Strawberries, Cream, and a Century of Tradition: The Business of Wimbledon

From a fundraising experiment for a roller to a multi-million-pound sporting institution, the world’s oldest tennis tournament remains a masterclass in tradition.

The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club began its journey in 1868 with a modest goal: to manage croquet. By 1877, the club was desperate for funds to repair its pony-driven roller, prompting the launch of the first lawn tennis tournament. That inaugural event, which drew just 22 men and a crowd of 200 paying a shilling each, has since evolved into the pinnacle of global tennis. Today, the championships define the British summer, balancing the rigid elegance of the grass courts with the commercial juggernaut that is the modern tournament.

The Economics of a Seasonal Icon

While the tennis captures the headlines, the tournament’s signature pairing of strawberries and cream is its most resilient brand asset. Historically, this pairing was a seasonal luxury for the Victorian upper class, coinciding perfectly with the June-July harvest. Today, it is a high-volume operation. In 2024 alone, the club served over 55 tons of Grade 1 Mailing Centenary strawberries, sourced from the same family-run farm in Kent for over three decades. With over 250,000 portions served at £2.70 a bowl, the club has managed to maintain an accessible price point—the first increase in 15 years—while generating massive demand for a product that was once considered a rare treat.

Beyond the Baseline: Culture and Controversy

The tournament’s history is punctuated by moments that defy its polished, polite exterior. While the sport has seen legends like Roger Federer and Martina Navratilova dominate the grass, the event has also played host to the unexpected. Perhaps the most famous disruption occurred on July 7, 1996, when a waitress named Melissa Johnson, feeling a "wild streak," vaulted onto Centre Court. Her brief, nude sprint during the men’s final between Richard Krajicek and MaliVai Washington provided a jolt of reality to the proceedings. While security swiftly removed her, the moment remains a permanent fixture in tournament lore, highlighting the human unpredictability that persists even in the most regulated environments.

The Bigger Picture

The enduring success of Wimbledon offers a rare case study in brand preservation. By keeping the strawberries, the dress codes, and the grass-court surface sacrosanct, the All England Club maintains a "premium scarcity" model that keeps sponsors and fans returning year after year. While many sporting events have pivoted toward aggressive modern commercialization, Wimbledon thrives by commodifying its own history. The challenge for the organisers is to continue balancing this Victorian-era identity with the demands of a global media landscape, ensuring the tournament remains relevant without losing the very traditions that make it unique.