The Boat Race Announces Times Radio Partnership in Major Broadcasting Overhaul
The Boat Race has confirmed a significant new broadcasting partnership with Times Radio, marking another major shift in coverage arrangements ahead of the 2026 varsity showdown. This announcement follows the earlier revelation that Channel 4 had secured television rights from the BBC, creating a comprehensive broadcasting transformation for the historic event.
Three-Year Radio Deal Confirmed
Organizers have established a three-year agreement with Times Radio that commences with this year's event. The radio station will broadcast live from The Boat Race on Saturday, April 4, with presenter Jane Mulkerrins hosting a special edition of her Saturday afternoon programme directly from the riverside in Putney between 1-4 pm.
This partnership represents a substantial departure from the BBC's long-standing involvement with the event. The BBC first broadcast The Boat Race on radio in 1927 and on television in 1938, maintaining near-continuous coverage aside from a brief period between 2005 and 2009 when ITV held the rights.
Modernization Efforts and Strategic Partnerships
The move forms part of broader efforts to modernize The Boat Race and maintain engagement with rowing enthusiasts, 187 years after the inaugural event. Siobhan Cassidy, Chair of The Boat Race Company, emphasized the alignment of values between the event and its new radio partner.
"We're delighted to announce Times Radio as our new radio partner on a multi-year deal commencing with this year's Boat Race on Saturday 4 April," Cassidy stated. "The Boat Race prides itself on heritage, tradition, precision and quality and these are values shared by the Times Radio team and their listeners, to whom we are incredibly excited to deliver live coverage and supporting content of this year's and future events."
Competitive Landscape and Crew Preparations
The broadcasting news arrives as Oxford seeks to end Cambridge's recent dominance in the competition. Cambridge has claimed victory in six of the last seven Men's Races, with their margin of victory expanding each year since 2023. Meanwhile, Oxford's women have not secured a win since 2016.
Mulkerrins' broadcast will feature "a line-up of rowing royalty and local celebrity guests" as anticipation builds for the 2026 clash. Oxford and Cambridge are scheduled to unveil their official crews at Somerset House on Thursday, following earlier indications provided at the Trial VIIIs event last year.
Internal Competition and Squad Depth
Rower Simon Nunayon, who participated in Cambridge's successful Trial VIIIs performance, highlighted the intense internal competition within squads. "One of the things I love about Trial VIIIs, you know every single guy in that crew, their habits and how good they are," he explained. "Walking into that, we knew it would be a tough race. We thought we had a great chance at winning, there's always tactics at play in The Boat Race, but there was never a moment when we thought we couldn't win."
Nunayon emphasized that squad depth remains exceptionally high this year, noting that "either trial VIII could be a Blue Boat and every man who raced today knows they have a chance to be in that boat on race day." He added that the painful experience of previous losses has created valuable lessons for current competitors.
The broadcasting changes represent the most significant overhaul in decades for The Boat Race, combining Channel 4's television coverage with Times Radio's audio broadcast to create a fresh presentation approach for the historic varsity rivalry.
