Wimbledon's free-to-air future on the BBC has been secured until at least 2033, following an extended broadcast deal between the All England Club and the public broadcaster.
The agreement ensures the prestigious tennis tournament remains accessible to UK audiences, with the current arrangement having been set to expire next year.
This coincides with the 100th anniversary of the BBC's inaugural coverage of the Championships in 1927, and officials from both sides expressed a keen desire to continue the partnership.
Deborah Jevons, chair of the All England Club, underscored the significance of the collaboration: "We are delighted to extend our historic partnership with the BBC through to 2033. For nearly a century, we have worked together to bring the magic of Wimbledon to generations of fans in the UK.
“This agreement reflects our absolute commitment to ensuring Wimbledon remains freely available to the widest possible audience across the nation, enabled by the breadth and reach of the BBC’s platforms, and their clear and continued ambition to enhance the audience experience."
In other news ahead of this year’s tournament, which gets underway next week, players have announced their intention to restrict their media availability amid an ongoing row over prize money at grand slam events.
The All England Club had previously announced a significant 20 per cent increase to the tournament's prize pot, bringing it to £64.2 million. This move followed player protests at the French Open, where pre-tournament media commitments were limited to just 15 minutes.
However, it is understood that players plan to replicate this protest at SW19 this weekend, extending the 15-minute restriction to post-match interviews throughout the first week of the Championships.
A spokesperson for the All England Club told the Press Association: "We are surprised and disappointed by this action.
“Wimbledon puts the players at the heart of all our decisions and we invest significantly in them every year. This year’s total prize money fund has increased by 20 per cent to £64.2 million, which is the largest increase in our event’s history.
“This is alongside investing hundreds of millions of pounds in upgrades to our player facilities as part of a three-year transformation to create a world class player performance environment.”
