GCN Sold
Warner Bros. Discovery today announced it has sold a majority stake in Play Sports Network (PSN), the parent company of Global Cycling Network (GCN), back to its founder Simon Wear and CEO Mia Walter. Warner Bros. Discovery retains a minority stake in Play Sports Network (PSN:GCN). The author understands that Warner Bros. discovery made a significant write-down (loss) on its investment – conversely Wear and Walter may have got a good deal.
Discovery first invested in Play Sports Network in 2017 and became a majority shareholder in 2019. 2 years later the company was acquired outright with a valuation of £70 million. The corporate unravelling first became apparent when the streaming service, GCN+ covered professional cycling closed at the end of 2023 with the rights it owned moving to Eurosport, Discovery+, and Max. A few months before that, it was reported that GCN was for sale.
What next?
GCN/Play Sports Network will continue to deliver digital content across YouTube. (Phew)
Warner Bros. Discovery will continue to offer live cycling coverage through Eurosport and other streaming services it owns.
EscapeCollective expects 20 redundancies.
Last Updated on 28 January 2026 by the5krunner
My favourite kit and nutrition
- Garmin Fenix 9 Pro — I’ve just bought one.
- Injinji – Runners protect your toes. Avoid discomfort and minor injury. Run more. Run faster. I use them.
- Garmin 90-degree charging adapter — A small keyring adapter you can use anywhere. Essential when away. I use one.
- Garmin charging puck — the fastest and most reliable way to top up your Garmin before a session. I use one.
- Ravemen FR300 — Front light that mounts directly under your Garmin or Wahoo head unit. Keeps your bars clean and your beam pointed where it matters. I use one.
- Body Glide – The blue anti-chafe stick that all swimmers and many runners use. I use it.
- Maurten — The race nutrition trusted by elite athletes. Gels and drink mixes engineered to be easy on the stomach. I use them.
- Garmin Varia RTL515 — A radar rear light that alerts you to vehicles approaching from behind. Pairs with your Edge or Wahoo. I use this model.
- Favero Assioma Pro RS2 — The power-meter pedals most serious cyclists choose. Accurate, easy to move between bikes. I use this model.
- Garmin Forerunner 970 — A serious choice for a pro-grade triathlon watch. I use this.
- Polar H10 — My daily driver for accurate, waking HRV readings.
- Wahoo ELEMNT Roam 3 — The bike computer that has the feature Garmin lacks: usability. I use mine on most rides.
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tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors. ID
