The Championships, Wimbledon isn’t going anywhere soon as the All England Lawn Tennis Club agreed to an extension with ESPN. The new deal keeps every point of the tournament on ESPN’s platforms until 2035.
The current deal runs out in 2024, and this one picks right up where that one leaves off. The all-white attire and pageantry of the event will be on full display for the network through the better part of the next 15 years.
“The sporting world recognizes that Wimbledon is equated with excellence, and we are thrilled and proud to continue our close relationship with the AELTC,” ESPN President of Programming and Original Content Burke Magnus said. “Wimbledon is a tentpole event on the global sports calendar and the ESPN schedule, and we will continue to use all our resources to present the drama, tradition, and stories of Wimbledon to fans in all ways possible.”
A new deal comes at the perfect time on the calendar as the knockout stages of “The Fortnight” are in full swing. Champions will be crowned in the men’s and women’s singles this weekend.
“We are absolutely delighted to have extended this important partnership into the next decade,” AELTC Commercial & Media Director Mick Desmond said. “ESPN has transformed the storytelling of Wimbledon throughout the Americas with their first ball to last ball commitment and their creative storytelling techniques. We are really looking forward to continuing to take the relationship from strength to strength and provide sports fans in the Americas with access to Wimbledon through ESPN’s unrivaled network of platforms.”
ESPN continues its 140-plus hours of coverage surrounding the event and will also start airing middle weekend matches on ABC, starting next year. ESPN also now has the Brazilian broadcast rights to the tournament. The network first acquired rights to Wimbledon back in 2003, gaining exclusive rights in 2012.