As Harmanpreet came down from the dressing room and stepped through the Long Room she walked into history. It took Lord’s 210 years to admit women as members and another 50 to stage a women’s Test. For Harmanpreet, this is her 8th Test in a career stretching almost 17 years.
The 4-day/100-overs-a-day Test is an occasion to cherish as a major landmark in the growth of women’s cricket. Lord’s (the ‘Home of cricket’) has a long history and staging this Test after hosting 150 men’s Tests is a significant concession to history and gender equality.
But forget the occasion; Lord’s is special anytime and when the sun is beating down from a blue sky the magic is unmistakeable. Lord’s is cricket, it has atmosphere and character — looking at the Wall of Fame and the statues of The Batsman and The Bowler near the Nursery ground Vitality Performance Centre, you get a sense that cricket is respected here. Stands are named after legendary English players and landmark contributions of foreign stars (including Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar) are graciously acknowledged.
The legacy of Lord’s extends beyond cricket, it is part of British tradition and culture, a ‘not to be missed’ social event in the English summer. Getting tickets to Lord’s is tough and attending a Test is a much sought after privilege.
Part of Lord’s enduring appeal lies in delivering an outstanding stadium experience to those walking through the Grace Gates. Over the years, Lord’s has evolved, embracing modernity to stay contemporary and ahead of the game, ensuring spectators leave happy and want to return. Access to the ground is easy with smiling volunteers guiding people from the St John’s Wood tube station, a short 10-minute walk. Its famous stewards, in green or white jackets depending on where they are deputed, are firm, yet courteous.
Spectators are allowed to bring along ‘reasonable’ quantities of food and drink though many options are available (including Indian chaat, samosa, lassi and biryani!) in the food court which has banners warning customers that Lord’s is cashless. Only cards work.
However, anyone wanting to understand ‘stadium experience’ must visit Wimbledon . Like Lord’s , the All England Club has perfected the event (given its history of 139 years ) looking at the minutest detail of every moving part. Besides being welcoming ,which is basic, attention is given to meet the needs of spectators – down to water bottle refill counters and mobile recharging points .
The key to Lord’s and Wimbledon (The Championships) is that they are both huge brands with a distinct identity which is fiercely protected and nurtured. If Lord’s is fussy about the spectators’ dress code in the Pavilion , Wimbledon goes a step further subjecting players to a strict non negotiable ‘whites only’ dress code .
Compared to Lord’s, Wimbledon stands out in two aspects. One, the ball kids who are selected through a rigorous process, discharge duties that go beyond unobtrusively collecting balls. They are trained to hold an umbrella over players during breaks and hand out cold towels in a certain manner.
The economics of the Championships are mind-boggling: first-round losers earn almost ₹1 crore, the total prize pool is around ₹700 crore and the two-week event generates a cool profit of ₹500 crore.
What’s special, though, is commercial presence and branding is minimal, governed by a ‘less is more’ outlook. Wimbledon has few carefully chosen sponsors ( called ‘commercial partners’) and only a particularly sharp, alert eye can spot them on the show courts. Slazenger , ball suppliers , are the oldest partners going back to 1902 ; others ( Rolex, Evian, IBM ) too have been associated for a long time .
In a way, both Lord’s and Wimbledon have created an identity for themselves which, while embedded in cricket and tennis, is perhaps as big as the game itself. Both represent consistent excellence, the very best in terms of what the players, and fans want.
PS: For sports administrators in India who organise mega sports events, a visit to Lord’s and Wimbledon must be mandatory – to understand the true meaning of the ‘fan first’ policy.