From behind-the-scenes cameras in the refurbished Millennium Building to courtside ‘whisper positions’, Wimbledon’s coverage keeps evolving – working ever more closely with its 42 global broadcast partners while balancing increased access with careful management for player privacy. The All England Club’s Paul Davies, associate director, Broadcast, Production & Media Rights, and Georgina Green, head of broadcast and production, explain.

Just ahead of the start of this year’s Championships at Wimbledon, BBC Sport and The All England Lawn Tennis Club announced a major new agreement that will see The Championships remain free-to-air for UK audiences through to and including 2033.

The agreement is comparable in length to the All England Club’s long-term partnership with another of its largest broadcast partners: ESPN’s current rights deal, announced in 2021, extends through to 2035.

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Those long-term deals provide certainty and longevity for the host broadcast operation and support its ambitions around innovation, access and shoulder content.

Paul Davies, associate director, Broadcast, Production & Media Rights, explains: “We’re fortunate to have our broadcast rights secured on a global basis through a portfolio of medium and long-term agreements across every market.

“Because those deals expire on a staggered basis, rather than in fixed cycles like the Olympic Games or the FIFA World Cup, we’re typically negotiating between five and 10 broadcast contracts each year. This approach ensures The Championships continues to be broadcast in more than 200 territories worldwide, while providing us with a strong, predictable financial foundation.

“These include our 12-year ESPN agreement, which runs through to 2035, and the recently announced extension of our partnership with the BBC until 2033. The new deal adds six years to their existing agreement, which had been due to expire in 2027. Next year will also mark the centenary of our relationship with the BBC, coinciding with the 150th anniversary of The Championships. It’s a significant milestone for both organisations, and we’re looking forward to what promises to be a landmark year.”

In 2024, ESPN’s two floors within the Broadcast Centre at Wimbledon, nicknamed “The Disney Wing”, underwent what the US broadcaster described as “a complete transformation”. This included the expansion of Studio 3 to nearly 900 square feet, complete with a 34-by-6-foot window offering an unobstructed view of Court 18 and No.1 Court. Other updates included new shooting options with a three-person desk, an interview area, an interactive touchscreen, a ‘mega wall’ video display and new lighting.

Over the next couple of years, it will be BBC Sport’s turn for a studio refurbishment. Davies says: “Now that we’ve agreed this new six-year partnership, we’re already working closely with the BBC on how we can take their coverage to the next level.

“A key part of that is a complete transformation of their iconic, uniquely positioned presentation studio, building on the approach we took with ESPN when we redeveloped the Disney Wing.

“We’re working alongside our in-house Estate team and architects to completely reimagine the space. This includes removing existing pillars and walls and installing two large sliding glass windows, creating an uninterrupted eight-metre opening onto a new glass balustrade balcony. The result will be a stunning alfresco presentation area, giving the BBC an uninterrupted panoramic backdrop across the Grounds and an exceptional outdoor covered studio from which to present The Championships.”

The refurbished BBC studio will be “post-2027”, Davies explains, owing to the extent of other development works taking place in SW19 next year, including completion of the three-year Millennium Building project and the transformation of The Hill into a reimagined, more accessible destination for fans. 

The common thread running through these investments is access – and not only for the broadcasters. Opening up studios and presentation spaces to the Grounds gives presentation teams, and by extension viewers at home, better views and fresh perspectives on the site, and it comes at a moment when the broadcasters themselves are looking to freshen up how they present The Championships.

Some UK press reports this year suggested the All England Club had pushed the BBC to revamp its Wimbledon coverage – a claim Alex Kay-Jelski, BBC’s director of sport, rejected on BBC Radio 4’s Media Show, where he said it was “not a conversation I’ve had”.

Davies, similarly, dismisses the suggestion, framing the relationship as collaborative and forward-looking, emphasising the BBC’s – and Wimbledon’s – ongoing efforts to enhance and add to the coverage.

“We’ve already seen this year that the BBC is bringing a fresh feel and renewed energy to its coverage, and our aim is to complement that through the output and shoulder programming we’re producing. As a genuinely in-house host broadcaster, Wimbledon Broadcast Services (WBS) is able to maximise facilities, resources, and the unique access we have, to help deliver compelling content for the BBC and indeed for all our broadcast partners,” says Davies.

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While around half a million spectators can experience Wimbledon in person each year, Davies says The Championships’ global broadcast partners play a vital role in bringing the “full essence” of the event to audiences around the world. Their coverage extends beyond the action on court, capturing what makes Wimbledon unique, not only as a sporting event, but as a social and cultural occasion, with its mix of fashion, food and drink, royalty and celebrity.

“Whether it’s the beauty of the Grounds, the heritage and sense of occasion that define Wimbledon, or the level of access we can provide, there are so many elements that even spectators on site don’t get to experience. Through our broadcast partners, viewers around the world can enjoy a truly immersive Wimbledon experience, with a perspective that extends well beyond what they would see from being at the event in person,” says Davies.

