Tradition, undoubtedly, is the key word of Wimbledon, and it is also the tradition that Wimbledon maintains its advantage in the fierce competition of modern professional events. The tradition that was once considered "pedantic and old" has been polished by time.
It later evolved into a unique advantage of this event.
Of course, among the many traditions of Wimbledon, there is also an admirable and even awe-inspiring persistence——
advertise.
The most obvious difference from the other three Grand Slams is that the All England Club always adheres to its private position and refuses to be involved in the commercial torrent.
First of all, except for a few major sponsors, Wimbledon's main arena is always spotless. Putting aside the ever-changing technological products under the eaves, from the appearance, this venue is no different from what it looked like a hundred years ago.
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In 2022, it will be the 100th anniversary of the official use of Wimbledon's central court. At that time, reporters took pictures. After a hundred years, the court has hardly undergone earth-shaking changes, and the good traditions have been preserved to this day.
Secondly, Wimbledon has always insisted that no advertising boards be placed around the court, that is, no advertisements will be placed on the baffles on both sides of the court behind the players. Even the advertisements of major sponsors will not be placed here to ensure the "tidyness" of the court.
", which is similar to the players' white jerseys.
Thanks to this, Wimbledon's courts are particularly clean, and the color collision of fluttering white clothes and green grass always brings the best visual experience.
In a highly commercialized sport like tennis, as the highest-level Grand Slam event, Wimbledon has been able to insist on zero billboards on site. It can be said to be incredible. The only product placement in the stadium is
The clock used to time the event belongs to Rolex.
But that's what they've been doing for years.
The All England Club once confiscated the yogurt cups carried by spectators because the yogurt was not produced by its official sponsor; the London Eating, Drinking and Playing Guide distributed at the exit of the subway station was confiscated by event security before it was opened because any form of advertising
They were all banned from entering.
In addition, it is worth mentioning that Wimbledon's stadium has always refused to name it.
In Melbourne, Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena, Hisense Arena; in Paris, Stade Philippe Chartier and Susanne Lenglen; in New York, Arthur Ashe Stadium,
Louis Armstrong Stadium, these named stadiums have become a special landscape.
However, at Wimbledon, there is only Center Court, Court 1, Court 2, and Court 3, and everything is kept simple.
To a certain extent, the insistence on tennis, the purity of the event, and the rejection of business are deeply imprinted in the bones of the All England Club. From the white jerseys to the billboards to the naming of the stadium, this inertia can be seen in all aspects.
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It is precisely for this reason that Wimbledon’s tournament prize money is at the bottom of the four Grand Slams——
Taking the men's singles championship bonus in 2015 as an example, the Australian Open is 3.1 million Australian dollars, the French Open is 1.8 million euros, and Wimbledon is 1.88 million pounds.
In purely numerical terms, after currency conversion, Wimbledon is slightly higher than the French Open, but after deducting tax rates, the French Open is ahead of Wimbledon.
Over the years, the US Open has always been far ahead in terms of championship prize money, and is undoubtedly the most commercially successful event; the Australian Open has caught up after the reform, and the upward trend in prize money in recent years has been very gratifying; the French Open is third, and Wimbledon
Reluctantly maintaining the bottom position—
Moreover, from all aspects, Wimbledon is not in a hurry to change this status quo. When the US Open and ATP/WTA year-end finals use the title of "Prize Refreshing Record" every year to attract top players to participate and create topics,
Wimbledon always sets its own pace.
It can be seen that Wimbledon is very satisfied with the current situation.
However, an eye-popping fact is that Wimbledon is the most profitable tournament among the four Grand Slams and has held the title for many years.
High broadcast fees, the issuance of stadium bonds, and the sale of souvenirs will all bring considerable income to the organizing committee, among which tradition plays an important role.
For example, Center Court, because this court has countless heritages, the areas around Center Court are often souvenirs that spectators must buy every year when they leave Wimbledon.
For example, strawberries with cream are not a new variety of strawberry, but strawberries with cream. This has become an iconic traditional snack at Wimbledon, and has even become a business card of this century-old event.
According to official statistics, in just two weeks, Wimbledon will consume nearly three tons of strawberries and 7,000 liters of cream. Even though the price of strawberries and cream for a serving of ten strawberries has risen to 2.5 pounds, the supply is still in short supply.
It is said that in the distant 1884, strawberries with cream were already a major feature of the event, and it is another tradition that has been continued for so many years.
It can be seen that the inheritance of traditional culture has penetrated into every aspect of Wimbledon. This history is precisely what the other three Grand Slams do not have. Therefore, when other events have to innovate in the fierce competition in the commercial society
Although Wimbledon has been re-planned to keep pace with the times, Wimbledon is still conscientiously continuing to improve its brand culture and firmly defend its unique position in the tennis world.
Today, professional tennis has reached every corner of the world. The four Grand Slams each have their own merits, and the nine Masters tournaments compete year-round, bringing tennis to millions of viewers at close range.
Among them, Wimbledon is still the jewel in the crown. It cannot be said that Wimbledon is more successful than the other three Grand Slams, but there is no doubt that Wimbledon has a unique position precisely because
This tradition and inheritance have created supreme glory.
The All England Club certainly has no reason to give up on adhering to tradition.
For fans and players, there is no doubt that Wimbledon is special.
Including Gawain is no exception.
Although Gawain has never set foot on a grass court, and although Wimbledon was not his first tennis experience, every time he sees players wearing white clothes and fighting like swordsmen on the green field, the retro and elegant scene is a pure enjoyment, giving tennis
The unique charm of this sport.
To be more precise, Wimbledon retains the original color of the sport of tennis, while also possessing the power and speed of modern tennis. Just like the serve-and-net players mentioned before, they are already very good on clay and hard courts.
They are less common, but the grassland still retains a place for them.
Perhaps times are constantly changing and advancing, and we have arrived in 2015 in the blink of an eye, but Wimbledon still retains the tennis style of half a century or even a century ago. There is no doubt that this characteristic cannot be found in any other events.
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Gao Wen is very much looking forward to playing on the grass. The short one-month grass season is really exciting.