For two weeks every year, the BBC stops and for so long has given Wimbledon everything it can muster – now it’s been suggested the All England Club are demanding a revamp of the coverage
Apparently, the All England Club – quite possibly the snootiest sporting institution in history – will demand a revamp of the BBC’s coverage when talks take place over a new broadcasting deal.
As one of the fogeys who has been working for the Beeb for a couple of decades might say… you cannot be serious.
You know what you are going to get from 66-year-old John McEnroe, just as you know what you are going to get from Tim Henman, from Clare Balding, from Annabel Croft. If the BBC do not make a big play to get Sir Andy Murray on board this summer, it will be a huge surprise. It is predictable, it is old-fashioned, it is uncomplicated, it is pretty formulaic… and it is great.
For all its snobbery, who really wants Wimbledon to be dragged into the 21st century? It is an oasis of tradition, custom and history in a sporting environment that is pock-marked with pointless gizmos, ranting social media fiends, pointless polls and useless technological gimmicks.
Point the camera at two fantastic players, watch them play, have a couple of articulate legends of the game chat about what happened. It really is simple. And it has worked for 88 years.
READ MORE: BBC given Wimbledon instruction over ‘outdated’ coverage as stance made clear on new dealREAD MORE: BBC loses two much-loved events as Wimbledon heads to new broadcaster in 2026
In sport, no-one gets viewing figures quite like the BBC gets viewing figures. Over 11 million watched the 2023 final between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic.
Subscription television companies can only dream of those numbers. One of the seminal events in recent sporting history was Rory McIlroy’s 2025 Masters win. The final day at Augusta brought in record figures for Sky Sports. How high was the peak? 1.85million viewers.
On the BBC, England Women’s walkover against the United States in the Rugby World Cup qualifying stages got 2.4million.
There should be no complacency at the BBC, for sure. A parliamentary act demands men’s and women’s Wimbledon finals have to be on free-to-air terrestrial TV but the rest of the tournament does not.
They are unlikely to do so, but Sky or TNT Sports (after making, er, such a fantastic job of the Ashes) could bid for live rights for the fortnight.
But there is no chance whatsoever of the All England Club not renewing its contract with the BBC when the current one ends in 2027. And whatever committee insists competitors still wear white should not call for the Beeb to change much.
When it comes to some sporting events, change is not for the best. Did anyone think last year’s Wimbledon was better without the line judges and their blazers and slacks?
There is one thing that comforts viewers when it comes to watching Wimbledon. Familiarity. Dan Maskell was 82 when he commentated on his last Wimbledon final in 1991 – and he was still brilliant.
It can be fashionable to give the Beeb a kicking and, in its attitude to sports coverage, it has not always helped itself.
But if anyone thinks there is something fundamentally wrong with its coverage of the sporting summer’s wonderful showpiece, they cannot be serious.
