BBC Renews Wimbledon Rights

The BBC has signed a new five-year contract giving it the rights to broadcast the Wimbledon tennis championship for a further five years from 2010 to 2014.

The new contract will let viewers catch all the key matches via BBC iPlayer, for up to seven days after broadcast, and have the opportunity to watch Wimbledon on mobile.

People in the UK, watching via broadband, will continue to be able to see all the action broadcast on television, including the additional coverage offered on the red button.

Roger Mosey, BBC director of Sport, said: “The BBC is deeply proud of its historic ties with Wimbledon, but this new agreement is focused on delivering state-of-the-art digital services.

“The BBC’s Wimbledon coverage will range from high-definition transmissions from the show courts and greater choice of live action than ever before, through to on-demand highlights that you can watch on your PC or mobile.

“We’re determined to make the event an even bigger part of our national sporting life through the use of new technology and working with the Club to innovate across digital platforms.”

Last week, the BBC won back the rights to show Formula 1 from 2009 (see BBC Wins Formula 1 Broadcast Rights), with ITV pulling out in order to concentrate on securing the remaining Champions League football rights.

BBC: 020 8743 8000 www.bbc.co.uk