BBC in Sports Hat Trick

The BBC is celebrating a hat trick of sports rights victories today after securing the rights to Wimbledon tennis for another five years and domestic athletics meetings until 2008, to add to its impending football deal.

Yesterday it emerged that the corporation was in the final stages of agreeing a £250m deal with the Football Association for a three-year joint contract with BSkyB to broadcast all England home internationals live, as well as sharing live FA Cup games with the pay-TV company.

The BBC has enjoyed another smash hit with its Wimbledon coverage this year, with millions tuning in to follow Tim Henman's latest doomed attempt to reach the final of the competition.

"I'm delighted we've secured the rights to the sporting crown jewel that is Wimbledon, and pleased that we will continue to show this magnificent tournament over the next six years," said the BBC's head of sport, Peter Salmon.

"The drama of Wimbledon signals to millions of licence fee payers that the summer of sport is in full swing. Yet again, this year has proved that the championship has the power to thrill millions of tennis lovers throughout the land," he added.

Last Saturday, coverage of Henman's straight sets defeat of Swedish qualifier Robin Soderlinge forced ITV to one of its lowest ever Saturday ratings, with BBC1's ratings peaking at 7.4 million as the match drew to a close.

The BBC's Wimbledon deal runs out after next year's championship, but following the ratings success of this year's tournament both the BBC and the All England Tennis Club were keen to tie up a new deal.

The deal, which runs from 2005 to 2009 inclusive, covers television, radio and online rights. The championships have listed event status, which means that they can only be shown on terrestrial television.

The BBC was always in pole position to hang onto the rights, thanks to its tennis heritage and the fact that ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 would be unable to devote large swathes of their schedule to the tournament every year.

The deal with UK Athletics covers all UK indoor and outdoor meetings until 2008, and the BBC will hope to draw on the success of last summer's Commonwealth Games coverage to establish the sport as a major draw.

Since the heyday of Steve Cram and Sebastian Coe, and later Linford Christie, the popularity of the sport has suffered, but the BBC hopes the emergence of new young athletes and the pre-eminence of the likes of Paula Radcliffe will usher in a new era.

"This major contract with UK Athletics ensures year-round athletics coverage across BBC television, radio and online, and complements BBC Sport's prestigious international package of athletics which features the Olympic Games, the World Championships, the Commonwealth Games and the European Championships," said Mr Salmon.

"The BBC is a world class broadcaster and we are proud to be continuing our relationship with them. UK Athletics looks forward to working with the BBC to help build our sport and inspire new generations of athletes and supporters," added David Moorcroft, chief executive of UK Athletics.