The BBC looks set to retain broadcasting rights for Wimbledon when the current deal expires following the 2027 Championships, despite concerns from senior figures.
The All England Club is pushing for substantial changes to how the tournament is presented on screen.
Senior figures at Wimbledon have initiated preliminary discussions regarding the next contract.
While there remains a strong commitment to maintaining the longstanding relationship with the public broadcaster, concerns have emerged about the current output.
Tournament officials believe the BBC's presentation has grown predictable and lacks dynamism, with one Wimbledon insider confirming that the priority is "to ensure that how we show the tennis during the championship is innovative and has the best presenters".
The corporation will now need to present a compelling vision for modernising its coverage to satisfy the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club's directors.
Rival broadcasters have demonstrated what modern tennis coverage can look like, setting a benchmark the BBC must now meet.
Sky Sports, which holds ATP, WTA and US Open rights until 2029 through its dedicated tennis channel, has introduced courtside analysis featuring former players such as Laura Robson and Tim Henman during live matches.
The BBC looks set to retain broadcasting rights for Wimbledon when the current deal expires following the 2027 Championships, despite concerns from senior figures
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TNT Sports attracted attention with its French Open coverage last May, offering viewers a multi-court viewing experience, where the broadcast shifted between matches as pivotal moments unfolded, with commentary from a panel of three expert pundits.
The approach mirrored TNT's Champions League goals show format, allowing audiences to follow the drama unfolding across multiple courts simultaneously rather than remaining fixed on a single match.
Recruiting high-profile names could offer one route to refreshing the BBC's on-screen talent, with Andy Murray, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal all potential targets for punditry roles.
However, none of the three tennis legends has yet indicated any willingness to move into broadcasting.
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Tournament officials believe the BBC's presentation has grown predictable and lacks dynamism
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Current personnel have faced criticism from within the industry.
One source said: "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."
The same source acknowledged that striking the right balance remains challenging.
They noted the need to cater for viewers who appreciate the traditional elements of Wimbledon coverage whilst also modernising the presentation to reflect developments elsewhere in tennis broadcasting.
Next year marks a century since the BBC's first radio broadcast from Wimbledon
| GETTYTNT Sports, which broke the BBC's Commonwealth Games broadcasting monopoly dating back to 1954 by securing rights for this year's event, is not expected to challenge for the Wimbledon contract, viewing the public broadcaster as the tournament's natural home.
The BBC currently pays approximately £60million annually for the rights, and while it will need to at least match inflation in any new agreement, the All England Club recognises the corporation's financial constraints.
Wimbledon has, however, attracted a huge viewership, with 11.3 million viewers tuning in for the 2023 men's final between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, and 8.8 million watching Jannik Sinner's victory over Alcaraz last year.
Next year marks a century since the BBC's first radio broadcast from Wimbledon.
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