A pair of debenture tickets for Wimbledon changed hands this week for a sum far beyond the means of ordinary tennis fans, according to The Guardian.
Marcos Ortega, an architect from Spain living in north London, enters the Wimbledon public ticket ballot every year.
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In seven straight years, he has never succeeded.
He was initially delighted to learn there was a way to secure a ticket for every game on Centre Court.
That delight turned to anger when he discovered the cost: £293,000 per ticket.
“I’ve played tennis all my life and I’d really love to go to Wimbledon. It’s the premier tennis competition in the world,” he said.
“Now, I learn that if you’re rich enough there is a way to pay your way in. It doesn’t seem fair.”
Ortega had stumbled upon the little-known world of Wimbledon debentures – special season tickets snapped up by the global super-rich.
There are 2,520 Centre Court debentures, each guaranteeing a seat for all 14 days of the tournament for five years.
The All England Club last sold them in 2024 for £116,000 each, raising £292m for development.
Debentures are classed as financial instruments, like shares and bonds. Owners can resell their entire allocation every Thursday at 11am.
This week, someone sold two tickets for £586,000.
The buyer will not be able to attend this year’s matches because the rights for the 2025 tournament were fixed in May.
