Isle of Man TT: Live streaming of event attracted 57,000 viewers

Coverage of the racing and qualifying sessions was streamed live for the first time

More than 57,000 people signed up to watch the live streaming of the Isle of Man TT races, organisers have said.

The subscription-only live coverage was launched in 2022 for the first time in the event's history.

The cost of streaming the qualifying and racing has not been revealed, but the paid-for subscriptions generated a return of about £854,000.

The online channel also offers other TT-themed footage and programmes all year round free of charge.

More than 130,000 people across 185 countries have accessed the platform since it was launched in April.

Cumulatively about 700,000 hours of footage has been watched and about half of those who signed up are aged between 18 and 44.

The streaming was part of a drive to make the Isle of Man TT races financially sustainable

Enterprise Minister Tim Crookall said the coverage had "managed to remove geographical barriers to fans around the world" and would be used to attract younger race fans to "both ensure and sustain the island's visitor income for the event".

The initiative is part of the government's Digital Broadcast Strategy for the races, which also aims to increase the event's social media audience by 450% by 2027.

A spokeswoman for the Department for Enterprise said the amount spent on the production remained "commercially confidential" due to future tender processes for the coverage, but she confirmed the income from subscriptions was "in excess of the cost of production".

Funding for the project was secured for two years through the government's Economic Recovery Group and the results of the first year would now be evaluated, she added.

The Isle of Man TT races returned between 29 May and 11 June after a two-year hiatus as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.