Boat Race dropped by BBC

The BBC is to drop coverage of the Boat Race after 50 years, it announced today.

The annual contest between Oxford and Cambridge will no longer be televised by the Corporation.

A spokesman said the decision had been taken in light of the organisers' "highly commercial agenda".

This year's race on March 28 - the 150th in the event's history - will be the last one to be shown on the BBC.

A spokesman said: "We are sad to announce that the BBC has decided to end its 50-year association with The Boat Race in the light of the organisers' desire to pursue a highly commercial agenda for this event.

"We are proud that our innovative coverage has helped The Boat Race into the event that it currently is, and one that has been brought to millions of homes.

"We intend to make the 150th Boat Race in March a fitting finale, and we are happy that we will continue to concentrate on rowing at Olympic and World Championship level."