50 Years of Sound Engineering at Wimbledon 

RG Jones and The All England Lawn Tennis Club 

For more than half a century, RG Jones has been a trusted technical partner to The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), delivering sound systems with the precision, reliability, and resilience required for one of the most iconic sporting events in the world — The Championships, Wimbledon. 

The Beginning: A Response to Regulation 

RG Jones’ relationship with AELTC was first triggered by a shift in UK legislation. In response to the Safety at Sports Grounds Act 1975, venues were required to implement voice evacuation systems — complete with fault sensing, fire-resistant cabling, and robust backup infrastructure. RG Jones’ experience in broadcast-grade and safety-compliant audio made it a natural partner, and the team was brought in to design and deliver a reliable PA/VA solution. 

That foothold soon led to further work — including projects at Lord’s Cricket Ground and other major sports venues — establishing RG Jones as a leader in venue-wide audio and emergency communication systems. 

A Legacy of Innovation 

By the early 2000s, AELTC commissioned RG Jones to redesign its entire public address control network. The brief: move from analogue to fully digital, with central monitoring, fault tolerance, and flexible routing. 

RG’s team developed a scalable backbone based on BSS Soundweb, TOA matrixing, and custom GUI control — enabling synchronised audio across multiple zones and ensuring compliance with updated safety regulations. 

By 2002, the new digital control network was live, delivering critical coverage for everything from emergency announcements to hospitality audio and big-screen sync. The system’s architecture supported the growing footprint of the Club and the increasing demands of a global event. 

"At Wimbledon, the network is everything. Every zone, every announcement, every feed depends on a system that performs flawlessly — first time, every time. That reliability only comes from experience."

— Jon Berry, Senior Project Engineer, RG Jones

System Overview 

Today’s Wimbledon system spans the entire site, including: 

• Zoned PA/VA coverage across the full Club grounds 
• Centre Court, No.1 Court, new Court 2 and outer courts 
• Queue lanes, car parks, ticket areas, and walkways 
• Hospitality zones, lounges, and player facilities 
• Admin offices, staff spaces, and broadcast hubs 
• Audio sync for live screens, LED scoreboards, and media feeds 
• Multizone paging and links for international broadcasters 

The system includes over 500 speakers, fault-tolerant digital buses, AES-EBU multicore connections, and redundant PA bunkers with mirrored control. It is monitored in real time via a bespoke GUI tailored for Wimbledon’s unique operational needs. 

Year-Round Support Across Divisions 

While the RG Jones Pro Audio team delivers broadcast-grade audio throughout The Championships, the Event Production team supports the Club all year round — managing corporate AV, press launches, and private functions with the same standard of delivery. 

This dual-division model ensures consistency across every touchpoint — from daily operations to the biggest days of the tennis calendar. 

90 Years On 

In 2025, RG Jones celebrated 90 years on site at Wimbledon — a milestone that marks not just a legacy of innovation, but a relationship built on mutual trust and long-term technical excellence. 

From voice evacuation systems inspired by safety legislation to today’s digitally distributed, networked infrastructure, the company has grown with the Club — helping to uphold Wimbledon’s world-class reputation from court to concourse. 

At a Glance 

FeatureDetail

Client:

The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC)

Partnership:

Over 50 years of collaboration

Scope:

Full-site PA/VA system design, operation, and maintenance

Infrastructure:

500+ speakers, redundant digital control network, AES-EBU backbone

Divisions:

Pro Audio and Event Production teams providing year-round support

Milestone:

90 years on site in 2025

Legacy:

Safety-led innovation, reliability, and technical excellence