Wimbledon Courts India: Tennis Tournament Seeks Growth Beyond Cricket's Shadow

New Delhi: Wimbledon, the prestigious tennis tournament, is strategically targeting the Indian market, leveraging the nation's love for cricket to expand its global reach. Key figures from the cricket world, including Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Dinesh Karthik, and Sachin Tendulkar, have been frequent attendees at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC), underscoring the tournament's appeal to Indian audiences.

Rohit Sharma's photo on Wimbledon's Instagram account garnered a record 4.5 million likes, demonstrating the potential for engagement with Indian fans. Sally Bolton, Chief Executive of AELTC, has identified India and the US as key markets for future growth.

Brendan Dinen, Head of Marketing at Wimbledon, emphasized a collaborative approach rather than direct competition with cricket. "Cricket is much loved and certainly king for Indian audiences. So rather than trying to compete with that, I think it's about trying to find interesting ways to collaborate," Dinen told TimesofIndia.com. He highlighted the shared heritage of both sports, exemplified by ongoing England and India Test matches.

Wimbledon is actively pursuing innovative strategies to captivate Indian audiences:

• Partnering with Indian social media influencers to provide behind-the-scenes experiences at both Lord's cricket ground and the Wimbledon Championships.
• Collaborating with Star Sports, the broadcast partner, to create tennis-cricket crossover trailers that aired during the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Despite its esteemed status, Wimbledon recognizes the opportunity for further expansion. Last year, the tournament achieved 60-70 million engagements across broadcast and social media platforms. With a potential audience of over a billion in India, there is significant "headroom" for growth, particularly among the country's young population.

Dinen emphasized the importance of engaging younger audiences through targeted content strategies on platforms like Instagram and YouTube. The focus is on creating content centered around tennis, while also collaborating with influencers and content creators to broaden reach.

To foster a stronger connection with Indian fans, Wimbledon organizers are exploring the possibility of hosting events in India, although the monsoon season presents a logistical challenge. In the meantime, AELTC is partnering with PVR INOX to bring the finals to large screen theaters, offering an immersive viewing experience.

Another strategy involves inviting prominent Indian cricket stars, such as Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, and Rohit Sharma, to the Royal Box, leveraging their massive social media following to generate buzz and visibility.

Wimbledon is also embracing technology to enhance the fan experience. The tournament is using Artificial Intelligence (AI), in collaboration with IBM, on its app and website. The 'Match Chat' assistant provides real-time answers to fans' questions during live matches, offering immediate responses and match analysis.

Dinen concluded, "We continue to embrace technology, and it sits at the heart of the balance between heritage and innovation... So we absolutely want to make sure we bring the brand and the Championships to life in new and interesting ways."