From celebrity sightings to that classic all-white style, and of course, the key sponsors, Wimbledon is a total vibe. Boardroom has all the details on the world of Wimbledon.
The All England Club isn’t just about tennis. There’s so much more being served up within the walls of Wimbledon, and that’s not even counting the record-setting prize money.
For starters, there’s that unmistakable on- and off-the-court couture — this includes possibly the strictest of dress codes for competitors in all of sports.
There are also partnerships that help make the tournament possible. Any guesses which brand can boast being the official champagne of The Championships?
And it simply could not be Wimbledon without the strawberries and cream, the royal patronage, and the occasional David Beckham sighting.
These are just a few of the reasons fans show up to London or tune in to watch Wimbledon each year. And this year’s tournament will be no different.
But before we dive into the celebrities and one-of-a-kind culture, let’s look at which partnerships help make Wimbledon among the most prestigious sporting events in the world.
Wimbledon Sponsors: Blue-Chip Brands on the Big Stage
The All England Club is indeed a club, meaning it’s not open to just anybody. This includes the Wimbledon sponsors.
Organizers of the grand slam tournament aren’t shy about how hard they’ve worked to retain the unique image and character of The Championships — both by being selective in the sponsorships and not over-commercializing the venue itself.
This year’s slate of Official Partners includes 15 brands, all providing goods and services to players, spectators, the media, and staff.
Among the most notable sponsors is Slazenger, the official supplier of tennis balls to Wimbledon since 1902, making it the longest partnership in sporting goods history.
This year, the brand is expected to provide 54,250 balls throughout the tournament.
The next-longest partnerships are with IBM, the Official Technology Partner of The Championships since 1980, and with Lanson as the Official Champagne since 2001.
Here’s a look at the full roster of brand partners for this year’s tournament.
Official Brand Partners of Wimbledon 2023
- Official Gin – Sipsmith
- Official Champagne – Lanson
- Official Beer Partner – Stella Artois
- Official Information Technology – IBM
- Official Ball – Slazenger
- Official Car – Jaguar Land Rover
- Official Water – Evian
- Official Coffee – Lavazza
- Official Outfitter – Ralph Lauren
- Official Stringer, Tennis Racket, Shoe, and Sport Bag – Babolat
- Official Banking Partner – Barclays
- Official Connectivity Partner – Vodafone
- Official Smartphone Partner – OPPO
- Official Partner – Pimm’s
- Official Payment Partner – American Express
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Culture: The Tradition and Trajectory of The Championships
Wimbledon sits at the intersection of time-honored tradition and the future of the sport and technology — it’s an almost perfect balancing act where players may still be expected to wear strictly white shoes, but anything goes at the All England Club in the virtual world.
And so it’s only fitting that his year’s campaign — “Always Like Never Before” — “looks to the future of ‘The Championships’ while honoring its iconic history.”
The campaign features not only an epic trailer, but a collaboration with award-winning hip-hop and electronic producer, composer, and DJ, Hudson Mohawke, who created an electrifying soundtrack to set the tone for the trailer and broader through-the-line campaign.
As for the future, this year’s event offers an array of digital experiences to reward its current fans and attract new ones, including launching on Fortnite, and a rebrand of its gamified tennis experience, Wimbledon Smash.
“The magic of Wimbledon has reached many generations of fans in every corner of the world,” said Chris Clements, Digital Products Lead at the All England Club. “With changes in the way people consume content and interact with sports events, it is important that we find new ways to reach them and convey what makes Wimbledon so special. We believe this range of initiatives, including Race to Wimbledon, will help us achieve this ambition.”
Wimbledon has also added features to its metaverse game on Roblox, WimbleWorld — an effort launched in 2022 that has thus far received 12 million visits and has become one of the most visited official sports experiences on Roblox.
But, really, what is Wimbledon without the people watching?
The People: From the Royal Family to Royal Footballers
Out of all of the grand slams, The Championships may be the most renowned for its celebrity sightings and courtside style.
We’re talking A-listers like Tom Cruise, Rita Ora, Kate Winslet, Andrew Garfield, Rebel Wilson, David Beckham, and more sitting courtside among a crowd of commoners. And that’s just the list from last year’s tournament.
As a virtual who’s-who of celebrity, the event is almost always punctuated by potentially seeing members of the Royal Family sitting in the Royal Box, a 74-seat section that the royals have used since 1922.
In addition to Princess Kate and Prince William, the seats are commonly filled with British and overseas royal families, as well as heads of government, people from the world of tennis, commercial partners, British armed forces, prominent media organizations, supporters of British tennis, and much more.
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