When Are Wimbledon Tickets Released?
Locker Room
March 6, 2015
Wimbledon 2015 is fast approaching, and tennis fans around the world are getting ready for one of the sporting world’s biggest events. There are a variety of ways to get tickets to Wimbledon, with some offering tickets weeks before the event starts.
Tickets are available for debenture holders – people that have bought Wimbledon debentures to fund the tournament – people that enter the Public Ballot, and even on the day to the hundreds of people that wait in The Queue.
It’s also possible to get tickets to Wimbledon through special ballots, such as the Lawn Tennis Association’s (LTA) private ballot, or from a very limited number of sports ticketing companies.
In this post, we’ll look at the various ways to get tickets to Wimbledon and explain when tickets to The Championships become available, making it as easy as possible for you to maximise your chance of getting tickets to Wimbledon 2015.
Taking part in the Wimbledon Public Ballot
Since 1924, tennis fans have been able to enter into the Public Ballot for tickets to The Championships. The tickets given out through the ballot are for random dates and courts, meaning that participants can’t request a certain day or match.
Despite this limitation, entering the Public Ballot is a great way to get access to this year’s Wimbledon tournament, provided you get in early. Unfortunately, the ballot for 2015 has closed, although other methods of getting tickets are still available.
If you entered into the Public Ballot successfully, you’ll be entered into the draw for tickets, which is carried out from February 2015 onwards. Winners are notified by the All England Club and able to pay for their tickets from February until June.
Tickets start being released in the second week of May 2015, giving ballot entrants plenty of time to pay for their tickets and prepare for Wimbledon before the events start on the 29th of June.
Joining the Lawn Tennis Association ballot
Unbeknown to many people, including many of its members, the LTA operates its own Wimbledon ticket ballot. The odds are much better than those offered by the Public Ballot, with about one in five entrants receiving tickets to Wimbledon.
While the LTA ballot offers better odds than the Public Ballot, it isn’t open to every tennis fan. In order to enter, you’ll need to join the Lawn Tennis Association, which costs £25 per year.
Like the Public Ballot, the LTA ballot closes quite early. The last UK applications are accepted by the 31st of December, meaning that entry for this year’s ballot is already over.
Just like the Public Ballot, LTA ballot tickets are usually given out at the beginning of May. If you belong to a tennis club that’s affiliated with the LTA, you might be able to enter the ballot and improve your chances of attending Wimbledon 2015.
Attending Wimbledon with debenture tickets
Every year, the All England Lawn Tennis Club issues special Wimbledon tickets to debenture holders – people that have financed Wimbledon via debentures so that the tournament can be adequately funded.
Debenture tickets offer the most exclusive experience on offer at Wimbledon – aside from the Royal Box, of course. They’re the only Wimbledon tickets that can be resold to others, making them the most convenient way to attend The Championships.
People attending Wimbledon with debenture tickets receive access to the debenture lounges, as well as exclusive access to seats offering the best possible view on the No 1 and Centre courts.
Unlike ballot tickets, debenture tickets can be bought ahead of time, making it easy to plan ahead for Wimbledon. Tickets are released by the All England Club three to four weeks before Wimbledon begins, at which point they are issued to holders.
Waiting for Wimbledon tickets in The Queue
Wimbledon just wouldn’t be Wimbledon if it weren’t for The Queue. Unlike almost all high-profile sporting events in the UK, Wimbledon lets attendees join a queue to buy public tickets on the day of play, provided they’re patient enough.
Over the years, The Queue has grown from several hundred people into thousands of tennis fans, many of whom camp out overnight to make sure they get a position near the start of The Queue.
Numbers are handed out at the beginning of the day, although fans usually get there a day or two early to make sure they get a good spot. Fans have been spotted joining The Queue more than 48 hours early during the finals of The Championships.
Queue tickets are released on the day of play, giving fans that missed out on tickets from the Public Ballot a final chance to see Wimbledon live. If you can tolerate the long wait, The Queue is a great opportunity to get last-minute Wimbledon tickets.
Are you ready for Wimbledon 2015?
Although the 2015 Public Ballot is now closed to new entries, there are still plenty of ways to get tickets to Wimbledon 2015. If you’re interested in attending Wimbledon this year, take action soon to ensure you don’t miss out on publicly available tickets.
Our debenture tickets offer exclusive access to the Centre Court and No. 1 Court, as well as access to the debenture lounges. Browse our selection of Wimbledon tickets online and buy exclusive debenture tickets to see your favourite players live.