Approved application: Wimbledon Championships 2023

Ofcom has given its consent to a request from the BBC to broadcast exclusive live coverage of non-finals play in the 2023 Wimbledon Championships (“the Championships”).

Coverage of non-finals play in the Championships will be broadcast by the BBC on BBC One and BBC Two, with additional coverage available through the BBC Red Button and iPlayer. The BBC also has the national radio rights and intends to broadcast coverage on Radio 5 Live, among other stations.

In addition, Warner Bros. Discovery (“WBD”) has the rights to broadcast television highlights of non-finals play on its Eurosport channels.

Non-finals play in the Championships is a Group B listed event for the purposes of the Broadcasting Act 1996 (“the Act”). Ofcom's consent is needed to broadcast exclusive live television coverage of non-finals play in the Championships – see section 101 of the Act. However, where a second broadcaster, in this case WBD, provides adequate secondary coverage of a Group B listed event then Ofcom can grant ‘automatic’ consent to broadcast, without consultation - see paragraphs 1.18 to 1.21 of Ofcom’s Code on Sports and Other Listed and Designated Events for more information about what constitutes adequate secondary coverage.

Having considered the information supplied by the BBC, and supplementary information provided by WBD, Ofcom has decided to grant automatic consent to the BBC’s request.

Live coverage of the Championship finals (a Group A listed event) is to be shown by both the BBC and WBD. Where live coverage is not exclusive, Ofcom’s consent may not be required – see the exception in section 101(1) of the Act. In this case Ofcom is satisfied that the arrangements do not require our consent.