Royal Marine commandos providing security at Wimbledon would like "nothing more than to sort out" disruptive social media influencers at the prestigious tournament, the chief executive has joked. The remark followed a debate about tennis etiquette at the US Open, where organisers accredited 100 influencers and content creators and a match involving two-time champion Naomi Osaka was disrupted by a group of influencers conducting a photo shoot.
Richard Atkinson, interim chief executive at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, said Wimbledon does not offer accreditation to influencers and sources have indicated to BBC Sport that is unlikely to change in the near future. He acknowledged that influencers were a "crucial part of the marketing mix" and that banning them entirely would be "nonsense", but said any brought in by brands would be "tightly chaperoned". One of the club's big partners, Polo Ralph Lauren, will have its own influencer, he said.
Atkinson also backed the traditional "self-policing" ethos at SW19, whereby fans respect the action. World number four Coco Gauff said it was important to welcome a "new demographic" to the sport, but added: "I think it's just, follow the etiquette of the sport. That's all." Fans will not be allowed to bring portable ring lights to the grounds.
Atkinson noted that the media landscape has changed and that embracing influencers helps Wimbledon remain relevant. He said the US Open's atmosphere is "very New York City", adding that it is "dead easy" for someone with a ring light to start broadcasting mid-match there, which he said would not be tolerated at Wimbledon.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing