Wimbledon To Remain On The BBC In U.K. Through '17 As Part Of Rights Extension

Wimbledon will "continue to be broadcast on the BBC until at least 2017" after the net's deal as the U.K. rights holder of the tournament "was extended by three years," according to the PA. The BBC has held rights to the tournament since '27. BBC Sport Dir Barbara Slater said, "The BBC's first ever live sport broadcast was from Wimbledon and we are proud that our new deal means the longest partnership in sports broadcasting continues" (PA, 10/27).

CLEAR SKY: In London, Charles Sale reports "strong fears that Sky Sports were having second thoughts about spending [US$312.3M] on Football League rights have finally been allayed by the signing of the contract six months after the deal was struck." The price is US$36.8M-per-year "less than the current Sky contract." But the "lack of competition -- with neither the BBC nor ESPN bidding -- meant Sky could have picked up the content for considerably less and that has caused angst at their Isleworth headquarters" (London DAILY MAIL, 10/27).