The 2023 Davis Cup is officially underway in Manchester this week and with the group stages of the Finals taking place at the iconic AO Arena, just around the corner at Cathedral Gardens, the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) has decided to turn the space into a big fan village.
And it’s all completely free to enjoy.
Cathedral Gardens becomes home to various events throughout the year — Festa Italiana, MIF, sometimes the ice rink during the Christmas Markets etc. — and so with our city hosting the Davis Cup for the first time in nearly 30 years, LTA jumped at the chance to use the space for their fan village.
The ‘World Cup of tennis’ is taking place from 12-17 September and you can make the most of this wonderful free space whilst taking in all the action right here on the home court.
Manchester’s Davis Cup fan village (Credit: LTA)
Turning the historic little corner of the city into a mini-Henman Hill, the organisers of this year’s event have posted up just behind the Corn Exchange and on the grass right outside the National Football Museum.
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As well as being able to enjoy the tournament on the big screen, which will be showing all the games played here in Manchester, you can also soak up the Davis Cup atmosphere with free-to-play mini-courts, a number of interactive booths and other activities, as well as plenty of merch and food, of course.
After popping down for Great Britain’s first game against Australia on Wednesday, 13 September, the place was packed with kids on school trips enjoying the four free courts and the deckchairs were full of people watching the big screen.
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We’ll certainly be soaking up the atmosphere on our lunch breaks for as long as it’s there, with the space open to the public from 11am-7pm every day until the competition is over.
It’s all totally free to enjoy as well (Credit: LTA/The Manc Group)
Our boys got off to a great start this week by beating last year’s runners-up 2-1 on Wednesday, with youngster Jack Draper delivering a hard-fought victory against Thanasi Kokkinakis before British number two Dan Evans dispatched Alex De Minaur with ease.
GB did lose their doubles match 7-6(5), 6-4, with this year’s Wimbledon champ Neal Skupski teaming up with an already depleted Evans, both of which still put the Aussies through their paces and nearly saw the team walk away with a clean sweep.
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We are still yet to face Switzerland (Friday) and France (Sunday) for a place in the November knockouts but after a strong round of opening fixtures and with Andy Murray restored to this year’s squad, they stand a really good chance of going all the way — the Scot seems to think so, anyway.
Speaking to media even before Wednesday’s games, the 36-year-old said, “We have a great group of guys, I love being part of this team, we’ve got great staff as well. Everyone gets on extremely well. I do genuinely believe the team can win the event.” It remains to be seen how much Murray will play.
Manchester City release limited-edition Blossoms shirts exclusively in new flagship store
Daisy Jackson
Manchester City have released a limited run of special Blossoms shirts, which will be available exclusively at the new flagship City Store.
Etihad Airways has donated the front-of-shirt space for the special drop, which celebrates the Stockport band’s lifelong support of Man City and will fundraise forCity in the Community’s 40th anniversary.
The Manchester City x Blossoms collab features the band’s logo across the chest of the 2024/25 season’s away shirt – one of the Club’s most popular designs in recent years.
Profits from sales of the shirts will be donated to CITC to support its 40th anniversary fundraising, which empower healthier lives with city youth through football.
Blossoms have just secured their fifth UK number one album with their latest release, ‘Songs From The Wedding Cake’, and will soon be heading on an arena tour that includes two massive shows at the Co-op Live.
There’s a very limited run of the Man City Blossoms shirts, available in sizes small to large, which will exclusively be sold at the new flagship CityStore.
The shirts have dropped in-store this morning, with further drops to be released around the band’s tour dates this November and December.
As for that new City store – it’s a whopping 21,000 sq ft, three-floor space at Medlock Square, right beside the Etihad Stadium, and is the biggest shop in the club’s history.
The new flagship has opened today in collaboration with PUMA and Stichd, and features a new, interactive ‘Make It Yours’ customisation station as well as an expanded range of Manchester City products.
Tickets go live as opening date is announced for Manchester City’s new ‘immersive’ museum experience
Emily Sergeant
Tickets to visit Manchester City’s new ‘immersive’ museum experience have officially gone live ahead of the grand opening.
Set to open in the heart of the £300m Medlock Square entertainment district at Manchester’s Etihad Campus next month, the Manchester City Museum Experience will be spread across 10 distinctive spaces – with visitors invited to take a trip down memory lane with nostalgic environments from throughout the club’s history.
Fans will also be able to take part in interactive media experiences, like posing with all 48 major trophies won by the club’s first teams or trying their hand at football punditry.
The experience will combine the latest immersive technology with physical memorabilia drawn from across the club’s history to do this.
Hidden details and surprising ‘did you know’ facts are set to be embedded across the experience, so that even the most devoted Man City fans will have the chance to discover something new about the club they love.
By combining interactive environments, technology, and authentic artefacts, the experience is aiming to appeal to a wide audience – from lifelong Manchester City supporters, to families and those with a broader interest in football, culture, and the city of Manchester.
“The Museum Experience has been designed as a destination that goes beyond just the pitch,” commented Jeremy Maxton, who is the Director of Visitor Attractions at Manchester City Football Club.
Manchester City releases CGIs and important details of its new ‘immersive’ museum / Credit: Manchester City / Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA)
“Whether you’re a lifelong supporter, visiting Manchester for a weekend, or simply looking for a unique day out, we’ve created an experience that offers something for everyone.
“From the recreated environments and original memorabilia to the interactive elements, there are different ways into the Club’s history throughout the Museum.
“We’ve also built in space for new stories to be added over time, so the experience can continue to evolve. It’s been a huge project to bring together and we’re looking forward to people seeing it for themselves later this year.”
The Manchester City Museum Experience officially opens on 14 December, and you can now book tickets to visit from that date here.
Featured Image – Credit: Manchester City / Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA)
Danny Jones -
14th September 2023 
