Robinsons and Wimbledon have ended their partnership after 86 years, just a week before the 2022 tennis championships are set to begin.
As reported by The Guardian the squash brand’s association with Wimbledon dates back to 1935.
This was after a drink using barley, lemon juice, and sugar was concocted to hydrate the players, by some accounts in the changing rooms of the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC).
The drink was created by Eric Smedley Hodgson and handed out to players and umpires during a visit to Wimbledon, and was so popular that he was invited back every year.
Eventually, the drink went into commercial production and became famous for appearing in bottles on the steps of the umpire’s seat at Wimbledon.
Robinsons is no longer sponsoring Wimbledon fortnight and this year will be celebrating the whole of summer with The Big Fruit Hunt – an interactive opportunity to find virtual fruit and win real prizes.
— Robinsons (@DrinkRobinsons) June 22, 2022
Visit https://t.co/bnw7qHg0S5 to find out how you can get involved
Robinsons then became the official soft drink sponsor of the tennis championships and they have been closely associated ever since.
This week, the drink brand, owned by Britvic, tweeted: “Robinsons is no longer sponsoring Wimbledon fortnight and this year will be celebrating the whole of summer with The Big Fruit Hunt – an interactive opportunity to find virtual fruit and win real prizes.”
The AELTC then issued a statement: “After more than 80 years, we can confirm that the partnership between the AELTC and Robinsons has come to an end.
"We are tremendously proud of the historic association with Robinsons over so many years, and thank them for the wider role they have played in supporting Wimbledon and tennis across the UK.”
Neither party gave a reason for the partnership ending, but reportedly Britvic wanted to promote some of their other products, such as Gatorade and Pepsi Max, at the championships and Wimbledon is thought to have been opposed to being associated with other sugary soft drinks.
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