Wimbledon Eyes India: Grand Slam Tournament Serves Up New Strategy Beyond Cricket Rivalry

Wimbledon Courts India: A Strategic Play Beyond Cricket's Boundary

New Delhi: The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC), organizers of the prestigious Wimbledon Championships, are strategically expanding their reach, and India is a key target. Familiar faces like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Dinesh Karthik, and Sachin Tendulkar have frequented the iconic grounds, signaling a growing connection between Indian sporting culture and the grand slam event.

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain serves during a practice session prior to The Championships Wimbledon 2025 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Sally Bolton, AELTC Chief Executive, has identified India and the US as crucial markets for brand growth. Brendan Dinen, Head of Marketing at Wimbledon, elaborated on this strategy in an interview with TimesofIndia.com, emphasizing collaboration rather than competition with cricket, India's dominant sport.

"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. Both sports are rich in heritage. England and India Test matches are happening now. So I think there's interesting ways to be able to bring that to life for audiences, so that they might want to come and watch it as well," Dinen explained.

Wimbledon is actively pursuing innovative collaborations to engage Indian audiences:

• Partnering with Indian social media influencers. One influencer was given the "day of a lifetime," experiencing a Test match at Lord's followed by a visit to the Wimbledon Championships.
• Collaborating with Star Sports, their broadcast partner, to create a tennis-cricket crossover trailer that aired during the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain celebrates Wimbledon 2024 title (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Despite its prestige, Wimbledon recognizes the potential for further expansion. Last year's Championships garnered 60-70 million engagements across broadcast and social media platforms. With a potential audience of over a billion, India presents a significant opportunity for growth, especially among its young population.

"Younger audiences and audiences of the future are crucial to us," Dinen stated, emphasizing the importance of content strategy across platforms like Instagram and YouTube.

Organizers are exploring various avenues to deepen their connection with India, including holding events within the country. To overcome the challenges posed by the monsoon season, AELTC is partnering with PVR INOX to broadcast the finals in theaters.

Another key strategy involves leveraging the social media influence of Indian cricket stars. Invitations to the Royal Box, a celebrity-filled enclosure, could entice figures like Kohli, Tendulkar, and Sharma to attend.

While upholding its traditions – the all-white attire, strawberries and cream – Wimbledon is embracing technology to enhance the fan experience. The tournament is utilizing Artificial Intelligence (AI), in partnership with IBM, on its app and website, including a 'Match Chat' assistant to answer fans' questions during live matches.

"We continue to embrace technology, and it sits at the heart of the balance between heritage and innovation," Dinen concluded, highlighting Wimbledon's commitment to engaging audiences in new and interesting ways.