Tradition, without a doubt, is the keyword of Wimbledon. It is also the tradition that enables Wimbledon to maintain its advantage in the fierce competition of modern professional tournaments. It was once considered a "pedantic and old-fashioned" tradition, but after being polished by time, it has evolved into a unique advantage of this tournament.
Of course, among the many traditions of Wimbledon, there is also an admirable and even respectful persistence -
advertise.
The most obvious difference from the other three Grand Slams is that the All England Club has always maintained its private stance and refused to be swept up in the commercial torrent.
Firstly, apart from a few major sponsors, the main stadium of Wimbledon is always spotless. Putting aside the ever-changing technological products under the eaves, from the outside, this venue looks no different from a hundred years ago.
In 2022, it will be the 100th anniversary of the official opening of Wimbledon Centre Court. At that time, reporters took photos. After a hundred years, the court has hardly undergone earth-shaking changes and has retained its fine traditions to this day.
Secondly, Wimbledon has always insisted on not placing billboards around the stadium, that is, no advertisements are placed on the boards behind the players and on both sides of the stadium. Even advertisements of major sponsors will not be placed here, ensuring the "cleanliness" of the stadium, which is similar to the players' white jerseys.
Thanks to this, the courts at Wimbledon are particularly clean, and the collision of white clothes and green grass always brings the most beautiful visual experience.
In tennis, a sport with such a high degree of commercialization, it is incredible that Wimbledon, as the highest-level Grand Slam tournament, has always maintained zero billboards on site. The only embedded advertisement in the stadium is the clock used for timing the event, which belongs to Rolex.
But that's what they've persisted with over the years.
The All England Club once confiscated a yogurt cup brought by a spectator because the yogurt was not produced by its official sponsor; the London Food, Drink and Entertainment Guide distributed at the exit of the subway station was confiscated by the tournament security before it was even opened because any form of advertising was prohibited from entering the venue.
It is also worth mentioning that Wimbledon's stadium has always refused to be named.
In Melbourne, there are Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena and Hisense Arena; in Paris, there are Philippe Chatrier Arena and Suzanne Lenglen; in New York, there are Arthur Ashe Stadium and Louis Armstrong Arena, these titled stadiums have become a special landscape.
But at Wimbledon, there's just Centre Court, Court One, Court Two and Court Three, and everything is kept simple.
To some extent, the commitment to tennis, the purity of the event and the rejection of commerce are deeply ingrained in the All England Club. From the white jerseys to the billboards to the naming of the stadium, this consistency can be seen in every aspect.
It is for this reason that Wimbledon's prize money ranks last among the four Grand Slams.
Taking the 2015 men's singles championship prize money as an example, the Australian Open was 3.1 million Australian dollars, the French Open was 1.8 million euros, and Wimbledon was 1.88 million pounds.
Looking at the numbers purely, after the exchange rate is converted, Wimbledon is slightly higher than the French Open, but after deducting the tax rate, the French Open is ahead of Wimbledon.
Over the years, the US Open has always been far ahead in terms of champion prize money, and is undoubtedly the most commercially successful event; the Australian Open has caught up after its reforms, and the upward trend in prize money in recent years is very gratifying; the French Open is third, and Wimbledon has been content to remain at the bottom.
Moreover, from all aspects, Wimbledon is in no hurry to change the status quo. While the US Open and ATP/WTA year-end finals attract top players to participate and create topics every year with the title of "record-breaking prize money", Wimbledon always maintains its own pace.
It can be seen that Wimbledon is very satisfied with the current situation.
However, one surprising fact is that Wimbledon is the most profitable of the four Grand Slams and has held the throne for many years.
High broadcasting fees, issuance of stadium bonds and sales of souvenirs will all bring considerable income to the organizing committee, among which tradition plays an important role.
For example, the Centre Court. Because this court has countless heritages, the surrounding areas of the Centre Court are often the souvenirs that spectators must buy when leaving Wimbledon every year.
For example, strawberries with cream. This is not a new variety of strawberry, but strawberries served with cream. This has become an iconic traditional snack at Wimbledon and even a business card for this centenary 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 cream strawberries for ten strawberries has risen to 2.5 pounds, there is still a shortage of supply.
It is said that as far back as 1884, cream strawberries were already a major feature of the event, and it is another tradition that has continued over the years.
It can be seen that the inheritance of traditional culture permeates every aspect of Wimbledon, and this history is precisely what the other three Grand Slams do not have. Therefore, when other events have to innovate and re-plan to keep up with the times in the fierce competition of the commercial society, Wimbledon still continues to work diligently to improve its brand culture and firmly defend its unique position in the tennis world.
Today, professional tennis has reached every corner of the globe. The four Grand Slams, each with its own merits, and nine Masters tournaments compete with each other all year round, bringing tennis to the attention of millions of viewers.
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 of this tradition and this inheritance that has created supreme glory.
The All England Club certainly has no reason to give up on tradition.
The latest novel is published first on Liu9shuba!
For fans and players, Wimbledon is undoubtedly special.
This includes Gao Wen.
Although he has never stepped onto a grass court and although Gawain's tennis enlightenment was not at Wimbledon, every time he sees the players in white clothes running and competing on the green field like swordsmen, the retro and elegant scene is a pure enjoyment, giving the sport of tennis a unique charm.
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-volley players mentioned earlier, who are now very rare on clay and hard courts, but still have a place for them on grass.
Perhaps, times are constantly changing and we are already in 2015, but Wimbledon still retains the tennis style of half a century or even a century ago. There is no doubt that this quality cannot be found in any other tournaments.
Gao Wen is very much looking forward to playing on the grass. The grass court season, which lasts only one month, is really exciting.
However, this is not easy -