AI Innovations Enhance Fan Engagement at Wimbledon 2025

LONDON, June 17, 2025 — The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) and IBM (NYSE: IBM) have unveiled new AI-driven features aimed at enriching fan engagement during The Championships, Wimbledon 2025. Central to these innovations is 'Match Chat', an interactive AI assistant designed to respond to fans' inquiries in real-time during singles matches. Additionally, the 'Likelihood to Win' tool has been refined to provide updated win probabilities throughout each game.

These developments, leveraging match data and generative AI technologies through IBM's watsonx platform, mark a significant advancement in the ongoing collaboration between AELTC and IBM, which spans over three decades. Usama Al-Qassab, Marketing & Commercial Director at the AELTC, emphasized the commitment to enhancing the spectator experience, stating, "We are committed to providing fans with the best possible Wimbledon experience, whether they interact with us through TV, radio, digitally or within the grounds. The innovations we have introduced in recent years, driven by generative AI, allow us to provide more exciting ways for our hundreds of millions of fans around the world to interact with The Championships."

The 'Match Chat' feature will be available on the Wimbledon App and the official Wimbledon website, allowing fans to pose questions such as, "Who has converted more break points in the match?" or "Who is performing better in the match?" The AI will deliver immediate analysis based on its training on the unique language of tennis and the Wimbledon editorial style, providing insights that enhance the viewing experience.

The enhanced 'Likelihood to Win' tool will utilize a combination of player statistics, expert analysis, and match momentum to deliver real-time win probabilities, adapting as the match progresses. This tool is powered by IBM technologies, including Red Hat OpenShift, which facilitates rapid application deployment across multiple environments.

Jonathan Adashek, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications at IBM, remarked, "Solutions like Match Chat and Likelihood to Win show how AI on watsonx can deliver tennis fans the compelling real-time insight and match engagement they want around this historic tournament and its players. Our partnership with the AELTC exemplifies how IBM helps clients unlock and achieve lasting value from their unique data using AI."

The Championships at Wimbledon are set to take place from June 30 to July 13, 2025. Fans eager to experience these new features can visit wimbledon.com or download the Wimbledon App, available on both the App Store and Google Play Store.

This innovative push aligns with a broader trend in sports where technology plays a pivotal role in enhancing fan engagement. As organizations increasingly integrate advanced analytics and AI into their operations, the potential for personalized and interactive viewing experiences grows, setting new standards for sports entertainment. The collaboration between AELTC and IBM is a prime example of this evolution, as they strive to cater to an ever-growing global audience of tennis enthusiasts.

The implications of such advancements extend beyond immediate fan engagement; they also reflect a shift in how sports organizations perceive and harness data. By employing AI technologies, sports entities can not only enhance viewer experience but also gather insights that shape future strategies, ultimately transforming the landscape of sports entertainment.