Background

• Play was televised for the first time in 1937, when matches were transmitted by the BBC from Centre Court for up to half an hour each day of the meeting.

• The Championships 2007 coverage of 10,211 hours was broadcast to networks around the world in 185 territories reaching an estimated cumulative audience of 748.4 million TV homes.

Broadcast Strategy

• Fees paid by international broadcasters are vital since they help create the annual surplus that is then returned into British tennis at all levels by the Lawn Tennis Association.

• As important to the All England Club is to carry Wimbledon to as large an audience as possible which is why, in most parts of the world, the Club aims to place at least part of The Championships on national, free-to-air television.

• Broadcasters are approached on a country-by-country basis with agreements designed to satisfy both cable and satellite, and terrestrial broadcasters.

Host Broadcaster - BBC

• The BBC is the host broadcaster, as well as the UK rights holder, acting for more than 40 other international networks in what has become the largest annual broadcast operation in the world.

• The current contract, now extended until 2014, is based on the principles which have endured since that first TV transmission in l937: the BBC’s respect for the prestige and pulling power of Wimbledon and the Club’s appreciation of the production effort which the BBC brings, and the audience it delivers, to The Championships each year.

• The BBC's commitment is such that its coverage of every moment of play on seven courts effectively amounts to seven separate outside broadcast operations. For the first five days in 2008, there will be multi-camera coverage of nine courts, more than in any other Grand Slam.

• The new BBC agreement is focused on delivering state-of-the-art digital services - High Definition transmissions from the show courts, a greater choice of live action, on-demand highlights on PC or mobile and BBC iPlayer will show all the key matches for up to seven days after broadcast.

• In the UK, watching on broadband will deliver all the same action as broadcast on television, including the extensive additional coverage offered behind the red button.

• Centre and Number One Courts will be provided in HD, as part of the BBC HD channel.

• Contract also secures radio rights on Radio Five Live.

MAJOR BROADCASTERS

NBC
• In 2008, the Club will celebrate the 40th anniversary of its television partnership with NBC.

• New agreement will extend network coverage until 2013.

• Centre and No.1 Courts will be transmitted in HD in 2008.

ESPN
• Agreement extended for six years until 2013 guaranteeing 100 hours of Wimbledon coverage.

• Features increased Wimbledon content on its digital outlets and international rights in all of Latin and South America (except Brazil) and the Caribbean.

• ESPN (US) will transmit Centre and No.1 Courts in HD in 2008.

Tennis Channel (USA)
• New partner until 2013

NHK
• Renewal with NHK (Japan) for three years until 2010.

• The Championships, 2008 marks the 21st consecutive year of NHK coverage.

European
• The Club has expanded its European coverage with the major European markets – Spain, France, Italy, Scandinavia, Russia, – all renewing for a further three years until 2010.

• TG4 Television (Ireland) has renewed for a further 3 years.

Television Coverage 2007

• British TV viewers again voted Wimbledon the nation’s top sports event during The Championships' final weekend as Roger Federer’s epic 5-set victory over Rafael Nadal attracted a peak BBC audience of 7.3m compared to a peak of 5.1m for ITV’s coverage of the F1 British Grand Prix. Jamie Murray and Jelena Jankovic’s win in the Mixed Doubles achieved a peak BBC audience of 4.9m.

• In 2007, television coverage of The Championships was broadcast globally for 10,211 hours, the first time coverage levels have exceeded 10,000 hours in Championships’ history.

• This represented a 24% increase on the 2006 total, the seventh consecutive year in which record levels of coverage have been achieved, and a 9% average year-on-year increase over the last 12 years.

• The Championships 2007 was aired on 129 channels in 185 territories enabling 748.4 million TV households to watch the action, 60% of which were able to access coverage via free-to-air channels. The proportion of live coverage increased by 25% in 2007.

• High Definition coverage of The Championships 2007 was available to Euro 1080 subscribers in nine countries. Additionally, NTV+ (Russia & CIS), Polsat (Poland), Sport 1 (Netherlands), ESPN (USA) and Sky Italia (Italy), took The Championships in HD.

• The BBC, through its BBCi service, broadcast 804 hours of Interactive coverage.