IBM and Wimbledon Boost Fan Engagement Using AI

Wimbledon opens its gates on 29 June to around half a million visitors over the fortnight. Hundreds of millions more will follow the tournament through digital channels, accessing content across multiple platforms and devices.

The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), which manages the championship, has worked with IBM for 39 years. The partnership now centres on a five-year digital development plan entering its second year, with investment focused on enhancing the fan experience through data-driven insights and artificial intelligence.

New features on the website and app aim to serve both casual viewers and dedicated followers. According to the AELTC, the approach treats tradition and technology as compatible rather than opposing forces, recognising that different audiences require different levels of information and engagement – from basic match scores to detailed statistical analysis.

According to Usama Al-Qassab, Marketing and Communications Director at the AELTC, understanding WImbledon's audience is crucial for developing this stratgey. "We need to understand where they are, what they do, how they interact," he says. "Our ambition is to engage more people, more often and in different ways."

The club segments its audience to deliver relevant content. Some fans attend once in a lifetime, others return annually, whilst digital followers may never visit in person but engage throughout the year. Each group requires tailored experiences that respect their level of tennis knowledge and interest.

50 consultants work year-round

Kameryn Stanhouse, Vice President of Global Sports and Entertainment Partnerships at IBM, refers to the he partnership's technology hub as Court 19, made up of 50 IBM consultants who operate throughout the year rather than only during the two-week tournament. This continuous presence allows for iterative development, testing and refinement of digital tools.

"We work with them the same way we work with any customer," Kameryn says. "What makes the partnership so special is it's not an off/on situation. Many of my team you can find in the Wimbledon offices."

The continuous collaboration allows Wimbledon to maintain its character while adopting new tools. Kameryn says both organisations value their histories while focusing on development. IBM brings expertise from other sporting events and enterprise clients, whilst Wimbledon contributes deep understanding of tennis and its global audience.

The year-round model enables the partnership to plan long-term improvements rather than rushing solutions before each tournament. Development cycles align with the tennis calendar, allowing thorough testing before deployment during the Championships.

Usama says the club has always introduced changes carefully. He cites the retractable roofs on Centre Court and No. One Court as examples of measured innovation that enhanced the experience without compromising tradition.

"We are not a technology company," he says. "We are brilliant aggregators, we understand our horticulture, we look after players and have brilliant player facilities, but when we get to partner with IBM, we can tap into their daily knowledge."

Watsonx platform powers new tools

The 2026 website and app feature AI tools built on IBM's watsonx platform.

According to Usama, Wimbledon attracts viewers who watch only one tennis match per year alongside committed fans, which means that tools on offer must explain tennis concepts without patronising knowledgeable followers.

The Enhanced Live Likelihood to Win model combines pre-match data with in-play updates. Usama says this the AI model "has been accurate for the last three years for the men's singles final". The system analyses serving patterns, break point conversion rates and historical performance on grass courts.

Percentages shift as matches progress, reflecting momentum changes and tactical adjustments, with the platform showing explanations for its calculations, helping fans understand why probabilities change after key points or games.

A Key Moments tool tracks momentum changes during play, identifying turning points such as breaks of serve or saved match points, while the Enhanced Match Chat feature responds to typed questions such as player name pronunciations or match summaries.

According to Usama, it "caters seamlessly to the tennis expert or the novice, and keeps them within the app." The tool now includes live videos and photos, providing visual context alongside text responses. Fans can ask about head-to-head records, previous Wimbledon performances or current tournament standings.

The conversational interface removes barriers to information access, with users being able to receive immediate answers in natural language. The system draws from Wimbledon's extensive archives whilst prioritising current tournament data.

IBM Bob accelerates migration

IBM Consulting used an AI development accelerator called IBM Bob to rebuild the digital infrastructure. The project required migrating more than 15,000 digital assets including articles, videos and photographs with their metadata relationships. Each asset needed tagging, categorisation and integration into the new platform architecture.

According to Fred Baker, Sports Industry Leader EMEA and IBM Consulting Associate Partner, this has led to a significant boost in productivity. "Effectively 10 years' worth of development was possible with a team of 50 developers and digital workers," he says.

The accelerator automated repetitive coding tasks whilst maintaining consistency across the platform, with developers focusing on complex integrations and user experience design rather than routine programming. The approach compressed timelines without sacrificing quality or testing rigour.

The panel stresses that human oversight remains central to the process. "Everything we do with the club is human led," Fred says. "As the people who build and run the solution, we've curated it to automate where we want it to but also allow the human to be in the loop for when we want it to."

Editorial teams review AI-generated content before publication. Technical staff monitor system performance during matches, ready to intervene if anomalies occur. The balance between automation and human judgement protects Wimbledon's reputation for accuracy and reliability.

As errors in player statistics or match history could undermine credibility built over decades, these AI systems are undergoing extensive validation against historical records and live match data to ensure precision.

Engagement growth continues

The AELTC reported a 16% year-on-year increase in digital engagement in 2025.

Usama says the club continues to see double-digit yearly growth, reaching more than 18 billion total engagements. Metrics include video views, article reads, social media interactions and app sessions.

"We've got to thank the players first and foremost, but it is certainly driving much higher levels of engagement, leading people to ask questions and share content with each other," he says.

The AI tools contribute to longer session times and increased content consumption, with fans having the option to explore deeper statistics and historical comparisons when information becomes easily accessible. Social sharing amplifies reach as users distribute AI-generated insights across their networks.

Usama says the measure of success remains visible at the tournament entrance. "There is nothing like hearing 'please open the gates'," he says. "We're really fortunate because Wimbledon has become bucket list. Seeing the smiles on the fans' faces is the most important thing."