That experience rests on a substantial production footprint. Among WBS’s 22 live feeds, the World Feed remains a core service, delivering comprehensive coverage of the on-court action. The World Feed, says Georgina Green, head of broadcast and production, is handled with real editorial intent: “We almost treat it like a broadcaster – as a rights holder – with the feed always focused on the best tennis of the day”.

Alongside it runs what Green describes as “the continually evolving” Access All England feed, available from 9am until 5pm every day, following the players from the moment they arrive on site until they go out onto court, with content from 9am to 1pm voiced by a line-up of experienced international broadcasters, tennis experts and special guests.

New this year are two cameras in the players’ lower gym in the Millennium Building, which is in year two of a three-year build and is due to be completed ahead of next year’s Championships. 

Says Green: “Those cameras have been brilliant. The indoor gym is particularly busy this year because not all elements of the refurbishment are open yet, meaning the space is more condensed than it will be in future. That has created a unique opportunity, giving us access to content we’ve never had before.

“Next year, the area will be spread across two levels, but in the meantime the current layout has given us the chance to capture moments we’ve never previously been able to showcase, from players arriving and preparing, through to their warm-ups and pre-match routines. It allows audiences to get closer to the players and experience the atmosphere, focus and preparation that takes place away from the court, delivering the kind of behind-the-scenes access that has become such an integral part of major event sports coverage.”

“The other firsts this year have been much closer to the court,” says Davies. “As host broadcaster, we’ve continued to look at how we can innovate and push the boundaries of the viewing experience. For the first time, we’ve introduced courtside ‘whisper positions’ (pictured, above) for commentators from up to three different broadcasters on Centre Court, giving them an unparalleled perspective from the heart of the action.

“We also delivered our first two-way from the commentary position to the player’s box, with Tim Henman chatting to Jamie Delgado, Grigor Dimitrov’s coach, during the knock-up, creating a really unique level of insight and access for viewers. These are the kinds of innovations we’re looking at to bring audiences closer to the action, the personalities and the stories behind the tennis,” says Davies.

More access brings a sharper need to manage where cameras are permitted. As host broadcasters push further behind the scenes, players have been vocal about being filmed in unguarded moments, and Wimbledon is exacting about where it draws the line.

“When it comes to cameras in player areas such as the gym,” says Green, “Wimbledon works closely with the All England Club’s professional tennis team to ensure their placement is clearly communicated and carefully managed. Cameras are prominently signposted as ‘broadcast’ rather than ‘security cameras’, while players are informed in advance about where they are located and have ample private spaces away from the cameras.”

“Drones are another example of how we’re using technology to enhance the coverage while being mindful of the unique environment at Wimbledon,” says Davies. “They are carefully operated away from areas where they could become a distraction or impact play. We don’t want guests concerned about seeing or hearing a drone, so we use them selectively, for example, over the golf course across the road, where they can deliver spectacular aerial perspectives.

“We also have our 550m wire cam (pictured, below), which gives us other exciting opportunities. Our ambition is to extend its reach from the current north tower on the golf course across to a third tower on the west side of the site, creating dynamic tracking shots across the Grounds while ensuring it remains away from the Championships Courts. It would allow us to showcase areas such as the Aorangi Practice Courts and the re-designed Hill in 2027 from a completely new perspective. We know how impressive those shots can look, and on the eve of The Championships, we flew a drone along the planned route to recreate the exact path and visualise the shots we’ll be able to deliver, it’s an incredibly exciting prospect.”

That balance between access and respect for space is reflected in what Wimbledon’s international broadcast partners value; for many, the appeal lies as much in the character and traditions of The Championships as in the tennis itself.

“A lot of them love the unique, quirky moments that make Wimbledon different from just being a sporting event,” says Green.

“We did a series this year of ‘On This Day’, short 90-second pieces on iconic Wimbledon moments from that date in history, used on the big screens around the Grounds and by broadcasters. It’s a resource-heavy job for rights holders, so if we do that legwork a week or two before The Championships and tell them which anniversaries we’re covering, they can take our pieces, do their own, or use the archive and rushes themselves – it’s just a bit more editorial guidance.”

Davies also describes a fortnight-long feedback culture at Wimbledon: continuous rather than after-the-fact assessment of match direction, camera work, and graphics, designed to lift the quality of the output, without making teams feel judged.

“We don’t put everything in place and then simply step away for the Fortnight. We’re constantly reviewing and refining the coverage throughout The Championships, assessing what we’re doing on a daily, and sometimes hourly, basis.

“Take match directing as an example: we have around 29 directors working across the event. We’re not there to mark their homework; we’re there to monitor the coverage, provide constructive feedback and help elevate it each day. The same applies across graphics, replays and overall production style. We encourage our craft teams, including sound and camera supervisors, to challenge and question what we’re doing: are we getting it right? Are there opportunities to improve? 

“Even during The Championships, we’re still evolving. The important thing is that people feel supported and valued rather than judged. That collaborative approach is what drives continuous improvement, allowing us to build from a very high standard at the start of the tournament to a level of excellence come Finals Weekend.”