Intelligent CIO Europe Issue 98 | Page 28

INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGY
PARTNER PROGRAMME

IBM renews long-term partnership with The All England Lawn Tennis Club to power Wimbledon Digital Transformation

IBM has announced a multi-year renewal of its long-standing technology partnership with The All England Lawn Tennis Club – extending a collaboration that has helped shape the digital evolution of The Championships, Wimbledon, for more than three decades.

From the launch of the Wimbledon website in 1995 and the mobile application in 2009 to the first integration of enhanced AI-powered solutions in 2017, IBM and the All England Club have worked together for 36 years to deepen global fan engagement across Wimbledon’ s digital platforms.
Usama Al-Qassab, Marketing and Commercial Director, The All England Lawn Tennis Club, said:“ As we look to attract the next generation of Wimbledon fans from around the world, the AIpowered capabilities of IBM will be key to ensuring our future digital experiences are relevant, personalised and engaging.” digital features, powered by watsonx, to stay connected to the beauty, drama and excitement of The Championships.”
A global survey conducted by IBM and Morning Consult released last summer found that 86 % of tennis fans worldwide see value in AI-powered features, with
The renewed partnership builds on a track record that has set the standard for fan-facing technology innovation in sport. The new agreement focuses on expanding Wimbledon’ s global reach and delivering deeper fan engagement across its digital ecosystem in 2026 and beyond.
Teams from IBM and the All England Club collaborate year-round to co-create digital experiences such as Live Likelihood to Win and Match Chat. These features combine the vast quantity of data generated during The Championships with the AI capabilities of IBM watsonx to provide real-time insights and interactive engagement.
In 2025, these initiatives contributed to a 16 % year-on-year increase in engagement across all platforms. More than 20 million fans followed the action through the Wimbledon app and website. The app alone recorded a 19 % increase in engagement and achieved an average app store rating of 4.9 stars.
The All England Club was named‘ Sports Organisation of the Year’ at the 2025 Sports Technology Awards, reflecting its innovative use of AI and technology to enhance the fan experience.
Jonathan Adashek, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Communications, IBM, said:“ The All England Club is a visionary organisation, delivering one of the most globally recognisable properties in sport and broader culture. Whether onsite at SW19 or following from any corner of the globe for years to come, hundreds of millions of tennis fans can rely on having interactive real-time insights and personalised highlights central to how they engage.
IBM and the All England Club said they remain committed to developing new technologies that make
The Championships more accessible and immersive, helping tennis continue to thrive on the global stage. •
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