Wimbledon 2017 on the BBC – serving up an ace anniversary

The rackets are out, the strawberries and cream are being prepared and the words ‘quiet please’ will soon become a familiar phrase.

  • BBC celebrates 90 years of Wimbledon coverage, 1927-2017
  • New for 2017: Wimbledon qualifying matches broadcast live from Roehampton for the first time
  • Sue Barker leads the TV coverage across BBC One and BBC Two which also welcome Boris Becker back to the BBC team
  • Tony Livesey and Eleanor Oldroyd take the helm for Radio 5 live, bringing 100 hours of action
  • The BBC Sport website and app will be home to 15 live HD video streams capturing all the action from the courts
  • Sue Barker fronts BBC One documentary speaking to some of the greatest players in Wimbledon history, from Bjorn Borg and Billie Jean King to Pete Sampras and Andy Murray, about what makes the event so special to them

Wimbledon 2017 kicks off on July 3 and BBC Sport are ready to serve up another thrilling Championships.

This year sees the BBC celebrate 90 glorious years of broadcasting Wimbledon. Coverage of The Championships started on radio back in 1927 and a decade later TV viewers were also able to switch on and catch the action. Fast forward to 2017 and the BBC now provides an extensive multi-platform offering for fans which ensures they never miss a minute of the much cherished summer tournament. This year, the BBC is extending its coverage even further by broadcasting the main show court from the Wimbledon qualifying tournament, thus building the excitement ahead of the main event and offering tennis fans even more live action.

Director of BBC Sport, Barbara Slater says: “We are very proud to be celebrating such a long-standing broadcasting relationship with the All England Tennis Club. Over the 90 years we have been able to capture so many of Wimbledon’s greatest moments, from those early days of radio commentary to the unprecedented access to the event that we have available now. We are delighted this year to be able to offer tennis fans even more live action by adding qualifying matches at Roehampton to our already extensive offering.”

Audiences will have the chance to capture even more of the action at Wimbledon with BBC Sport’s extensive digital service.

Ahead of the tournament a dedicated page on the BBC Sport website and app will bring live action from Roehampton as Wimbledon qualifying matches are broadcast live for the first time. Then as the main event begins bbc.co.uk/sport will be home to 15 live HD video streams which will provide text commentary and audience interaction in one place throughout the tournament. The streams will offer rolling highlights, in-depth pundit analysis, infographics and live votes, with six of these video streams also available on BBC Red Button.

Current men’s singles champion Andy Murray will continue his popular blog on the BBC Sport website, giving an unprecedented insight into his journey through each round.

Fans will also be able to get closer to some familiar BBC faces and special guests as BBC Sport offers a range of activities and content across its social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. This will include a number of live videos, short-form action clips, 360 video, behind-the-scenes insights, news and live action updates. Fans are encouraged to join in the conversation, and the most insightful contributions will be curated and featured in BBC coverage.

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