Background

• Play was televised for the first time in 1937, when matches were transmitted by the BBC from Centre Court for up to half an hour each day of the meeting.
• The 2006 Championships coverage of 8,233 hours was broadcast to networks around the world in 178 territories reaching an estimated cumulative audience of over 562 million homes.

Host Broadcaster

• The BBC is the host broadcaster, as well as the UK rights holder, acting for more than 40 other international networks in what has become the largest annual broadcast operation in the world.
• The contract (from 2005-2009) is based on the principles which have endured since that first TV transmission in 1937: the BBC's respect for the prestige and pulling power of Wimbledon and the Club's appreciation of the production effort which the BBC brings, and the audience it delivers, to The Championships each year.
• The BBC's commitment is such that its coverage of every moment of play on seven courts effectively amounts to seven separate outside broadcast operations.  For the first five days in 2007, there will be multi-camera coverage of nine courts, more than in the other Grand Slams.

High Definition TV

• In 2007, the BBC will again shoot Centre and No.1 Courts in high definition.
• The new format delivers sharper, more detailed pictures than standard definition and will be shown in the US and in certain European countries. 
• Only viewers with the necessary equipment, including an HD set top box receiver, will be able to view the coverage, but the BBC hopes that the experiment will continue to stimulate demand. 

Broadcast Strategy

• Fees paid by international broadcasters are vital, since they help create the annual surplus that is then returned into British tennis at all levels by the Lawn Tennis Association. 
• As important to the All England Club is to carry Wimbledon to as large an audience as possible which is why, in most parts of the world, the Club aims to place at least part of The Championships on national, free-to-air television.
• Since 2002, the Club has pursued a strategy to re-establish The Championships as an essential fixture on summer television across Europe by allowing The Championships to be seen by more viewers without compromising the number of hours of coverage. 
• Broadcasters are approached on a country-by-country basis with agreements designed to satisfy both cable and satellite, and terrestrial broadcasters.
• In the USA, in keeping with the Club's free-to-air policy, there is a five-year deal with the American network NBC.  The 2007 Championships will be the 39th consecutive year of their broadcasts, and will again include exclusive live coverage of the Singles' Finals. 
• The USA cable and satellite rights were acquired for the first time in 2003 by ESPN, whose subscription networks reach over 90 million homes.  Last year they showed more than 150 hours of Wimbledon, with coverage also on their range of classic sports channels. 
• Other major free-to-air broadcasters include Channel 9 (Australia), who have recently agreed a further five year deal, NHK (Japan), and DSF (Germany).  The Club has a partnership with the Asian cable broadcaster ESPN/Star, which has opened up a number of new markets in China.

The Broadcast Centre

• After decades of working from vehicles, marquees and a variety of temporary cabins and studios, the world's leading broadcasters moved into purpose-built accommodation for the 1997 Championships. 
• No other sporting organisation in the world can currently match the range of studio and production facilities provided in the Wimbledon Broadcast Centre.
• The Centre also provides accommodation for BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC World Service, and the BBC's acclaimed interactive TV service.

Design

• The top floor of the Centre, overlooking Courts 14 to 17 and Courts 18 and 19, provides studio space for 16 networks.  The proximity of studios to Show Court 18 offers television a more intimate atmosphere and a feeling of being more closely involved with play.  Because of this proximity the studios have been designed carefully in order to avoid any disturbance to players from studio lighting.
• The level of sound insulation between one studio and another, and between all working spaces in the building was designed to be above the usual outside broadcasting industry's standards.  From the outset, all the Club's international broadcasting customers had an opportunity to contribute to the design and shape of the building.

Production Areas

• The two lower floors are dedicated to technical, production and editing rooms with much of the building digging deep into the hillside that overlooks No.1 Court.  This involved the installation of a flexible air conditioning system, which can be tailored to suit individual broadcasters' requirements.
• Owing to the various time differences around the world, it is inevitable that somewhere a Wimbledon programme, either live or recorded, is being broadcast 24 hours a day throughout the Fortnight.  Consequently, the Centre is one of the busiest locations in the grounds, remaining open from breakfast time through to the early hours of the following morning.

Oscar

• At the heart of the Broadcast Centre sits Oscar, the on-site central apparatus room.  Oscar receives the vision and audio signals from the various courts, together with several extra camera feeds, such as those from the 200-foot high Galaxy hoist and press interview room, and distributes them to all broadcasters. 
• Broadcasters who do not have facilities on site can make arrangements with BBC International or Trans World International (TWI), the Club's television consultants.

Television Distribution

• Three distribution paths are used by the Club to connect Wimbledon with the world:  British Telecom fibre optic links to the BT Tower in Central London for onward distribution via satellite earth stations; BBC microwave links directly to BBC Television Centre in Wood Lane for terrestrial distribution in the UK; and a small number of satellite uplink dishes sited close to the Broadcast Centre.
• The Club, with its partner IMG Media, produces a daily highlights programme for international distribution, and also edits various Wimbledon programmes for inflight and cruise ship screening during The Championships. 
• Following the end of the event IMG Media produces the Club's Official Film.