BBC CHIEFS have reportedly been given one last chance to get better presenters or else risk losing the rights to broadcast Wimbledon.
The stark warning arrives as the rights to show SW19 on TV come up for grabs following next year’s tournament.
The BBC has been warned to shake up its presentation of Wimbledon or risk losing the rights to show itCredit: PA
Those running things at the All England Club have started internal discussions over the future of on the box.
The Times claims there is “little appetite” to pull the world-famous event away from the , where it’s been shown for the past 90 years.
But Wimbo heads are keen for the BBC to shake things up over fears their current stable of presenters have become “staid and formulaic.”
The onus is now on Beeb to unveil a new “master plan” rivalling the likes of Sky Sports and TNT Sports if it wants to continue , from 2028 onward.
Sky has boosted its own tennis coverage with a dedicated channel complete with fresh rights to tournaments like the US Open, as well as live match analysis from ex-pros like Tim Henman and Laura Robson.
As for TNT, they left fans impressed with an option to continually move around matches at last year’s French Open — similar to its Champions League goals show — and are likely to utilise it again when the Australian Open begins on Sunday.
An industry source told The Times: “John McEnroe is great — although he can split opinion — but some of the other presenters and pundits at Wimbledon seem out of touch and not really up to date with a lot of the players.
“There is obviously a balance to be struck to cater for those who like the traditional aspect of the BBC’s Wimbledon coverage, but it definitely needs to look at what is happening in other tennis coverage.”
Meanwhile, a Wimbledon insider added that chiefs have now agreed that priority for TV coverage was “to ensure that how we show the tennis during the championship is innovative and has the best presenters.”
SunSport has contacted the BBC for comment.
Speaking last year, BBC commentator Andrew Castle admitted he could not envisage Wimbledon being shown by another broadcaster.
He declared: “I don’t think they ever would [allow a rival broadcaster to take over]. In terms of a domestic audience in the UK is concerned, I’d be very surprised if it wasn’t on the BBC and free to air.
“But I’ve been surprised before. I just don’t see why or the particular benefit and that’s what matters to me.
“It’s an institution and an event, not a tennis tournament. As long as people see it because it is the big showcase.
“When I think of Wimbledon on the BBC, what is really lovely is there are no commercial breaks.
“And from my point of view in commentary, I’ve got to think about what we are going to talk about in the breaks with Tim Henman, John McEnroe, Nick Kyrgios – that’s what I’m thinking about towards the end of a game.”
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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