People at Wimbledon Would Rather Eat Steak Than Watch Tennis

Ah, Wimbledon. Even if you're not into tennis or rich people and Panama hats, you know it's coming. The endless "strawberries and cream and prosecco!!" Instagrams, the wannabe-Serenas taking over previously deserted public tennis courts, and the yearly—yet no less crushing—realisation that Fred Perry will continue being the only British person with a Wimbledon title this side of the First World War. The two-week tournament is as intrinsic to British summertime as wet barbecues and hayfever.

While thousands tune in to watch television coverage of Wimbledon, it seems some of those lucky enough to score tickets to the event would rather go HAM in the catering tent than actually watch matches.

According to The Daily Telegraph, Wimbledon hospitality workers have complained of large companies bulk buying seats for the Centre Court (that's the main court hosting most of the high profile matches, tennis noobs) to present as gifts to clients.

The problem is that these clients would rather eat and drink than appreciate Petra Kvitova's serve, leaving a dearth of empty seats that could have gone to the hardcore tennis fans that queue outside the London venue each day.

One worker told The Telegraph that the corporate hospitality area was "so busy" during Murray's recent match.

"Lunch often runs over onto pudding and once they've had quite a lot of steak and booze they don't want to leave," they said. "If they go to one match, they come back and are exhausted. They are welcome to take bottles of water and Pimm's to the courts but they always make excuses to come back [to the hospitality area]."

It's not just hospitality staff who have noticed these sneaky trips back to the bar. The Telegraph also spoke to an anonymous corporate hospitality guest, who revealed that during Murray's match against Canada's Vasek Pospisil, there were up to a hundred people "milling around" in the hospitality tents.

Companies including Nike, JP Morgan, Evian, and Hertz have all had their own onsite tents at Wimbledon. According to The Daily Mirror, hiring a hospitality suite for the tournament can cost up to £300,000 and include edible offerings such as three-tier cake stands, pastries, wines, and beer. Other companies order "luxurious extras" such as lobster, fruit baskets, and Champagne.

A spokesman for the All England Lawn Tennis Club, the London tennis club that serves as the venue for Wimbledon, told The Telegraph that "seats may not be occupied for a variety of reasons, for instance there are matches on 17 other courts, and most often may just be the result of spectators taking a refreshment break which they are perfectly entitled to do."

A refreshment break that includes luxury seafood, perhaps?

It seems that even when these guzzlers do make it to their allotted seats, they're too preoccupied with Wimbledon's official drink to concentrate on the game. Speaking after her match with Serena Williams on Tuesday, Belarusian player Victoria Azarenka complained of the crowd's drunken laughter. "I think they might have had a little too many Pimm's or whatever." she said. "When people are drinking, every time the announcer says, Make sure you hydrate yourself, I think he means with water, not alcohol."

You're right, Victoria. They should probably make another trip back to the hospitality tent to grab a few bottles.