Wimbledon Eyes India's Billion-Strong Audience with Cricket-Inspired Strategy

New Delhi: Wimbledon is actively seeking to expand its reach in India, leveraging the nation's passion for cricket to draw new fans to the tennis court. Figures like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Dinesh Karthik, and Sachin Tendulkar have been spotted at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC), signaling the tournament's intent. Rohit Sharma's Wimbledon-related Instagram post generated unprecedented engagement, highlighting the potential of this crossover appeal.

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)

According to AELTC Chief Executive Sally Bolton, India and the US are key markets for expanding the Wimbledon brand. Brendan Dinen, Head of Marketing at Wimbledon, explained the strategy in a conversation with TimesofIndia.com: "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."

Collaboration Over Competition

Wimbledon aims to find synergistic opportunities with cricket, emphasizing the shared heritage of both sports. Dinen pointed to the ongoing England and India Test matches as an example, suggesting ways to "bring that to life for audiences" and encourage them to watch tennis as well.

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

One initiative involves an Indian social media influencer who will experience a day at Lord's during a Test match, followed by an afternoon at the Wimbledon Championships. This experience will be documented and shared with their audience. Furthermore, Star Sports, Wimbledon's broadcast partner, created a tennis-cricket crossover trailer that aired during the IPL.

Tapping into Untapped Potential

Wimbledon recognizes its potential for growth, despite its prestige. Last year, the tournament garnered 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 expansion, particularly among the country's young population.

"Younger audiences and audiences of the future are crucial to us," Dinen clarified. "Ensuring that we can have the content and different parts of the Championships, with tennis at the centre of that approach - whether that's through social media platforms or working with influencers and content creators - to be able to engage those audiences."

Overcoming Challenges

While Wimbledon seeks to host events in India, the monsoon season presents a logistical challenge. To address this, the AELTC is partnering with PVR INOX to broadcast the finals in theaters.

Another strategy involves inviting Indian cricket icons like Kohli, Tendulkar, and Rohit to the Royal Box, leveraging their massive social media followings. While no concrete plans are in place due to the Indian cricket team's tour of England, the possibility remains.

Embracing Innovation

Wimbledon is embracing technology to enhance the fan experience. While maintaining its traditions, such as the all-white dress code and serving of strawberries and cream, the tournament is incorporating Artificial Intelligence (AI) on its app and website in coordination with IBM.

During live matches, the 'Match Chat' assistant provides immediate responses and match analysis, allowing fans to engage through pre-written prompts or their own questions. Dinen emphasized the importance of balancing heritage and innovation, stating, "We absolutely want to make sure we bring the brand and the Championships to life in new and interesting ways."