Wimbledon Profits Increased in 2012

Written by: Staff on 14th December 2012

Wimbledon Profits Increased in 2012

epa03300471 Roger Federer of Switzerland returns to Andy Murray of Britain during the men's final match for the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, 08 July 2012. EPA/JONATHAN BRADY |

All the numbers are looking good for Britain’s affluent Lawn Tennis Association and none is better than 7% rise in profits from this summer’s All England Club Championships.

Every penny is directed to the LTA’s coffers to improve British tennis and this year the sum was an all-time record: £37.8 million which equates to more than $US60 million.

Increased television revenues, most notably a new American deal with ESPN and a renewed British contract with the BBC, means Wimbledon’s profits have risen 47% since 2008.

Making his address at the LTA’s annual general meeting this week, the association’s president Peter Bretherton said: “Once again The Championships at Wimbledon, provided another superb fortnight of tennis, and I’d like to thank Philip Brook, the Committee of Management and the Executive team at The All England Club for their hard work, and the support that they provide for British tennis.”

The LTA is insistent it is putting the money to good use and Bretheton maintains in the last year, his association has spent £12.3m on developing British tennis players and more than £17m on encouraging people to take up the sport.

Bretherton continued: “Wherever I go round the country to talk to people about tennis, they ask me what are we doing to spread the opportunity for tennis across Great Britain? Are we doing enough to improve facilities? Why aren’t there more of them?

“Our answer is that we’ve more than 20,000 courts – many of them free to use all year round – and we’ve invested more than £25m over the past five years, with an emphasis on floodlights and indoor courts to promote year round tennis. We’re working with clubs, local authorities and community groups to make sure that courts are open and in good condition.”

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: All England Tennis Club, British tennis news, Lawn Tennis Association, Sports, Tennis News, Wimbledon