Garbine Muguruza, the current co-director of the Mutua Madrid Open, has drawn heavy criticism after openly admitting the recent management decisions to prioritize VIP guests over regular attendees, citing it as an essential monetary model. Fans argued that the lavish model has deterred the common public in large numbers from attending big events.
The Mutua Madrid Open is currently underway with explosive on-court action that is already evident with recent upsets and notable wins, while an explosive finale is already in the making.
Before donning an executive role, Garbiñe Muguruza Blanco was a Venezuelan-born, Spanish tennis prodigy with the World No. 1 ranking on her wings. She had two grand slam titles on her resume from 2016 to 2017, alongside plenty more accolades to flash.
Her transition from the court to the boardroom has, however, hit a stall, as her recent admission of the committee’s corporate-first VIP model has sparked a great rift within the tennis community.
The Madrid Open has seen a great deal of empty seats as regular fans are not able to afford the seats in the lower bowl, which is filled with VIP boxes. The complaint also extends to how the viewing becomes difficult due to the massive barrier of boxes that are VIP exclusive.
Fans have taken to their social media to vent on the unruly optics and called out Muguruza to bring about a change.
One user wrote:
“That’s the problem. You don’t have a tennis tournament. You have an event for fancy folks where there are also tennis matches. At least he admits it. If you want an event like that, sell tickets to go hobnob and do business, get rid of the VIP boxes and sell more tickets to regular people.”
Another commented:
“It’s a disgrace that the tournament director should make these public statements. She seems worried about tennis.”
“Have you publicly admitted that it’s not a tournament for the people and that it’s for and by business, eating, and the posturing of being in the stands? Or maybe I’m the crazy one… What a bigger shame, please…”
“What a shame of a tournament, with what it could be and what it is. Lots of guests but the people who really love tennis unable to buy tickets because it’s all VIP boxes. You should be ashamed” @GarbiMuguruza @feliciano_lopez
A user wrote:
“And where does sports fit into this? What are they going for? Just to show off and get seen in the magazines and televisions that they later complain about for chasing them?”
Garbine Muguruza Talks About Strenuous Behind-the-Scenes Corporate Work as an Executive
“People in the offices, working day and night to make everything possible to pull off a tournament and make it successful. We arrive, and everything’s done, but that team, that’s their working,” she said.
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