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===Radio sports rights===
BBC Sport had monopolised the [[sports commentary]] market on British radio since the BBC's conception but since 2000, has lost coverage of some sporting events to competitors including [[TalkSPORT]]. The majority of BBC Sport's radio coverage is broadcast on [[BBC Radio 5 Live]] and [[BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra]] however coverage is also broadcast on [[BBC Radio 4]]'s [[longwave]] frequencies, [[BBC Local Radio]] and the [[BBC World Service]]. Highlights are also reported on the [[BBC Radio 1]] and [[BBC Radio 2]] news bulletins. Although cricket is not covered on television, the sport is fully covered by the BBC on its radio platforms, primarily BBC Radio 5 Live, 5 Live Sports Extra but also on Local Radio and BBC Radio 4 Longwave. This commentary is repeated and expanded on the BBC Sports website and on the [[BBC Red Button]], overlaid with live scorecards. While television coverage of the [[2012 Summer Paralympics|London 2012 Paralympic Games]] was held by [[Channel 4]],<ref>{{cite web|title=How to watch the Paralympics|url=http://paralympics.channel4.com/whats-on/index.html|publisher=Channel 4|access-date=27 August 2012}}</ref> the BBC retained the radio rights to the event and plans to broadcast events on radio stations [[BBC Radio 5 Live]] and [[BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra]].<ref>{{cite web|title=BBC Paralympic coverage details|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/disability-sport/19118962|work=BBC Sport|access-date=27 August 2012}}</ref>
==Previous coverage==
===Horse racing===
Horse racing coverage on the BBC had declined in recent years and finished altogether at the end of 2012 when Channel 4 won the rights to the Grand National, Royal Ascot and the Epsom Derby.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/mar/19/channel-4-derby-grand-national-royal-ascot|title=Channel 4 confirms takeover of Derby, Grand National and Royal Ascot|author=Greg Wood|work=the Guardian}}</ref> The BBC had lost many tracks over the years such as the [[Cheltenham Festival]] and other [[Cheltenham Racecourse|Cheltenham]] meetings went to Channel 4 in 1995, meetings from [[Newbury Racecourse|Newbury]] moved to Channel 4 in 2002 and after 50 years [[Glorious Goodwood]] and other [[Goodwood Racecourse|Goodwood]] meetings were lost to Channel 4 in 2007. Also, in 2007 the [[Irish Derby]], which had been included in ''Grandstand'' and later ''[[Sunday Grandstand]]'' for decades, was only shown on ''[[At the Races]]''.
The [[Grand National]] used to be one of the biggest attractions on ''Grandstand'' with audiences around or often in excess of 10 million for the race on a Saturday afternoon. Coverage of other events such as [[Royal Ascot]] and [[Epsom Derby|The Derby]] were also broadcast. The Derby was won back after many years in 2001, when the BBC also gained rights to [[Epsom Oaks|The Oaks]], which had only ever previously been shown by [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] and [[Channel 4]] (until 2001, the commercial broadcasters had always held the [[Epsom Downs Racecourse|Epsom]] contract, but from 1960 to 1974, in 1977 and in 1979 the BBC had shown the Derby simultaneously with ITV, because it was a protected event which could not be exclusive to either channel).
The most famous BBC TV racing broadcaster was [[Peter O'Sullevan]], who became one of the first ever TV sports commentators in the immediate post-war years and stayed with the BBC until 1997. [[Julian Wilson (commentator)|Julian Wilson]] had presented the BBC's horse racing coverage from 1966 to 1997. [[Clare Balding]] took over presenting duties following Wilson's retirement.
===Cricket===
Prior to 1999, the BBC had shown live cricket coverage for many decades. Coverage had been fronted by [[Peter West]] and later by [[Tony Lewis]]. [[Richie Benaud]] was a commentator for the BBC for more than 30 years. In 1999, the BBC lost coverage of England home matches to Channel 4. One of BBC Sport's major criticisms is that it no longer shows any live cricket games. The BBC was also criticised for subsequently not bidding for the rights to show home [[Test cricket|Test matches]]. Due to this the popularity of cricket in UK (primarily England) has fallen sharply since cricket left terrestrial television in 2005 since being broadcast on [[Sky Sports]].
The BBC broadcast highlights of the 2007 [[ICC Cricket World Cup]], [[2009 ICC World Twenty20]] and the [[2011 ICC Cricket World Cup]]. These were hosted by Sonali Shah, Rishi Persad and Manish Bhasin. They also had highlights of the 2006–07 Ashes Series with Manish Bhasin. The BBC take the world feed for these tournaments which all broadcasters take including Sky Sports and this comprises commentators from broadcasters all over the world, examples of which are Nasser Hussain, Michael Atherton and David Lloyd from Sky Sports as well as Mark Nicholas and Michael Vaughan from Channel 5 / Channel 9. The BBC is again broadcasting some live international cricket matches in 2020.<ref>{{Cite news|last=John|first=Emma|date=2020-08-29|title=Cricket coming home? Live return to BBC TV will not be like the 90s {{!}} Emma John|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2020/aug/29/cricket-bbc-tv-england-pakistan-t20|access-date=2020-09-08|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
===Motorsport===
The BBC covered the [[World Rally Championship]] until 2001, when Channel 4 bought the rights. WRC is now shown on ITV4. The BBC gave up the rights to the [[British Touring Car Championship]] at the end of 2001, with the rights eventually being picked up by ITV.
