According to a report in the Telegraph, Netflix seems set to bring a Drive to Survive- style behind-the-scenes series centered around the Tour de France.
On Thursday, Telegraph Sport reported that streaming giant Netflix is in discussion with the Tour de France organisers ASO and eight WorldTour teams, including British squad Ineos Grenadiers, for a new docu-drama series set in this year’s Tour, which will be similar to Formula 1: Drive to Survive.
While some teams have already made their own series to critical acclaim. A wider docu-series surrounding the race has been rumoured for a long period of time and Formula 1: Drive to Survive series’ producers, Box to box Films, are understood to be attached to the project.
The one sticking point over this attempt to do a larger-scale series involving multiple World Tour teams is believed to be the financial remuneration for the teams themselves.
Netflix would likely have to pay French television broadcasters an amount, as they would be encroaching on their rights. It is understood the streaming giant is offering to pay a token amount to the eight teams, which includes all the big hitters such as Ineos, Jumbo-Visma, Movistar, and Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team.
However, teams would ideally like a slice of the television revenues, which are likely to be boosted in the long term if the success of Drive to Survive is anything to go by. But they are also aware of the significant impact the series would bring in terms of exposure for the sport.
The main premise of ‘Drive to Survive’ is that it offers a glimpse into the personalities of the drivers and access into the politics of the sport, rather than footage of the actual racing. The show’s success attracted a much wider audience to the sport in the four years since its first release, with viewership experiencing a considerable increase, and it is no doubt that professional cycling would too benefit from similar success.
