Wimbledon chief sets out influencer controls after US Open disruption

Wimbledon does not offer a separate accreditation category for social media influencers, and those invited by commercial partners are closely supervised, interim All England Lawn Tennis Club chief executive Richard Atkinson has said. BBC Sport reported that sources do not expect the tournament to introduce influencer accreditation in the near future.

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Atkinson outlined Wimbledon's approach during a panel at Leaders Week London, following disruption at this year's US Open. Organisers in New York accredited 100 influencers and content creators, according to the BBC. A group carrying out a photo shoot interrupted a match involving two-time champion Naomi Osaka, bringing the conduct of such visitors under scrutiny.

The Wimbledon executive distinguished between granting influencers their own accredited status and allowing them to attend through other routes. He said commercial partners, including Polo Ralph Lauren, bring influencers to the tournament, but those guests are chaperoned. He also rejected the idea of excluding influencers altogether, describing their role in reaching audiences around the world as an important part of the club's marketing.

Portable ring lights, equipment commonly used by content creators, will not be permitted inside Wimbledon, the BBC reported. Atkinson contrasted the tournament's approach with the possibility of ticket holders starting broadcasts during matches in New York. He also pointed to spectators' established respect for the action at Wimbledon as part of how behaviour is managed, alongside the controls applied to invited guests.

Discussing the risk of similar disruption, Atkinson joked about the Royal Marine commandos who provide security at Wimbledon dealing with influencers. His remarks were presented as a joke, not as an announcement of a new enforcement measure. After the US Open incident, world number four Coco Gauff had supported bringing new audiences into tennis while stressing that visitors should observe the sport's etiquette.

Atkinson said Wimbledon's marketing staff work carefully to ensure collaborations fit the tournament's identity. He acknowledged that media consumption now extends beyond newspapers and television, and that content creators have a place in that changing environment. His comments therefore set out a policy of controlled participation, rather than a blanket ban on influencers attending the championships.