Wimbledon organisers have announced a huge price rise for No.1 Court debentures after issuing up to 1,250 new packages today (Friday).
The debentures, which are for the five Championships held between 2022 and 2026, will cost £46,000 ($61,500/€52,500), which is a rise of around 50% from £31,000, according to the Daily Telegraph.
The £57.5m raised will be used by the All England Lawn Tennis Club to fund redevelopment of the Wimbledon facility in the coming years.
Debentures consist of a reserved seat on the No.1 Court in a prime location, for the first 11 days of The Championships. Buyers will also have exclusive entry into a debenture restaurant and bar during the five-year period, for the first 11 days.
Holders will also be able to attend Middle Sunday, which will be a regular part of Wimbledon schedule as the tournament will be extended to 14 days.
The All England Club has also said that debenture tickets are the only freely transferable tickets, meaning holders can give away or sell their tickets on the days they cannot attend.
Organisers said the Court 1 tickets can ensure fans of seeing the progress of stars such as Emma Raducanu and Coco Cauff.
However, the Fair Ticketing Alliance tweeted: “Why can’t people just be honest, it isn’t a “Raducanu Effect” it is just business and debentures is one of the main ways that investment is made to pay for it.
“Just be transparent with fans and then take it on the chin!!!”
The All England Club said that the debentures are the main source of income, which it uses to meet capital expenditure and invest in improving facilities.
Recent upgrades to the grounds include the new No.1 Court which opened in 1997 and retractable roofs for Centre Court in 2009 and No.1 Court in 2019.
Forthcoming improvements include the ongoing development of the AELTC Indoor Tennis Centre on Somerset Road, as well as the modernisation of facilities, for guests, media and the athletes themselves.
The very first set of debentures helped to fund the purchase of the Church Road Grounds and the subsequent construction of Centre Court in 1922.
Image: Robert Ridley
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