“Fuck the companies.” Wimbledon, fans enraged by empty seats and lack of tickets… and outraged neighbors

Major international events (not only sports: also recitals, for example) have a quota of tickets for fans. But not 100% of the locations. There’s a batch of hospitality tickets, aimed at companies, special guests, relatives-friends-relatives of the protagonists. Difficult to speak with certainty about the percentages: it varies depending on the show. The calculations oscillate between 20 and 30% of localities that do not go on sale, those “of protocol”.

Wimbledon does not escape this rule, despite not having sponsors in quantity like the other Grand Slams and major competitions in different disciplines, such as golf tournaments, Formula 1 races, the NBA, the Argentine Polo Open, etc. the World Cups, the Champions League. In the All England the traditional sponsors are not observed on the background and side canvases, on posters. Instead, the logos of the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) or the traditional shield of The Championship, such as the name of the event, shine.

How it is handeled? with sponsorships. Companies have their sectors to carry out their marketing actions. On the central court, only the brand of watches (Rolex) that accompanies the electronic boards and that of the balls that have been used in the tournament for 120 years (Slazenger) can be seen. Before this tournament, the 86-year link with a beverage brand (Robinsons) was broken due to differences between the organizers and the owner of the firm over the products they wanted to distribute.

The truth is that there are few signs of business that can be seen in the Cathedral, always in accordance with tradition. There is no lack of beer, coffee, mineral water and car rental brands among the sponsorships. But they are counted.

Even so, despite the fact that it can be imagined that there are not too many formal invitations, outside the All England fans lining up to get last-minute tickets could not help but be upset for two reasons: the hours of waiting, in many cases in in vain, and the detection of empty seats on center court during important matches. It happens since the tournament started, even on days like this Wednesday in which two of the main local tennis players played: Emma Raducanu and Andy Murray. Interestingly, both eliminated on the same day.

The scene was repeated this Thursday, nothing less than with Rafael Nadal’s match. For those who often watch tennis around the world, it is not unusual to see empty seats on the courts. People come and go, looking for food, refreshments, merchandising or just to socialize. At Wimbledon, given the fanaticism of the British public, the existence of unoccupied places is less frequent, but it happens just the same. What no one expected was the reaction of the people who cannot access the tickets and explode when they see those empty seats. “They go to dinner and don’t watch tennis. What are they here for?Said Max Smith, one of those affected, consulted by The Guardian, while waiting without much expectation in line.

The legendary British former tennis player Sue Barkerwhich is presenting the BBC broadcaster’s coverage for the last time, made a comment on the broadcast about “the many empty seats” that the central defender exhibited at the beginning of Raducanu’s match against the French Caroline Garcia, finally winning 6-3 and 6-3.

It is inferred that the seats, situated around the royal box, are reserved for corporate guests and members of the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) and the All England Lawn Tennis Club. In fact, personalities from the world of sports (former tennis players and other disciplines) and art are often seen in these sectors: Martina Navratilova, Stefan Edberg, David Beckham, Tom Cruise, Ryan Gosling. But there were also gaps in other sectors of the field.

One of the ticket holders said that the best thing about having a hospitality ticket was the ability to “get in and out of tennis” at will. Paul Miller, founder of Eden Mill, an official partner of the LTA, also acknowledged that some guests may not want to watch much tennis and that “it’s their prerogative”. Describing the benefits of hospitality tickets, he added: “The chance to have some quiet time away from all the hustle and bustle of Wimbledon, where there is a lot of noise and action, and to be able to go out and be waited on for a short time between matches. …in that hospitality zone. For us, who receive many guests, it is to allow them to do what they want”.

The organization also cited “technical failures” in the electronic sale of ticket resale for the problems of this first week with the sale. Whatever the reason, fans consulted by The Guardian outside All England did not hide their anger. Killy Cavendish, a veteran Wimbledon fan who lives locally and has been coming to the tournament for years, said: “I’m fed up. I don’t like to see empty seats, when people stand outside queuing. The main thing I want is for them to free up some tickets for center court.”

Harder was Max Smith: “I hate him. It leaves a bad taste in your mouth when you see all those empty seats reserved for business. fuck the companiesThey should go to a fancy restaurant. Wimbledon has to do more to make it look like it’s not elitist.” He added that after queuing “for two hours” it seemed to him that Wimbledon was more concerned with “his elitist reputation” than with filling seats.

The neighbors, outraged

Of course, the empty seats and the lack of tickets is not the only problem for Wimbledon at this time. The expansion of the property, in about 29 hectares, as a result of the purchase at the end of 2018 of the adjoining Wimbledon Park golf property for about 75 million euros, has already been deferred in terms of its premiere for 2030. The biggest problem that the tournament is the conviction of the residents of the All England area (in the suburbs of London) for the construction of 39 new fields. Due to the occupation of the land itself, due to the construction of a parking lot and also due to the loss of green spaces.

Strictly speaking, something similar to what happened to Roland Garros, the Parisian Grand Slam, with its expansion in the Bois de Boulogne grounds. Wimbledon will occupy 46.5 hectares against the 12.5 of Roland Garros.

One of the “karmas” of Wimbledon is having to develop their previous classification in another scenario: Roehampton, about 5 kilometers. It is the only Grand Slam tournament that does not dispute its qualy in the same venue. The reason is the special care that the grass needs, which could not be subjected to a third consecutive week of use, in this case, before the tournament itself.

Wimbledon’s idea is to build 38 new courts, plus an additional stadium with a capacity for 8,000 people. Until then, all normal. The problem arose when the launch of the new site was announced for 2028, with immediate work. There the indignation of the neighbors surfaced, with the support of the landscapers and local associations. The statutes of protection against transformations and new constructions were brought out. And the round of negotiations began.

To “calm down the beasts”, the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) extended the launch of the new Wimbledon until 2030, while committing to create a 9.4-hectare park open to the public (except during the three weeks of the tournament), to reshape the lake at Wimbledon Park and redevelop its shores. But doubts persist that in the future the park will be closed to the public, as well as the eventual non-conservation of the ancient trees.

Wimbledon, this Wimbledon 2022 different due to multiple factors (even political), is facing two open extratenistic fronts. It must calm the fans who cannot enter and explode against the protocol entrances and the neighbors who look askance at the expansion of the property to the detriment of the green spaces.