The ABC has secured the radio rights to Wimbledon in what is the second major grand slam tennis deal for the national broadcaster this year.
The ABC will partner with the BBC to bring Australian tennis fans all of the live action on ABC Sport Digital from Monday at 10pm AEST. Coverage from the All-England club will be led by a stellar commentary team headlined by former Wimbledon champions Pat Cash and Marion Bartoli, plus four-time grand slam champion and long-time favourite with Australian audiences Kim Clijsters.
ABC Chief Content Officer Chris Oliver-Taylor said: âSecuring Wimbledon is part of our audio strategy, led by Mike Fitzpatrick and Tim Verrall to ensure Australians have radio access to the best sporting events in the world.
There is no bigger stage in world tennis than Wimbledon and we are so incredibly delighted to bring Australian tennis fans all of the action and excitement this year. With an all-star commentary team providing expert analysis and insights, weâll be following our homegrown hopes as well as the biggest matches from centre court to audiences live and free on our broadcast and digital platforms.â
The ABC partnered with the Australian Open to cover our home grand slam from Melbourne Park this year, and also acquired the audio rights to last yearâs FIFA World Cup bringing audiences all the excitement of the Matildas inspired campaign. The Ashes and the current ICC T20 Menâs World Cup round out an incredible stretch of major world sporting coverage in the past 18 months.
The team will provide commentary of the big matches and finals with The BBCâs tennis correspondent Russell Fuller delivering match commentaries, reports, and interviews throughout the tournament from July 1 â 14.
The ABC listen app is the best place to hear live coverage of Wimbledon each day through a dedicated Tennis button on ABC Sport digital.
Finally we have a thread dedicated to live sporting coverage on ABC Radio (except for AFL, rugby league and cricket which are covered by their respective threads).
The BBC Radio commentary line-up for Wimbledon 2024
Gigi Salmon and Clare McDonnell are joined by former Wimbledon champions Pat Cash and Marion Bartoli, who are providing expert analysis throughout the tournament, alongside Kim Clijsters, Annabel Croft, Laura Robson, Naomi Broady, Mark Woodforde, Jeff Tarango, Leon Smith, Coco Vandeweghe, and Chanda Rubin.
Radio commentary comes from the BBCâs Tennis correspondent Russell Fuller, as well as Gigi Salmon, David Law, Naomi Cavaday, Jonathan Overend, Iain Carter, Alison Mitchell, Abigail Johnson, Sara Orchard, Katie Smith Maz Farookhi, Aaron Paul and James Gregg.
ABC Radio will have live coverage of the two-match rugby union series between the Wallabies and Wales, starting with the first test at Sydneyâs Allianz Stadium tonight. It will be broadcast on ABC Radio Sport Extra on digital radio and ABC listen app.
The ABCâs commentary team is already razor thin through two decades of federal funding cuts, departures, and retirements. I reckon 5 or 6 people at most will commentate for Aunty, and double shifts (Olympics in late nights / early mornings and AFL/NRL in the afternoons) canât be ruled out. Also, many experts have already been signed by Nine.
The 8 hour time difference between Paris and eastern states of Australia means live coverage of late night events will clash with breakfast shows in Canberra, Adelaide, Darwin and regional areas, which usually start at 5.30am or 6am. I wonder if the starting times of these breakfast shows will be pushed back as the result.
It will also be interesting to see if the Paris Olympics coverage will take priority over local AFL/NRL broadcasts at night and late afternoons.
Finally, the Nine/ABC Radio deal rules out online and ABC listen app, so the only way listeners in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth can hear highlights of ABCâs Games coverage is through the hourly news bulletins or Grandstandâs end of year review.
Or Sydneysiders receiving 97.3 from the Illawarra or Brisbane receiving 91.7 from the Gold Coast or even 90.3 from the Sunshine Coast in the Northern parts of Brisbane.
Bruce McAvaney OAM to headline ABCâs Olympic Games Coverage
The ABC is set to celebrate the Olympic Games with ad-free coverage on ABC Radio across various ABC capital city and regional stations from Friday 26 July.
For the 2024 Paris Games, the ABC is thrilled to announce that pre-eminent sports broadcaster Bruce McAvaney OAM will join the ABCâs robust commentary team.
Having been involved in Olympic Games coverage since Los Angeles in 1984 and the voice behind iconic Australian winning moments like Cathy Freemanâs gold medal 400m sprint at the Sydneyâs Olympics, McAvaney will bring his vast experience and passion to the call team.
On his involvement McAvaney said âIâve always thought the Olympics is the ultimate event for an Australian sports broadcaster and to be given this opportunity by the ABC means a great deal to me.
âThese games will be as exciting as any. We have a 75-strong athletics team â our biggest weâve ever sent overseas â and Iâm very optimistic theyâre ready to achieve great things.â
In Adelaide, Hobart, Canberra, Darwin, Gold Coast and regional markets across the country, listeners can hear live daily Olympics coverage from 6.30pm until close of competition across ABC Radio and DAB+.
ABC SPORTâs all-star commentary team will also feature former Olympians Melinda Gainsford-Taylor (Athletics), Sarah Ryan (Swimming), Simon Orchard (Hockey), Brad McGee (Cycling), former Davis Cup player John Alexander (Tennis) and Matilda Amy Harrison (Football) with the ABCâs respected broadcasters, Quentin Hull, Corbin Middlemas, Clint Wheeldon, Ben Cameron, Ned Hall, Declan Byrne, Lauren Bordin and Robin Chipperfield.
The ABC coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games is brought to you in conjunction with the Nine Network.
Further details of ABC Radioâs Olympics coverage, including ABC Adelaide breakfast show live from Paris for the two weeks of the Games, and a Roy and HG show on weekdays.
Head of ABC audio content Ben Latimer told Mediaweek the coverage will see the ABC commentators working from the dedicated Nine Radio Olympic Games studio in Sydney. The live coverage can be heard from 6.30pm AEST until the final event each day of the Games.
Nothing says the Games like Roy & HG. Armed with their unique brand of commentary, the pair will meander their way through the top stories of the day and analyse the big, the small and the silly with their Paris 2024 show, âRoy & HG: People, Medals and Cheeseâ at 11am Monday to Friday across ABC Radio and available as a podcast on ABC listen.
ABC Radio Adelaide Breakfastwith Sonya Feldhoff and Jules SchillerMonday to Friday from 5.30am on ABC Radio and ABC listen.
âAnnounced on air this morning, Adelaideâs most listened to AM breakfast show* on Adelaideâs number 1 talk station** Sonya and Jules will also be broadcasting on the ground in Paris for the duration of the Games.
ABC SPORT Daily is daily sports conversation diving into the biggest Olympic stories of the day on ABC listen.
Play Schoolâs Let The Games Begin From Monday 29 July at 9am on ABC Kids. Hosted by comedian Tanya Hennessy, get ready to run, jump, dive, swim, spin, and twirl for a place on the Play School Games podium!
ABC SPORT will be providing regular updates on the biggest moments from the Games across social platforms, including establishing a dedicated Instagram channel for Paris.
To celebrate the Games, the ABC will also showcase special content across various platforms on the network, content highlights include the below.