to rather resent the celebs on a freebie in the Royal Box at Wimbledon?

[grovel]

I don't mind successful people making a fortune. I'm calm about them being recognised with gongs/titles etc. I just feel that if Wimbledon have got free tickets (plus lunch, tea and drinks) to spare they should be given to people who could not otherwise afford the experience and are also valuable contributors to society and / or tennis. I rather think Cumberbatch, Hugh Grant, Beckham etc could afford debentures or corporate hospitality packages if they really wanted them.

Happy for the likes of Borg , Navratilova, Wade, Laver etc to be invited of course. They are tennis legends. I suppose sponsors also deserve a ticket or two.

[emmelinelucas]

YANBU.
I have been thinking the same. How do they get invited ? It seems that the more you have, the more you get, for free.
Very unfair.

[SaucyJack]

YABU. Tis the way the cult of celebrity works.

Nobody would care about some volunteer from the St. John's Ambulance turning up in her best M&S cardigan.

[LoveVintage]

YANBU but oh my god isn't David Beckkam hot. Didn't used to be fussed but as he gets older .... I so would.

[londonrach]

Yanbu. Id much more apprecate the tickets then them. Next this year but last we could centre tickets to see the davis cup and saw murray etc play. We were shocked how many people were in the overpriced bar than in their seats. We bought food and drinks in and apart from toilet we were there and in alot of tv program due to a very noticable item of clothing!!! Why waste the tickets.

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

YABU, the star spotting is the only bit of the match I like.

[londonrach]

Not to next!!!! My ipad error

[LifeOfBriony]

YANBU.

Happy for tennis greats to get these seats. Or perhaps support staff from the tennis world?

Not fair as it stands.

[FarFromAnyRoad]

LoveVintage. One word. YES!

[nancy75]

Do they actually get them free?

[GoodbyeToAllOfThat]

David Beckham is indeed hot. I had overlooked him for many years, but now he's creeping up on me. I think he's had a voice coach.

But YANBU, OP.

[galletti2014]

I read yesterday that seats in the Royal Enclosure were historically for (apart from the royals) people that have made a real contribution to society, sport etc. So you have ex PMs, leaders of police, armed services, great sportsmen, ex Wimbledon champions, people with very distinguished careers behind them in acting or whatever.

I personally dont have a problem with David Beckham being there, but was a bit shocked about Hugh Grant, Cumberbutch and Bradley Cooper. Also dont understand the Middleton siblings having a right to be in the Royal Box. I would like to see more of the general public Honours awardees there if they want to go.

[vaticancameos]

Benedict Cumberbatch brings a lot of joy to so many. Very happy to see him in the box

[muminhants1]

Yes it annoys me too. I'm fed up of sycophantic sucking up to "slebs". It would be a lot better if they gave the tickets to those who'd actually contributed to tennis eg past ball girls and boys and umpires etc.

I'm also aghast at the fact that there are so many volunteers and the players are paid so much. Why on earth are the staff not paid during the tournament?

[Mrscaindingle]

This has been really pissing me off too lately, it started with the Olympics seeing William and Kate at front row seats for every bloody event when I couldn't get a seat for anything.

The Middleton sibs, David Beckam et al in the Royal box does really annoy me, I am increasingly becoming more socialist in my views as I get older ( and following the recent budget) and don't understand why more people aren't getting more angry

[Dismalfuckers]

Do you know, I resent the Royals and their hangers on in the Royal Box much more than Beckham et al. Least they've actually done something themselves.

[ginghamcricketbox]

At least they didn't let that tosser Lewis Hamilton in after he turned up inappropriately dressed.

[Scholes34]

At leat they're watching the tennis, unlike a lot of non-celebs there through hospitality packages.

[Butkin]

YABU - they bring a further touch of glamour to the event which creates publicity and attracts sponsorship etc. It's how the world works - just a bit more visible than getting free tickets for concerts, art galleries, dinners etc.

At least they do watch the games. What annoys me more are the wasted seats bought for corporate non entities who would rather have lunch and stay near the bar..

[Hassled]

How do we know that it's a freebie though? Is it possible they've just been invited to pay ££££ for the posh seats?

[crustsaway]

So what?

I don't like tennis anyway and they can have as many boxes as they want as far as im concerned

[londonrach]

Saw a ball girl pouring champagne for those in the royal box....(not jealous..no not at all)

[littlepeas]

I was there on Wednesday in debentures (corporate hospitality) and was sat close to the royal box. The only recognisable celeb in the royal box was Bear Grylls. David Beckham, Gary Lineker, Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall were all in the same area as us in debentures seats - I'd like to think they paid for them, but maybe I'm being naive?

[OrangeVase]

Do you know it is free?
I like seeing them there - adds interest and glamour.

It is s business - celebs increase media attention , sponsors pay more, more people watch etc.

[alleypalley]

I'm not that bothered about the Royal box. At least the seats are filled. I'm more pissed off at the empty corporate hospitality seats. It's not that I'm against them per se, but if they are not claimed by a certain time on the day then they should be made available to the general public. It was the same at the Olympics, I applied for so many events and got none and then had to see empty seats on TV. Very annoying.

[nancy75]

Lots of the empty seats are press seats rather than hospitality I think?