UK public-service broadcaster the BBC announced this (Thursday) afternoon that it has extended a deal to broadcast the Wimbledon tennis championships through to 2024.
The BBC’s rights for the London-based Grand Slam were due to expire after the 2020 edition of the tournament.
The agreement will keep Wimbledon on free-to-air television across the BBC One and BBC Two channels, with the corporation also providing online and radio coverage.
Next year will mark the 80th anniversary of BBC television coverage of Wimbledon. The BBC also serves as the tournament’s host broadcaster.
“Wimbledon is the pinnacle of the sport,” BBC director general Tony Hall said. “Wimbledon on the BBC will continue to unite the nation through must-see sporting moments, captivating audiences of all ages.”
Earlier this year, a peak audience of 13.3 million viewers watched Andy Murray win his second Wimbledon title on BBC One by beating Milos Raonic in the final.
“We greatly value the BBC's commitment to delivering large national audiences for the championships across a multitude of high quality platforms,” said Philip Brook, chairman of the All England Club.
The renewal has been confirmed just 14 months after the previous three-year agreement between the All England Club and the BBC, from 2018 to 2020.