LONDON, September 1, 2016
More people will be able to watch tennis at The Queen’s Club than ever before during the Aegon Championships, 19-25 June, 2017 with the tournament expanding its Centre Court capacity by 30%.
More than 2,000 additional seats will be added to the current 6,651 on Centre Court.
The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), which owns the tournament, has also signed a new 10-year agreement to continue staging the Aegon Championships at The Queen’s Club, up to and including at least 2026. The tournament was first staged at The Queen’s Club in 1890.
“In 2017, the Aegon Championships will be bigger and better than ever,” said Tournament Director, Stephen Farrow. “Last year, we sold out within 24 hours and enjoyed a 20% increase in hospitality sales, so the demand for an increase in capacity is clear. We have worked on these plans for a long time, and we are delighted that we can now move forward with our partners at The Queen’s Club via a new, long-term agreement to take the event to the next level and enable more people to attend than ever before.”
Andrew Stewart, Chief Executive of The Queen’s Club, said:
“The Aegon Championships is the highlight of the Club’s calendar and we are delighted to have secured this new agreement for the next 10 years. While the increase in capacity will allow more people to enjoy the event, both we and the LTA will ensure that the intimate atmosphere for which Queen’s is so well known will be retained.”
Tara McGregor-Woodhams, Head of Brand and Sponsorship Aegon UK, added:
“This is smashing news for tennis fans. The continued success of British tennis is helping to get more and more youngsters involved with the game as well as attracting an army of new fans. Increased capacity at The Aegon Championships will give more people the opportunity to watch some of the best tennis players in the world”.
The Aegon Championships has been broadcast live on BBC television and radio for more than 35 years and is an established part of the British sporting calendar.
The champion at The Queen’s Club has gone on to win Wimbledon in the same year on 22 occasions. The 22nd was Andy Murray in 2016.
Murray won a record fifth title in the process, defeating Milos Raonic in a thrilling three-set final just two days after the tournament had celebrated other four-time champions Roy Emerson, John McEnroe, Boris Becker and Lleyton Hewitt in an on-court presentation.
Murray vs. Raonic would be reprised three weeks later in the Wimbledon final, with Murray taking the title at The All England Club for a second time.
