The Championship, also known today as the Wimbledon Championship, began way back in 1877. But it was not until close to a 100 years later – in 1968 – that prizes were handed out to participants – the same year that the tournament accepted professional players for the first time in his history. Back then, the total purse was only prized at £26,150. Decades later, that amount has ballooned to nearly £40 million. Yes, that’s what happens when you start attracting the best players on the planet. Wherever they go, the crowd, the sponsors, and advertisers all follow.
The Total Payout
The Wimbledon is only getting more popular, as evidenced by another increase in its total purse. Last year, the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club doled out £34 million ($44.2 million) in prizes. This year, it has raised the purse to £38 million ($49.4 million). That’s an 11.76 percent increase, meaning more motivation for players to win the tournament. And unlike with most other professional sports, Wimbledon offers an equal pay day for male and female competitors alike, although it became the last of the four major ATP tournaments to award equal prize money, back in 2007.
