Wimbledon debenture holders "have been laughing all the way to the bank," according to Paul Newman of the London INDEPENDENT. One of the current holders recently sold a '11-15 debenture -- which cost £27,750 ($46,500) and gives the owner one Centre Court ticket for every day of the Championships for five years -- for "a remarkable" £90,000 ($150,700). With "only two years left on the current debentures," that means the purchaser paid £90,000 for 26 Centre Court tickets (one ticket for every day at this year’s and next year’s Championships) at an average cost of £3,462 ($5,800) per ticket. The "top price at this year’s tournament" is £148 ($250) for a ticket on men’s final day. The main reason why such high prices are paid is that if you own a current Centre Court debenture "you go to the top of the priority list for the next issue." That "will happen this spring," with the price for '16-20 debentures to be announced on April 24. Existing No. 1 Court debenture holders "will be second on the priority list for the new debentures." Wimbledon "will not reveal the price it is contemplating" for the '16-20 debentures, but they could cost in the region of £60,000 ($100,500) (INDEPENDENT, 2/14).
