across five countries being available to stream on HBO Max. 

There will also be free highlights, behind-the-scenes video content and snooker news throughout the season on its web, app and social media platforms. 

This agreement comes shortly after TNT Sports and HBO Max parent company Warner Bros. Discovery extended its rights to show the World Snooker Tour in 50 markets across Europe until at least the 2030-2031 season. 

TNT Sports shares the rights to the three major tournaments, known as the the Triple Crown, with the BBC, which renewed its deal for them last year. 

Trojan Paillot, SVP, rights, syndication and commercial development at WBD Sports Europe, said: “Snooker has been a key part of our live multi-sport portfolio for many years. Extending our long-term partnership with the World Snooker Tour reinforces our commitment to providing fans with the most complete live snooker offer available through one subscription. From the first frame of the season to the deciding pot at the Crucible, we’re excited to cover more tournaments, more players and more stories throughout the season.

“With the launch of HBO Max in the UK completing our rollout across Europe, coupled with our rights covering every market across the continent, we have a unified approach to supporting the growth of the sport internationally while telling local stories. We know fans are already enjoying the viewing experience on HBO Max together with TNT Sports’ comprehensive coverage and we know this approach will support the growth of the game in the UK and internationally.”

Peter Wright, chief commercial officer for WST, said: “We have a long and successful partnership with WBD so its fantastic news for the fans and players that we are extending this relationship with live coverage on TNT Sports and HBO Max in the UK and Ireland until at least 2031. This ensures that many millions of fans have the opportunity to watch a wide range of our events in the UK with an outstanding broadcaster whose passion for snooker has run across decades. As snooker’s appeal continues to accelerate worldwide with growing audiences on all platforms, we are proud to be among the elite and most popular content on TNT Sports.”