Cable Proposes Deal On Wimbledon

Cable television companies yesterday proposed co-operating with the BBC over the rights to show the Wimbledon tennis championships; the BBC’s four year agreement with the All England Club ends this year.

The proposal comes after a consortium of cable companies recently obtained exclusive rights to the Cricket World Cup in 1996. At Wimbledon, cable companies want to televise play on the outer courts, which is rarely covered by the BBC. Cable could thus help the BBC with the cost of acquiring the rights without detracting from their coverage. In the past, however, the BBC has always rejected such proposals.

The cable companies do not want to buy exclusive rights, as depriving the majority of the audience could prove too unpopular.