Sports hospitality has never been this good – but which sport does it best?
It’s impossible to start this column without a mention of England and the World Cup. It felt like interest levels were low at the start of the tournament but England’s heroic performance in Mexico and their nervy win against Norway has got the whole country behind them. Will football finally be coming home?
One thing’s for sure: England supporters are flocking to Atlanta this weekend – one last chance to see Messi on the World Cup stage – and with ticket prices from £3,000 for the cheapest tickets in the stadium, it shows how much we’re willing to pay to see the Three Lions. And if England get through to the final in New York… Well I’m hearing quotes of $20,000 for Category 1 tickets.
In other news, I got to experience the Formula 1 at Silverstone earlier this month and once again it proved that motorsport does hospitality better than anyone else. The Paddock Club is without question the flagship hospitality experience, offering unique access to the teams through pit lane walks and paddock tours. I can’t think of another sport that gives such amazing “backstage” access. They think of everything to make the fan experience central to the entire event – nothing is off limits. I’m amazed more sports don’t follow the same ethos.
Hospitality at Wimbledon
The eyes of the tennis world were on Wimbledon over the last few weeks and once again Debenture tickets were being traded for thousands of pounds, with seats at the men’s final reaching over £10,000. A Debenture ticket at Wimbledon, unlike tickets won through the public ballot, are deemed financial assets and can therefore be legally sold or transferred on the open market. With only 2,500 available for the Centre Court, they are one of the most coveted tickets in sport. The rise in the price of a Debenture seat since Covid has been remarkable and shows no sign of slowing down.
It wasn’t long ago that a ticket to the Men’s Final was about £3,000 per person – now the cheapest day during the first week is about that price. That said, I’m of the opinion that Wimbledon is the jewel in the crown of the British sporting summer – a corporate invite to Centre Court is rarely turned down and what better way to spend time with your clients and their partners. The tickets also come with access to the exclusive Debenture Lounges and allow ticket holders the opportunity to relax between matches with a Pimms and a bite to eat.
Play on the same course as the golf pros
This week The Open Championship golf tournament rolled into Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Merseyside. It offers the best test of any golf course on The Open rota and the changes to the course are spectacular. The popularity of golf is sky high and that’s partly down to your ability to experience these golf courses first hand as an amateur. Using the latest Golf Digest World’s 100 Greatest Courses (2026-27), the UK and Ireland account for an astonishing 53 of the world’s top 100 golf courses.
We at Your Golf Travel have never seen demand for premium golf courses at such a high and while a tennis fan will be very unlikely to play on Centre Court, golf fans can call Your Golf Travel and book trips to play the courses on which they see their heroes. My recommendations for the best tournament courses are Valderrama in Spain and Gleneagles in Scotland.
Don’t forget the power of padel
Finally, it’s worth mentioning the meteoric rise of padel. Everywhere you look across London, new courts are popping up and it seems every week another club is announcing plans to open. What was once considered a niche activity has become one of the hottest participation sports in the country. I had a meeting with Craig and Will from WillU Group and beforehand we played a padel match.
It’s a great way to work up a sweat prior to a meeting and it’s no surprise that businesses are embracing the trend, with more companies using padel as a way to entertain clients and bring colleagues together.
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