Wimbledon Eyes Indian Market with Strategic Play Beyond Cricket

Wimbledon, a name synonymous with tennis prestige, is strategically expanding its reach, with a keen eye on the Indian market. While cricket reigns supreme in India, Wimbledon is exploring avenues to collaborate and captivate a wider audience.

Leveraging Cricket's Popularity

Brendan Dinen, Head of Marketing at Wimbledon, acknowledges cricket's dominance in India. Instead of competing, Wimbledon aims to find collaborative opportunities. "Both sports are rich in heritage," Dinen notes, highlighting the ongoing England and India Test matches as a potential crossover point.

Collaborations and Influencer Engagement

Wimbledon has initiated several campaigns to engage Indian audiences:

• Social Media Influencers: Partnering with Indian influencers to provide them with an immersive experience, combining a visit to Lord's Cricket Ground with an afternoon at the Wimbledon Championships.
• Broadcast Partnerships: Collaborating with Star Sports to create tennis-cricket crossover trailers that aired during the IPL, one of India's most popular sporting events.

Untapped Potential in the Indian Market

Wimbledon recognizes the vast potential for growth in India, particularly among its young population. Last year, the Championships garnered 60-70 million engagements across broadcast and social media platforms. Given that potentially over a billion people hold interest in the Championships, there's huge scope for growth.

Focusing on Younger Audiences

Wimbledon is tailoring its content strategy to resonate with younger audiences through platforms like Instagram and YouTube. "Younger audiences and audiences of the future are crucial to us," Dinen emphasizes, ensuring content highlights the essence of the Championships.

Overcoming Logistical Challenges

Organizing events in India is challenging due to the monsoon season. As a workaround, Wimbledon is partnering with PVR INOX to broadcast the finals in theaters, bringing the Wimbledon experience to a broader audience.

Royal Box Diplomacy

Inviting prominent Indian cricketers like Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, and Rohit Sharma to the Royal Box is another strategy to tap into their massive social media followings and enhance Wimbledon's visibility in India.

Embracing Technology and Innovation

Wimbledon balances tradition with technology. While maintaining its iconic traditions, it embraces innovations such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance the fan experience.

AI-Powered Fan Engagement

Wimbledon's app and website, in collaboration with IBM, now feature a 'Match Chat' assistant. This AI tool provides immediate responses and match analysis, allowing spectators to engage with the tournament in new ways.

Virtual Reality and Gaming

Wimbledon is also exploring Virtual Reality (VR) experiences and gaming platforms like Roblox to bring the Championships to life in innovative and engaging ways.