SPORTS fans have been forced to wave goodbye to cycling streaming app GCN+ amid the Warner Bros and Discovery merger.
The production houses closed the deal to combine their content under one brand name, WBD, in April last year.
AlamyIt’s safe to say fans are gutted, having flocked to social media to share their woes[/caption]
Now, fans of GCN+, which provides live race coverage, have been told that the platform is closing after just two years.
The app will close after 19 December, when users are advised to delete it.
Beyond 19 December, the GCN website will continue to have resources for cycling fans.
Users wanting to access extra cycling content will have to move to Discovery+ and Eurosport in the UK and Ireland.
It comes 12months after the axing of Golf TV, when golfing content also moved to Discovery+ and Eurosport.
“This decision comes from our parent company Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) and is driven by its global strategy to consolidate its streaming services,” GCN said in a statement to fans.
The company noted WBD’s effort to dilute its pool of platforms and offer content in fewer places to make “it easier for customers to access and discover more content”.
“In Europe, GCN+ subscribers will now have the option to subscribe to access Discovery+, Eurosport or Eurosport Extra, where you can continue to watch live cycling. In markets outside of Europe, WBD is reviewing how content is delivered to its fans,” GCN added.
For those who have paid for subscriptions, GCN said it will issue refunds for any remaining time left on the membership.
It’s safe to say fans are gutted, having flocked to social media to share their woes.
“Woah, GCN+ is ending?!? Literally the one trustworthy and reasonably priced thing in professional cycling…gone,” said one fan on X (formerly Twitter).
Another wrote: “GCN is quite certainly the best bike racing content platform of all time.
“Always good to remember that 90+ per cent of all media consolidation sucks for consumers.”
GCN has posted further answers to questions raised by customers on a dedicated support page.