ESPN’s first year of airing the entire Wimbledon fortnight has been a success. Ratings steady with last year, online viewership way up and the audience is skewing younger.
It all ends on Sunday with a historic Gentlemen’s Final between Roger Federer and Scot Andy Murray. ESPN will air Breakfast at Wimbledon with Hannah Storm anchoring at 8 a.m. ET followed by the Gentlemen’s Final at 9 a.m.
Chris Fowler, Patrick McEnroe and John McEnroe will have the call in the commentary box.
ABC will carry highlights of the match starting at 3 p.m. ET. By the way, ABC was the first US TV network to carry Wimbledon. It did on Wide World of Sports in the 1960’s before NBC began its 43 year relationship with the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in 1968 that ended last year.
Here’s the ESPN preview for tomorrow’s match.
History to be Made in Wimbledon Gentlemen’s Final Live on ESPN
Federer Seeking Record-Tying 7th Title & No. 1 Ranking, Murray Hopes to End 76-Year Drought
History will be made in the Wimbledon Gentlemen’s Championship live on ESPN on Sunday, July 8, at 9 a.m. ET. Either Roger Federer will gain his record-tying seventh crown at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, or a kingdom will celebrate the end of a 76-year drought.
Federer has 16 Major titles, the most of any man in tennis history, but none since the 2010 Australian Open. Now 30, a victory Sunday not only would tie Pete Sampras with seven Wimbledon victories, it might be even more noteworthy in that he would regain the No. 1 ranking. Also, it would be the 286th week of his career he has held the top spot, again tying Sampras for the most ever in men’s tennis.
Andy Murray of Scotland carries the athletic hopes and dreams of long-suffering fans on his shoulders in his quest to be the first man from Great Britain to win the local tennis Major since Fred Perry in 1936. It has been almost as long since a British man has played in the final – Bunny Austin in 1938. He has played in three Grand Slam event finals (two Australian Opens, one US Open) and has not won a set.
The Gentlemen’s Championship will be preceded at 8 a.m. by the one-hour Breakfast at Wimbledon, hosted by Hannah Storm. ABC will reair the finals on the day they take place, July 7 and 8, at 3 p.m.
All the action on ESPN is also available through WatchESPN online at WatchESPN.com and on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app. ESPN 3D will televise both Championships live.
ESPN and Wimbledon
The new schedule for ESPN’s 10th Wimbledon – exclusive and all-live – is the result of a 12-year agreement between ESPN and the All England Lawn Tennis Club announced just after the conclusion of the 2011 Championships. The remaining schedule:
Date Time (ET) Event Network Sun, July 8 8 a.m. – 9 a.m. Breakfast at Wimbledon ESPN/ESPN3 Live 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Gentlemen’s Championship
No. 3 Roger Federer vs. No. 4 Andy MurrayESPN/ESPN3D/ESPN3 Live 3 – 6 p.m. Gentlemen’s Championship ABC Tape
That is all.
