The exemption would only cover the sale of debentures
Wimbledon bosses are set to be granted an exception from legislation, set to be introduced in next year’s King’s Speech, that would prohibit the resale of tickets above their original price for sports and music events.
The proposed new laws, aimed at eradicating ticket touting, could significantly affect the sale of debentures by the All England Club, which has generated hundreds of millions of pounds for the business over the past decade.
According to CityAM, AELTC has had constructive discussions with the UK government about securing an exemption from the legislation due to the crucial role of debenture sales in its income stream, which as a non-profit organisation is reinvested into tennis.
A Wimbledon debenture grants the holder the right to buy tickets to the Grand Slam tournament for five or ten years but can also be resold for a substantial profit, further fuelling demand.
Earlier this year, Bloomberg reported that one Centre Court debenture was resold for £200,000 within months of being bought for £116,000, while the starting price for a No1 Court debenture is £76,000, according to City AM.
The All England Club has raised nearly £250m from selling 2,520 Centre Court debentures for the 2026 to 2030 cycle, while 1,250 No1 Court debentures are projected to raise more than £90m.
Insiders involved in the talks reveal that the government acknowledges debentures as long-term, transferable securities with distinct value, separate from other sports and music tickets. The fact that debenture sales proceeds are used to fund grassroots sport is also considered significant.
Wimbledon’s debentures are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and can only be sold if both parties receive approval from the All England Club, which backs the government’s plan to ban price surges for ordinary ticket resales.
The Rugby Football Union also offers debentures for Twickenham, albeit with a different model where the payment essentially acts as an interest-free loan. According to the RFU’s terms and conditions, tickets secured by debenture holders can only be resold at face value.
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