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Wimbledon

57 replies

Ozgirl75 · 18/06/2022 04:36

We coming over to the U.K. from Australia and my boys adore tennis (watching and playing!) - has anyone done the thing where you turn up in the late afternoon and people pass their day tickets on?
I don’t want to go all the way there if there’s no chance of getting in!
Any other secrets to getting tickets? I don’t even mind just getting into the ground and having a wander/watch on the screen!

OP posts:
Rainbowshit · 18/06/2022 10:15

balalake · 18/06/2022 08:31

I am with you OP. I think what Lord's do for cricket test matches and other highly sought after matches is better, where there is a ballot that takes place in January. There is also incidentally an automatic refund process in the event of bad weather which I know works from personal experience.

I do not expect Wimbledon to change their process though.

Why are you commenting when you clearly have no idea what the process for getting Wimbledon tickets is? There are several ballots to get tickets. There's the main ballot and then tennis club members are able to enter separate ballots although I think this was paused for covid.

The queue just gives hardcore fans who have not been successful in the ballot an option to still get tickets.

StarsandBellinis · 18/06/2022 10:53

As some said, Ticketmaster usually release 2 sets of tickets per day during the tournament; 9am for the next day and 12pm for 2 days time. You need to be quick but I got tickets for the opening day a few years ago for Centre Court this way and saw Andy Murray play, which was amazing!

I got tickets for this year a few weeks ago through MyWimbledon for No 1 Court, can't wait!

RenegadeKeeblerElf · 18/06/2022 10:59

StarsandBellinis · 18/06/2022 10:53

As some said, Ticketmaster usually release 2 sets of tickets per day during the tournament; 9am for the next day and 12pm for 2 days time. You need to be quick but I got tickets for the opening day a few years ago for Centre Court this way and saw Andy Murray play, which was amazing!

I got tickets for this year a few weeks ago through MyWimbledon for No 1 Court, can't wait!

I may be wrong, but I don't think they are doing that this year sadly.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Tensmum11 · 18/06/2022 11:34

RichardMarxisinnocent · 18/06/2022 09:42

No, but you said you register and they tell you when they're available to buy, which suggests that they definitely will tell you. Didn't mean to sound grumpy at you, am just a bit miffed that neither Wimbledon nor the LTA emailed me when they had tickets going on sale in recent weeks. I'll be queueing overnight as I usually do.

You did sound grumpy. Take it up with them, perhaps your settings are wrong.

Tensmum11 · 18/06/2022 11:38

Jesus, every thread on here lately turns into a excuse for sniping. Some people would argue with their own reflection.

RichardMarxisinnocent · 18/06/2022 12:04

Tensmum11 · 18/06/2022 11:34

You did sound grumpy. Take it up with them, perhaps your settings are wrong.

I know I did and and I am sorry, it wasn't aimed at you. My "didn't mean to be grumpy at you" was intended to be an apology but I probably should have used the word sorry.

I have contacted the LTA but had no reply, and I didn't even realise until this thread that MyWimbledon had also had ticket sales. My settings are the same as last year and I got all the ticket sale notifications then so have no idea why I didn't this year.

PlanetNormal · 18/06/2022 12:20

I decided to go to Wimbledon one year in the mid 2000s. Got the early train down to London, Tube across town and joined the queue for ground admission at around 0700. I queued all morning around the park & down Church Rd. At about midday, one of the blazers told us that the grounds were full, and it was one out one in. As I was still a fair distance from the front that was the end of that and having completely wasted a day of annual leave I vowed ‘never again’.

The queueing such a stupid antiquated system, it doesn’t happen for any of the other major sporting or cultural events which take place throughout the year in the U.K. The AELTC should get rid of it and allow people to book tickets online like any other event.

tigger1001 · 18/06/2022 12:23

Ozgirl75 · 18/06/2022 06:59

It’s such an odd idea! How does anyone plan it? Like, if you don’t live in London?

You apply for tickets every year and it's a ballot. The ballot opens august time and closes December and tickets are then allocated feb/March time.

I think it's a really fair way to do it as it limits touts buying a load of tickets for resell.

Rainbowshit · 18/06/2022 14:51

PlanetNormal · 18/06/2022 12:20

I decided to go to Wimbledon one year in the mid 2000s. Got the early train down to London, Tube across town and joined the queue for ground admission at around 0700. I queued all morning around the park & down Church Rd. At about midday, one of the blazers told us that the grounds were full, and it was one out one in. As I was still a fair distance from the front that was the end of that and having completely wasted a day of annual leave I vowed ‘never again’.

The queueing such a stupid antiquated system, it doesn’t happen for any of the other major sporting or cultural events which take place throughout the year in the U.K. The AELTC should get rid of it and allow people to book tickets online like any other event.

The queue is not the only way to buy tickets FFS. They have an extremely fair ballot to try and stop ticket touts getting their hands on them.

Tickets are also allocated to tennis clubs to ballot.

You can also buy tickets through the hospitality route.

The queue is only for resale.

luckylavender · 18/06/2022 15:18

balalake · 18/06/2022 08:31

I am with you OP. I think what Lord's do for cricket test matches and other highly sought after matches is better, where there is a ballot that takes place in January. There is also incidentally an automatic refund process in the event of bad weather which I know works from personal experience.

I do not expect Wimbledon to change their process though.

Wimbledon has a ballot! That's exactly what they do.

RenegadeKeeblerElf · 18/06/2022 16:07

luckylavender · 18/06/2022 15:18

Wimbledon has a ballot! That's exactly what they do.

And there is an automatic refund system for bad weather - full refund if there is less than an hour of play.

tigger1001 · 18/06/2022 16:38

PlanetNormal · 18/06/2022 12:20

I decided to go to Wimbledon one year in the mid 2000s. Got the early train down to London, Tube across town and joined the queue for ground admission at around 0700. I queued all morning around the park & down Church Rd. At about midday, one of the blazers told us that the grounds were full, and it was one out one in. As I was still a fair distance from the front that was the end of that and having completely wasted a day of annual leave I vowed ‘never again’.

The queueing such a stupid antiquated system, it doesn’t happen for any of the other major sporting or cultural events which take place throughout the year in the U.K. The AELTC should get rid of it and allow people to book tickets online like any other event.

As others have said there is a ballot and that really is the fairest way for fans to get tickets.

But the queue is a tradition. And one many hardcore fans love. I know someone who goes for the fortnight, camps out and queues every night for tickets. He loves it.

Why take away a tradition that many fans live just to make it easier for touts to get their hands on tickets to inflate the prices.

LouisCatorze · 18/06/2022 16:44

Queuing to get in is really part of the experience. Perhaps it's a British thing? You don't really need to plan beyond that. The museum is well worth a visit but likely very busy during Wimbledon Fortnight.

I once went to Wimbledon on a school trip. We arrived at about 11am (it was a very early start!) queued and got in a couple of hours later. Saw some future famous players on the outer courts. If tweens can cope with the queuing, anyone can!

It's quite a unique day out. And 'buzzing'!

Rainbowshit · 18/06/2022 16:55

Yeah the queue is a very much loved part of the Wimbledon experience for many. It's a very sociable affair.

LouisCatorze · 18/06/2022 17:00

And the beauty of British weather is that generally it's not too hot/cold to be queuing for a length of time. It's likely to be more consistently hotter for the Australian Open so queuing for up to a few hours would be a less reasonable expectation?

Bunnycat101 · 18/06/2022 17:05

RichardMarxisinnocent I’m registered and didn’t get notifications re ticket sales either. I’ve had lots of emails about purchasing towels or watching the trailer for it though.

Im hoping I get lucky in the ballot one year. I’ve been wanting to go for ages.

LouisCatorze · 18/06/2022 17:08

I have friends who seem to get tickets in the ballot every year!

Maiyakat · 19/06/2022 21:55

I haven't had any notifications but I've been regularly checking the myWimbledon site for tickets and this evening got tickets for centre court. Keep checking and you might get lucky!

littlese · 20/06/2022 20:23

@Maiyakat what time did you get the tickets? Wonder if there's a specific time they are loaded on the website

Maiyakat · 20/06/2022 21:41

littlese · 20/06/2022 20:23

@Maiyakat what time did you get the tickets? Wonder if there's a specific time they are loaded on the website

It was around 1915, there was availability for quite a few days

Startuplife · 20/06/2022 22:01

There were loads of tickets for different days for no.2 court when I checked around 10am this morning so worth checking regularly.

Stopdropnroll · 20/06/2022 23:34

Can I hijack as there's so many knowledgeable people on this thread?

I have ballot tickets, will be getting an early train on the day from up north, staying in Central London so thinking have a decent lunch/brunch before heading to grounds.

Was just having a look at food options inside the grounds, we have centre Court tickets so could be there late depending on play. Thinking of booking the afternoon tea picnic and we can just dip into that as we want. Would that work or are there better food options there that aren't shown online?

RichardMarxisinnocent · 21/06/2022 17:54

@Stopdropnroll what day are you there, and would you be OK with leaving your seat and missing the start of a match so you can get some food?

I had the afternoon tea last year before a singles final and while it was lovely, I personally wouldn't want to use it as something to dip into when wanted, partly because if it's a warm day the cream and any chocolate in the cakes won't last well and partly because I'd personally find it fiddly to get all the food out of the packaging, and do things like prepare scones and jam, while in my seat watching the tennis. It comes in one coolbag per two people, with each type of item in separate packages inside, so a pack of sandwiches, a box of strawberries, a tub of cream, boxes of cakes, I think there was some salad too, plus a hard plastic plate to eat off with plastic cutlery. You may be fine with that, in which case I do recommend the food.

As you know play can go on late so it's hard to plan for when you will eat, so I do take stuff I can dip into, just not something like the afternoon tea. I tend to take some fruit, cereal bars, crisps - easy to eat at your seat. I then decide what to do about an evening meal as the day goes on, depending on how hot the day is and whether I need a break from the sunshine, on how long the first matches last, on who is playing next. Sometimes I pop out and buy a sandwich and bring it back to my seat, sometimes I leave at the end of one match, buy slightly more substantial food, eat it, then go back to my seat, having missed the first part of the next match.

There is a lot of food to choose from at the places where you order at the counter - sandwiches, salads, burgers, fish and chips, noodles, curry, things like teriyaki chicken and Jamaican ital stew, and probably other meaty things (but am vegetarian so don't take much notice of it). I've always found the food fine, sometimes portions have seemed slightly small. There is also a self service restaurant, and a waiter service one but haven't eaten in either so can't comment on those.

LIZS · 21/06/2022 17:55

There are some tickets available for middle Sunday.

Pleaseandthankyou · 21/06/2022 18:23

Hi, can I jump in here and ask you knowledgeable people a question. I got 2 tickets in the ballot. They have rolled over from 2 years ago. My flight to London has been cancelled. I was going with my DS who lives in London. If I can’t get there could he take his girlfriend. Will they check ID?

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