London Marathon Events, the organizer of the iconic annual race, has extended its domestic broadcast partnership with public service broadcaster the BBC.
The extension will carry the partnership through the 2030 edition, with the event remaining free-to-air across all BBC platforms, including the BBC linear TV networks, the iPlayer OTT streaming service, the BBC Sounds online audio platform, and the 5 Live radio station, as well as the BBC Sport digital and social media platforms.
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Through the partnership, BBC will also broadcast other races operated by London Marathon Events, including The Big Half, the Vitality London 10,000, and the Vitality Westminster Mile.
Commenting on the deal, GlobalData Sport data researcher Will Padmore said: “Unlike other sporting events, the London Marathon does not rely on broadcasting revenue for survival, and therefore the unparalleled reach that the BBC can offer suits the London Marathon's needs perfectly.
“The London Marathon, like the other Marathon Majors, has a focus on participation and charity above pure commercial profit,” he continues, adding that the broadcast of a major charitable event also falls in line with the BBC’s public service requirement.
BBC has broadcast the London Marathon, known as the TCS London Marathon, courtesy of a sponsorship deal with the titular consultancy firm, since its inception in 1981.
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By GlobalDataThe 2025 London Marathon will take place on April 27, with the likes of Shockz and GetPro also serving as sponsors, with London Marathon Events chief executive Hugh Brasher commenting at a press panel attended by Sportcal that the event had sold out its sponsorship inventory for 2025.
Brasher added: “I believe that the reason we are ranked number one (among marathon events for brand strength) is the strength of our [broadcast partnership], the storytelling that [the BBC] does, the amplification [of our brand], and the social purpose we have that’s part of the BBC charter.
“Every race has differences, and that [BBC] partnership for us is sacrosanct and it's about getting as wide [distribution reach] as we can, and at the time of the London Marathon, 40% of TV viewers in the UK will be watching the marathon.”
This may yet change, and at the panel, New York Marathon race director Ted Metellus also commented on the fact that the most prominent marathon events under the World Marathon Majors series (which includes both London and New York) do not generate much broadcast revenue, but see opportunity in the space.
He remarked that the potential in the broadcast sector for marathons, given the massive interest in the events, is high, and that after sponsorship revenue (which is high for both races), broadcast is the “next step” that the race collective will seek to maximize.
World Marathon Majors chief executive Dawna Stone concurred, adding on the media rights outlook: “We’re missing the boat here on some things, and so it’s been a big topic of discussion of what can we do more on the international rights [side].
“A lot of us have great domestic partners, but what can we do on international media and how can we tell the stories because we’re not just one marathon, we’re a series.”
