Best attended Futures and Challenger events

JonH · All-time great

Best attended Futures and Challenger events

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Just real quick feedback, JonH:

In the UK, I went to Surbiton and the Roehampton NTC futures last year.

Surbiton is a thriving club, and a bigger event, with men and women and more prize money. Turnout was good (weather was great). About 200 people in total, I would guess around the place. Of which, about 20 outsiders, 50 club members (some just watching, some helping out), about 100 friends, parents, coaches etc. and 30 players (very rough numbers). (Numbers often also boosted by a whole class of schoolkids). I might be on the low side.

The NTC had practically noone (it's not a club, so it has no club base). About 4 outsiders. And 20-30 friends, coaches, parents. And the players.

As compared with France, Surbiton was pretty similar to an equal size event, in summer. Same sort of buzz. Lots of kids. Friendly. Club members who know each other.

You don't usually get an ITF 10k as bare as the NTC one, though. In France, there's always a decent number of club members, coming and going, watching a bit, having a drink, moaning about life, or whatever. But the weather makes a huge difference. Although might be different up north, I only really know the southern half.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Texas Tech futures in Lubbock, great venue, excellent viewing, you can sit between courts in the shade under a canopy or look down from on high. Water gratis but food limited. I went midweek, a Thursday so plenty of players coaches etc... outnumbering fans, very relaxed an some good tennis on offer. Particularly given the gaggle of GB ladies (no mysogny intended, I am scared of Geese!) touring together, only really got to see Harriet.

Murcia, been there too a couple of times on the weekend but will leave Bob to wax lyrical, but did get to see PCB on his phenomenal (Evoesque) comeback trail.

All that said you can't beat Wimbledon Qualifying for the best value tennis ticket in town, all you have to do is cough up your email and your in!

paulisi · Tennis legend

North West 10k is normally a handful plus family and coaches until the weekend. The finals are generally well attended I.e Wirral and Sportcity both filled their seating allocation so must have been 100+
Didsbury challenger was quite well attended. Sold out for the final - 1000? Similarly Ilkley although weather is a big factor.
During the week around 100-150.
Birmingham WTA not particularly well attended until end of week, finals are always sold out. Probably around 300-400 during the start of the week
All down to marketing.

JonH · All-time great

paulisi wrote:
North West 10k is normally a handful plus family and coaches until the weekend. The finals are generally well attended I.e Wirral and Sportcity both filled their seating allocation so must have been 100+
Didsbury challenger was quite well attended. Sold out for the final - 1000? Similarly Ilkley although weather is a big factor.
During the week around 100-150.
Birmingham WTA not particularly well attended until end of week, finals are always sold out. Probably around 300-400 during the start of the week
All down to marketing.

Thanks Paulise - went to Ilkley when it was a Futures a few years ago, crowds seemed similar to what you suggest at Challenger level. Back in the day when Ilkley was a prestigious Open event, the finals and semis included players like Mike Appleton, Donald Watt, John Paish, Simon Ickringill etc and could draw good crowds of a few hundred. One year they got bigger sponsorship and Yorkshire TV showed the finals live - Peter McNamara, Vijay Amritraj and Jeremy Bates played if I am remembering correctly and the finals drew a good 2000-3000 that year I would guess

paulisi · Tennis legend

Shrewsbury finals are normally well supported, I believe. They bring in a stand and fill it.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Has anybody been to the Vegas of East Anglia..i.e .Frinton ... for the tennis ! Not just roasting in the tropical climes of the beachfront or drinking and gambling the night away downtown.

the addict · Tennis legend

I went to the British Tour event at Frinton last year - I can't remember whether it was Tier 1 or Tier 2, probably the latter. Not the best for viewing as the courts are side on to the clubhouse - two banks of 4 were being used, so you could only really see the nearest two in each bank. It was almost entirely juniors, and there were around a dozen parents watching, hardly anyone else. I went purely to watch Holly H and Joe Cannel play. Beautiful sunny day and some good tennis. Felixstowe in May was better though, being well attended by players competing for the wild card on offer, and the courts are end-on, so you could see them all. Again though, very few spectators, but a hot sunny day, and an opportunity to chat to a few players.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Good to know thanks

the addict · Tennis legend

Incidentally, there were quite a few more people at the tour event at Sutton - club members, family, coaches - and you could get to see all the courts end-on.