====Formula One====
The BBC covered [[Formula One]] from 1978 until 1996 and from 2009 to 2015. The BBC provided live coverage of all races from 1995 to 1996 and again from 2009 to 2011, but from 2012 to 2015 the BBC showed 10 races live each season and highlights of all the races including the ones shown live. The BBC always showed the [[British Grand Prix]] and the final race live. Coverage was presented by [[Jake Humphrey]] from 2009 to 2012 and [[Suzi Perry]] from 2013 to 2015, with [[David Coulthard]], [[Eddie Jordan]] and [[Allan McNish]] providing analysis during the races. [[Lee McKenzie]] and Tom Clarkson acted as pitlane reporters. The main commentators were [[Jonathan Legard]] in 2009 and 2010, [[Martin Brundle]] in 2011 and [[Ben Edwards (commentator)|Ben Edwards]] from 2012 to 2015. Brundle acted as co-commentator in 2009 and 2010 and David Coulthard from 2011 to 2015. James Allen, Allan McNish and Jack Nicholls provide radio coverage with [[Jennie Gow]] as pit reporter though they also appeared on BBC TV. McKenzie presented ''Inside F1'' for [[BBC News]]. [[Murray Walker]] continues to contribute to coverage across the BBC as he has done for over sixty years and triple world champion and Mercedes driver [[Lewis Hamilton]] has a blog on BBC's website.
====Motorcycling====
BBC Sport had coverage of the British and World Superbikes for a few years—often showing the World Championship version live.
It lost the BSB rights to Premium TV at the end of 2001. Premium TV did not have a channel of its own, so sub-leased the rights first to the [[ITV Sport Channel]], then British Eurosport. After acquiring the rights to the MotoGP World Championship in 2003 coverage of the World Superbikes was dropped.
In 2003, the BBC won the rights to the [[MotoGP|MotoGP World Championship]]. After a successful first season fronted by [[Suzi Perry]], coverage was expanded with more live races and the contract was extended to the end of the 2013 season. The BBC showed all [[Grand Prix motorcycle racing|MotoGP]] races, with all qualifying sessions live via the BBC Red Button. From the 2009 season, more coverage became available on qualifying and race days again through the use of the Red Button service.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/sporteditors/2009/01/it_always_feels_like_a.html MotoGP 2009 on the BBC] BBC Sport Editor's Blog</ref> [[Jennie Gow]] replaced Perry for 2010,<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/157798/1/jennie_gow_replaces_suzi_perry_in_bbc_line-up.html | title = Jennie Gow replaces Suzi Perry in BBC line-up | work = Crash.Net | date = 17 March 2010 | access-date = 17 March 2010 | publisher = Crash Media Group| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100322201005/http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/157798/1/jennie_gow_replaces_suzi_perry_in_bbc_line-up.html| archive-date= 22 March 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref> but from 2011 former pitlane reporter [[Matt Roberts]] became host, alongside the original and unchanged commentary team of [[Charlie Cox (racing)|Charlie Cox]] and [[Steve Parrish]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/motorbikes/9391555.stm|title=Matt Roberts will front MotoGP on BBC television|work=BBC Sport|date=8 February 2011|access-date=8 February 2011| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110210101309/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/motorbikes/9391555.stm| archive-date= 10 February 2011 | url-status= live}}</ref> Azi Farni replaced Roberts as pitlane reporter. From 2013, Qualifying moved from BBC Red Button to BBC Two. In May 2013, it was announced that the rights to MotoGP coverage had been awarded to [[BT Sport]], in a five-year deal starting in 2014.<ref>{{cite news|title=MotoGP: BT Sport secures TV rights from 2014 in five-year deal|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/motogp/22464311|access-date=18 July 2013|date=9 May 2013}}</ref> None of the BBC Team were recruited by BT Sport for the 2014 season.
However BBC Sport still gives comprehensive coverage of the [[List of motorsport championships#Road racing|Irish Road Racing Championship]], the [[North West 200|International North West 200]] and the [[Ulster Grand Prix]] together with other Road Racing meetings within [[Ireland]] together with the [[Southern 100|Southern 100 Motorcycle Races]] on the [[Isle of Man]]. These programmes are produced by BBC Northern Ireland.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/northern-ireland/motorbikes/|title=Motorbikes|work=BBC Sport}}</ref>
===Paralympic Games===
The BBC had shown full coverage of the Paralympics since the 1980s with the amount of coverage increasing in the 2000s to include some live coverage of the [[2008 Paralympic Games]]. The BBC lost the TV rights to the [[2012 Paralympic Games]] to Channel 4 after they made a £10 million bid - the deal was later extended until the [[2016 Paralympic Games|2016 Games]] then 2020.
===Darts===
The BBC covered the [[BDO World Championships]] from its inception in 1978 until 2016. In February 2016, it was announced that the BBC would cover the inaugural [[Professional Darts Corporation]]-sanctioned [[Champions League of Darts]] and as a consequence, its 38-year association with the [[British Darts Organisation]] came to an end. The BBC also covered the BDO Winmau World Masters from 2001 to 2010 but this coverage was lost to ESPN.
=== Tennis ===
The BBC has a joint deal with Eurosport to show all of Britain's Davis Cup matches for three years to 2017, with coverage predominately broadcast on BBC Two and the Red Button but after the [[International Tennis Federation|ITF]] launch the new Davis Cup format in 2019, the BBC lost the FTA rights to Eurosport.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eurosport.com/tennis/davis-cup/2019/davis-cup-2019-news-eurosport-to-show-revamped-finals-event_sto7521470/story.shtml|title=Davis Cup 2019 news - Eurosport to Show Revamped Finals event.|date=4 November 2019|website=[[Eurosport]]|access-date=12 February 2020}}</ref> The BBC had held these rights since the late 1990s.
==List of sporting rights held==
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