GCN+'s documentaries are set to be publicly available again, but there is no chance of live racing returning, it was announced on Tuesday. Last week it was announced that GCN, and its parent company Play Sports Group,
had been sold by Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) back to its original owner, Simon Wear, and its CEO, Mia Walter.
A press release at the time said that Play Sports Network "will continue to operate its cycling brands delivering digital content across YouTube, its websites and other social platforms". However, it was quickly clear that the website would not be continuing in its current form. The site has not been updated since last week, and the decision to close it is apparently a financial one which came out of the blue.
The news was announced in the GCN show, presented by
Daniel Lloyd and Simon Richardson, two of the mainstays at the brand.
"We know that many of you are still mourning the loss of the GCN+ films and documentaries that we made. In the very near future, they will be coming. The reason why is even more exciting than that," Richardson said.
Lloyd continued: "GCN, and our sister channels across the world and the MTB and triathlon channels, are now independent once again... With our regained independence, we are liberated to get back to basics. Get creative, have fun, and explore other avenues." However, he added: "The GCN website is closing, which we are really sad about, especially because it was really bloody good."
"The web team did an amazing job, quickly turning it into one of the biggest cycling websites," Richardson added. "It’s a blow to lose the website, but it’s a bigger blow to lose some incredibly passionate colleagues."
