Tennis chiefs make decision on stripping BBC of Wimbledon coverage after talks | Tennis | Sport

All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club chiefs do not want to end Wimbledon‘s long-standing relationship with the BBC who are set to keep the broadcasting rights for the iconic tennis tournament – but there are reservations that the Beeb must address. Tennis bosses want the BBC to make some major changes to its coverage of Wimbledon with talks having begun over the next broadcast deal which will come into effect after the 2027 edition of the Championships.

The Times say there is little desire for the partnership between Wimbledon and the BBC to be brought to an end. But their coverage of the tournament has become stale and outdated in the eyes of organisers. The BBC will therefore need to win over the directors of the All England Club with its plans for future coverage of the famous grass-court Grand Slam. TNT Sports has the rights for the French Open and Australian Open but is said to be unlikely to bid against the BBC for Wimbledon’s rights. But Sky Sports, which has a dedicated tennis channel, could provide a competitor having acquired the rights for the US Open until 2029.

An industry insider said of the BBC: “John McEnroe is great — although he can split opinion — but some of the other presenters and pundits at Wimbledon seem out of touch and not really up to date with a lot of the players. There is obviously a balance to be struck to cater for those who like the traditional aspect of the BBC’s Wimbledon coverage, but it definitely needs to look at what is happening in other tennis coverage.”

Within the world of tennis, the BBC’s coverage is viewed as slightly outdated. A Wimbledon insider said to The Times that those within the All England Club are on the same page that the priority must be “to ensure that how we show the tennis during the championship is innovative and has the best presenters”.

TNT is unlikely to bid against the BBC because it views its rivals as the natural home of Wimbledon. They already have the rights to show highlights as well as broadcast the two finals live.

The public broadcaster currently pays around £60million a year for its Wimbledon rights. But even if opposing bidders offer to beat that amount, the All England Club will still prioritise the BBC. A source said: “It’s not about the money or necessarily the highest bidder, it is about what is right for Wimbledon and it is almost impossible for another broadcaster to provide the viewership that the BBC does.”

That is because of the reach and viewership that Wimbledon receives from being on free-to-air TV and the BBC’s all-out coverage on BBC1, BBC2 and its digital channels outdoes what another broadcaster could offer. A record-breaking digital audience watched last year’s Wimbledon with 69.3million digital video views.

A peak audience of 8.8million tuned in on TV and online to the men’s singles final where Jannik Sinner beat Carlos Alcaraz. Director of BBC Sport, Alex Kay-Jelski, said: “This year’s record-breaking digital figures for Wimbledon are testament to the huge appeal of the sport among audiences and the power of digital innovation to bring both new and existing fans closer to the action than ever before. The way people are following Wimbledon is changing but that is exciting for us as we look to tell the best stories in different ways.”

Though talks are underway, it’s said the BBC are unlikely to conclude a deal until a new director-general is appointed. Tim Davie announced his resignation in November. Davie’s successor will be appointed by the corporation’s board.

BBC first aired radio coverage from Wimbledon 100 years ago and has been the home of the Championships’ TV coverage since June 1937.