Wimbledon 2017

The Beeb could reallocate all the opt, dist, coding, and satellite t/ps from BBC 1 to BBC 2 to enable BBC 2 regional opts. It would require a bit of downtime (an hour or so overnight) to re configure everything, and change all the appropriate PIDs etc, so not something you'd do for a one off, but maybe just about practical for a fortnight's worth of a sporting event. They'd then have schedule the regional news to be on BBC 2 for that period, and for all opts, and regardless whether the sports event required that or not.

That was done Summer 1980 for the Moscow Olympics BTW, but only for the main evening opts (here in the South there were two five second breaks on 1 and 2 just before and just after the each evening show, while they presumably re-patched the opt chains (Different times I know, and I think the first time BBC 2 in England had had regional opts ?)

Is it really worth all that expense & hassle just for a two week period, where only a handful of times the regional news gets delayed?

I just wonder what that would achieve, that scheduling and broadcasting Wimbledon on BBC2 at the affected times, can't achieve.

The schedulers seem to understand this, but I wish to goodness that the powers-that-be who run the live events, would also learn.

Without British interest, the BBC needed some other way to get punters to tune in to the final. So the Thirteenth Doctor is their answer. Whovians will end up watching the latter part of the match so they can see the reveal! Trouble with tennis is, you don't know how long a match will last. Genius!

Nice use of the cross-channel update to provide a score flash for the other semi final. British interest in both mixed doubles matches on now.

Revealing it at that time would have been planned long before they knew who was in the final. Chance to promote it to a big audience, even bigger had Murray been in the final.

Makes sense. I was half-joking with that post anyway.

Slight surprise that the lead commentator for the Women's final is the excellent Andrew Cotter rather than John Inverdale who commentated the last 2 years. Also shame that Kim Clijsters isn't involved in the final as she has been commentating for the BBC or Lindsay Davenport who hasn't been on the BBC this year.

Some regions had two opt-chains and two-sync chains at one point - so the two galleries that many regions had could opt-out of BBC One and BBC Two simultaneously - though areas like graphics, VT etc. had to be locked to one sync chain or the other (with a change-over switch to select which)

She must be busy with a new job....

Change to the BBC Two schedule this afternoon to accommodate the men's wheelchair doubles final, which was delayed due to rain earlier. Clare Balding had said it would be on the red button when it resumed. No sign of her on the second stint of coverage.

Looks like Today at Wimbledon is cancelled, looking at the BBC Two schedule, as the men's doubles final is still underway, and the women's to follow.