IBM and The All England Lawn Tennis Club have announced a multi-year renewal of their technology partnership, which has been ongoing for 36 years. Since the launch of Wimbledon’s website in 1995 and its mobile application in 2009, the collaboration has focused on using digital innovation to enhance fan engagement.
The renewed agreement aims to further expand Wimbledon’s global reach and deepen fan interaction across its digital platforms starting in 2026. IBM and the All England Club work together throughout the year to develop features such as Live Likelihood to Win and Match Chat, which use data from The Championships combined with IBM’s AI platform watsonx.
In 2025, these initiatives led to a 16% increase in overall engagement across all digital platforms. More than 20 million fans followed Wimbledon action through the app and website, with app engagement rising by 19% and achieving an average rating of 4.9 stars.
The partnership’s achievements were recognized when the All England Club was named ‘Sports Organisation of the Year’ at the 2025 Sports Technology Awards for its innovative use of AI and technology.
Usama Al-Qassab, Marketing & Commercial Director at The All England Lawn Tennis Club, stated: “We are delighted to have agreed a multi-year extension to our long-standing partnership with IBM. For 36 years, IBM and the All England Club have embraced innovation and created world-leading digital experiences to bring our fans closer to The Championships. As we look to attract the next generation of Wimbledon fans from around the world, the AI-powered capabilities of IBM will be key to ensuring our future digital experiences are relevant, personalised and engaging.”
Jonathan Adashek, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Communications at IBM said: “The All England Club is a visionary organisation, delivering one of the most globally recognisable properties in sport and broader culture. We are thrilled to continue working in lockstep as partners to serve up a world-class digital experience, driven by leading edge data and AI technology. 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 digital features, powered by watsonx, to stay connected to the beauty, drama and excitement of The Championships.”
A global survey conducted by IBM with Morning Consult last summer found that most tennis fans value AI-powered features like real-time insights and personalized highlights.
Both organizations remain committed to developing new technologies that make The Championships more accessible for millions worldwide.
