Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Celebs at Wimbledon

33 replies

AlexaAmbidextra · 12/07/2019 19:02

Apparently they are there by invitation. I wonder just how many of them are actually interested in tennis as opposed to attending just to be seen or simply because it’s a freebie?

I can’t really see how it benefits Wimbledon as presumably real tennis fans go or watch on tv because they enjoy the tennis. I can’t imagine anyone would bother to watch just to see the celebs.

Privilege goes to privilege it would seem. ☹️

OP posts:
Soola · 12/07/2019 19:11

‘There is always an open invitation to all members of the Royal Family, as well as to high-ranking members of government and leading churchmen, including the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Very senior members of the Army, RAF and the Royal Navy are also invited.

Ambassadors and diplomats are welcome, with names forwarded by the Marshal of The Diplomatic Corps, and foreign royal families are invited if a player from their country reaches the finals.

National newspaper editors, senior figures from the BBC and famous faces from the world of sport are also on the guest list.

After receiving responses from these invitees, the remaining invitations are sent out to other so-called pillars of society — company chief executives, bank chairmen — and, of course, celebrities.

Apparently, the chairman of the All England Club takes into account suggestions from the club committee, the Lawn Tennis Association and 'other sources' before sending these invitations.’

Original poster
AlexaAmbidextra · 12/07/2019 20:00

Like I said, privilege attracts privilege. I just think it would be nice if for once, ordinary people were given the opportunity at no cost.

OP posts:
Soola · 12/07/2019 20:36

That’s the way of the world.

Attractive and or rich people will always do well.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General sports
mpsw · 12/07/2019 20:46

The military get them because, for historic reasons, they supply stewards.

www.wimbledondebentureholders.com/articles/wimbledon-armed-forces-history/

magimedi · 12/07/2019 21:59

The only true celebs @ Wimbledon today were Roger Federer & Raphael Nadal.

Well done, Roger! Tennis

If you looked closely at the royal box there were so many of the greats of tennis there: Rod Laver, Fabrice Santoro, Mary Jo Fernandez , Stefan Edberg etc etc.

Many of 'the great & the good' are actually great tennis fans. David Attenborough was there (big fan of tennis), Would you deny him a seat?

Original poster
AlexaAmbidextra · 13/07/2019 00:52

I’m not in a position to deny anyone a seat. 😄. Why the need to be argumentative?

What I said was, I wonder just how many of them are actually interested in tennis as opposed to attending just to be seen or simply because it’s a freebie?. Also there today were Hugh Grant, Leona Lewis, Jude Law, Declan Donnelly, Damian Lewis.

IMO, none of those I mention are ‘the great and the good’ but merely those who are fortunate to enjoy great privilege for being paid a large amount for doing a job they enjoy. Are they all tennis fans? I have no idea but I do know that they could all afford to buy their own tickets if they wanted to go to Wimbledon. No need for arse licking from the All England Club to facilitate their attendance.

OP posts:
LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett · 13/07/2019 00:58

I am a huge tennis fan and have been lucky enough to attend Wimbledon on a number of occasions (tickets paid for by me, won through the ballot). IMO if you don't actually like tennis, it's dull as fuck. I cant actually see that people would do it for the sake of being seen. But I did wonder when I saw that mail article earlier, who had pissed them off.I mean, rich people getting free stuff is hardly new. What's your take on Oscar nominees leaving with armfuls of stuff OP.?

Also worth noting that Wimbledon do loads to let people in for very little through the queue and ticket returns and local clubs getting free tickets.

Original poster
AlexaAmbidextra · 13/07/2019 01:24

I can’t get exercised about the arms full of stuff from the Oscars tbh as that isn’t real life for most people. I just think there must be people who would love to go to Wimbledon but can’t afford to do so and it would be a nice gesture from the AEC to perhaps give less advantaged people the opportunity to attend rather than give freebies to overpaid luvvies.

OP posts:
LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett · 14/07/2019 01:00

You do know a grounds ticket is around £25?

Original poster
AlexaAmbidextra · 14/07/2019 03:21

You do know a grounds ticket is around £25?

