Wimbledon will not create an accreditation category for influencers or content creators, a move that comes after this year’s US Open faced repeated complaints about disruptions tied to accredited creators.
According to ESPN, the All England Club’s conditions of entry already prohibit items that could disturb play, and organizers will confiscate equipment such as ring lights under those existing rules. Wimbledon reviews its policies, including those covering social media, annually.
The US Open accredited 100 content creators this year alongside traditional journalists and broadcasters. Matches at Flushing Meadows were interrupted by attendees taking photos with bright lighting and making noise during points. The tournament also revoked two improperly credentialed content creators, and players including Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka publicly urged spectators, some new to the sport, to follow tennis etiquette. The US Open also displayed etiquette reminders on its video screens throughout the grounds.
A Program Wimbledon Itself Helped Inspire
The US Open’s creator credential program, launched last year by the United States Tennis Association, was built in part on Wimbledon’s own social media performance. Jonathan Zipper, who oversees social media at the USTA, cited Wimbledon’s approach as a point of reference when the program launched in September 2025, pointing to a season in which Wimbledon’s channels generated 144 million engagements, a 26% increase year over year, and 2.7 billion video views, up 71%, while growing its social audience by 2.3 million to 23.5 million. Wimbledon achieved those numbers without an influencer accreditation category of its own.
The USTA’s program credentialed roughly 50 creators across food and beverage, lifestyle, entertainment, fashion, and family content when it began, before expanding to 100 for this year’s tournament.
Player Complaints Extended Beyond Noise
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka paused her third-round match after describing a “very strong smell” of marijuana on court, an issue organizers have also had to contend with near the outside courts, close to Corona Park. French player Adrian Mannarino was among those who criticized the atmosphere directly. “People are allowed to move around in the crowd during points,” he told reporters. “The tournament puts up with it, and I don’t know if it’s the best thing for tennis in general. There’s a smell of marijuana on the court, noise everywhere. The truth is it’s turning into a bit of a zoo.”
Wimbledon has historically run a more restrained event than the US Open, which allows music during changeovers and sees spectators leave their seats mid-point more often than the All England Club permits.
Dragomir is a Serbian freelance blog writer and translator. He is passionate about covering insightful stories and exploring topics such as influencer marketing, the creator economy, technology, business, and cyber fraud.
Wimbledon will not create an accreditation category for influencers or content creators, a move that comes after this year’s US Open faced repeated complaints about disruptions tied to accredited creators.
According to ESPN, the All England Club’s conditions of entry already prohibit items that could disturb play, and organizers will confiscate equipment such as ring lights under those existing rules. Wimbledon reviews its policies, including those covering social media, annually.
The US Open accredited 100 content creators this year alongside traditional journalists and broadcasters. Matches at Flushing Meadows were interrupted by attendees taking photos with bright lighting and making noise during points. The tournament also revoked two improperly credentialed content creators, and players including Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka publicly urged spectators, some new to the sport, to follow tennis etiquette. The US Open also displayed etiquette reminders on its video screens throughout the grounds.
A Program Wimbledon Itself Helped Inspire
The US Open’s creator credential program, launched last year by the United States Tennis Association, was built in part on Wimbledon’s own social media performance. Jonathan Zipper, who oversees social media at the USTA, cited Wimbledon’s approach as a point of reference when the program launched in September 2025, pointing to a season in which Wimbledon’s channels generated 144 million engagements, a 26% increase year over year, and 2.7 billion video views, up 71%, while growing its social audience by 2.3 million to 23.5 million. Wimbledon achieved those numbers without an influencer accreditation category of its own.
The USTA’s program credentialed roughly 50 creators across food and beverage, lifestyle, entertainment, fashion, and family content when it began, before expanding to 100 for this year’s tournament.
Player Complaints Extended Beyond Noise
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka paused her third-round match after describing a “very strong smell” of marijuana on court, an issue organizers have also had to contend with near the outside courts, close to Corona Park. French player Adrian Mannarino was among those who criticized the atmosphere directly. “People are allowed to move around in the crowd during points,” he told reporters. “The tournament puts up with it, and I don’t know if it’s the best thing for tennis in general. There’s a smell of marijuana on the court, noise everywhere. The truth is it’s turning into a bit of a zoo.”
Wimbledon has historically run a more restrained event than the US Open, which allows music during changeovers and sees spectators leave their seats mid-point more often than the All England Club permits.
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