Amazon Prime deploys IP-based audio workflow for remote Wimbledon production

The shift toward IP-based networking signifies the streaming industry’s move away from traditional point-to-point cabling in favor of scalable, virtualized environments. For Amazon Prime, this architecture supports the high dynamics of tennis broadcasting while reducing the physical footprint required on-site at the All England Club. As major broadcasters like Warner Bros. Discovery and the BBC also integrate immersive formats like Dolby Atmos into their sports slates, Amazon’s focus on networked audio infrastructure establishes a necessary foundation for future low-latency, multi-court streaming expansions. Watch for whether Amazon expands this IP-centric audio model to its upcoming exclusive Wimbledon rights in Germany and Austria through 2027.

The technical shift described by Gomez arrives as European tennis broadcasting rights undergo significant fragmentation and consolidation. In May 2024, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) finalized a long-term rights extension with the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) to remain the exclusive home of Wimbledon in 11 European markets, including Sweden and the Netherlands, through 2027. Per WBD, these matches are now central to its Max streaming platform, which features enhanced tech stacks including multi-view court options and Dolby Atmos support. While the BBC continues to hold the primary live rights in the UK through 2033, Amazon has aggressively pivot its tennis strategy, trading off its UK ATP/WTA rights to focus on exclusive Grand Slam coverage in other territories.

Following its exit from UK tennis at the end of 2023, Amazon secured four-year exclusive rights for Wimbledon in Germany and Austria starting in 2024, according to Broadband TV News. This geographic shift reinforces the streamer's use of tiered production workflows that can be localized across markets. Simultaneously, the AELTC is introducing Sony Hawk-Eye Live Electronic Line Calling across all championship courts starting in 2025, which per SVG Europe, will further digitize the on-court data environment. This increase in live data and audio signals necessitates the robust IP-based networking described by Gomez, as streamers must now synchronize high-fidelity audio with real-time electronic officiating data to maintain transmission integrity across global OTT platforms.