Plus the cost of getting there. Drinks when you’re there and food as presumably you’d be there for much of the day.

OP posts:
ajandjjmum · 14/07/2019 03:30

It's not a case of whether you can afford to go to Wimbledon, it's more often a case of can you get a ticket.

Personally I think part of the fun/pleasure/tradition is celeb spotting - and not all of the guests are wealthy. The Lionesses were there earlier this week, invited presumably as recognition of their efforts in the Women's World Cup.

I also think it's lovely to see people going because they know their invited guests would love it - David Cameron used to take his Mum - wish I could have taken mine.

Can't get jealous over people being invited - although it would be an absolute thrill. Just hope the majority of them appreciate it.

Kez200 · 14/07/2019 09:17

Whats even worse, when Halep beat Seren a yesterday and the headlines were about Kate, Megan and the £££ of their dresses and how they were there to see Serena.

No mention of Halep.

We live in a shallow world

LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett · 14/07/2019 12:40

Plus the cost of getting there. Drinks when you’re there and food as presumably you’d be there for much of the day

It's on the tube. You can take a picnic and water, I think the only thing you're not allowed to take in is alcohol. I do get your point that celebs get so much for free, but honestly Wimbledon isn't the elitist event you're trying to paint it. They also give ticket allocation to local tennis clubs and juniors, they re-sell tickets for very little after people leave so that young people can get into the grounds - I've been on number 1 court for the last match and a whole tennis club of teens trooped in.

Yes, it's massively over-subscribed but so are most sporting events. I've got tickets through the ballot three times and thought it was worth every penny.

Papergirl1968 · 14/07/2019 13:14

There was an article in the Mail a couple of days ago about the celebs who are there as guests of the various sponsors.
They have a very nice lunch, the best seats, afternoon tea, a goodie bag, and after the tennis has finished, more drinks.
It’s sickening that the very wealthy get all of these freebies thrown at them.

1forAll74 · 14/07/2019 16:16

I try and not look at any Wimbledon photos in the paper or on the news things,as the media are obsessed with photo's of the royals and so called celebs,and what they are wearing etc.. Nobody took any notice of Martina,and what she was wearing,or Mrs Smith from down our road.who had bought a new dress for the occasion !

ajandjjmum · 14/07/2019 17:33

You can take in a certain amount of alcohol.

Frith2013 · 14/07/2019 17:51

@LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett I don’t think the tube runs as far as Wales

DonkeyHohtay · 14/07/2019 17:55

Celebs raise the profile of the event. They are in the papers, on the telly. Same as you don't get Brenda from the hairdressers invited to the premiere of the Lion King. Hmm

And yes, a day out at Wimbledon is cheap. We queued a few years ago and got in on a ground ticket, saw some great tennis, sat on Henman Hill to watch the big screen, drank loads of cava and ate loads of strawberries. Great day out.

Ihopeyourcakeisshit · 14/07/2019 18:03

Brooklyn Beckham and his girlfriend Hmm

weebarra · 14/07/2019 18:25

@Frith2013 - or Scotland 🙄

Papergirl1968 · 15/07/2019 00:17

Oops, sorry, didn’t see that Soola had linked the article I was referring to.

ForalltheSaints · 15/07/2019 07:26

I'm all for former players being invited, but some of the others are fairly minor celebrities, and it's not as if Wimbledon is on a commercial channel where the sponsors would cough up more if their celeb was going to be there.

LizziesTwin · 15/07/2019 07:31

Ralph Lauren has a big hospitality suite and invites celebs, so does Evian.

When I went with a friend we splashed out & bought sandwiches from M&S before leaving home and took a couple of tins of pre-mixed Pimms.

stucknoue · 15/07/2019 07:37

Compared to many events there's far less freebies for so called "celebrities" the ones there either are guests of players, debenture holders, bought their tickets or corporate guests mostly, otherwise they are very high profile actors and British generally. Going on love island doesn't get you an invite from the All England Club! You need an Oscar or a bafta.

Being a duchess helps of course, though apparently Kate is a big tennis fan and watches on tv when she can't go in person