IBM and The All England Lawn Tennis Club have announced a multi-year renewal of their technology partnership, strengthening their collaboration that has spanned over 36 years. This partnership has introduced key advancements in digital engagement for Wimbledon, starting with the website launch in 1995 and the mobile app in 2009, culminating in the integration of AI solutions since 2017.

The renewed focus aims to expand Wimbledon’s global reach and enhance fan engagement through innovative features developed together by IBM and the All England Club. Notable applications, such as Live Likelihood to Win and Match Chat, utilize IBM’s watsonx AI to process vast amounts of data generated during The Championships. In 2025, these innovations resulted in a 16% increase in overall fan engagement, with over 20 million fans engaged through the app and website, which saw a 19% spike in interactions and an impressive average rating of 4.9 stars.

The partnership’s contributions to technology in sports have garnered multiple awards, including the recognition of the All England Club as ‘Sports Organization of the Year’ at the 2025 Sports Technology Awards. Usama Al-Qassab, Marketing & Commercial Director of The All England Club, emphasized the importance of AI in shaping personalized and relevant future experiences for fans.

Jonathan Adashek, Senior Vice President at IBM, expressed excitement about continuing to create a world-class digital experience using cutting-edge data and AI technology. A recent global survey revealed that 86% of tennis fans value AI-powered features, particularly real-time insights and personalized highlights, which are vital for enhancing engagement with The Championships.

In professional and college sports, sponsorships extend beyond mere logos; they play a crucial role in revenue generation, rivaling ticket sales and media rights. However, traditional methods for forecasting sponsorship value have not kept pace with the advanced analytics utilized for performance measurement. Dr. Jonathan A. Jensen from Texas A&M University aims to bridge this gap with the Sport Sponsorship Predictive Artificial Intelligence Network (SSPAIN.ai). This innovative tool employs advanced machine learning algorithms trained on over 5,800 sponsorship data points, offering precise valuations and long-term financial insights.

SSPAIN.ai harnesses survival analysis—typically used in public health—to predict the likelihood of sponsorship renewals and the expected duration of agreements. By leveraging SSPAIN.ai, teams and leagues can adopt a more strategic, data-driven approach to sponsorship management, enhancing their ability to identify promising partnerships and allocate resources effectively.

The tool has garnered interest from entities like Texas A&M Athletics, the Dallas Mavericks, and the NFL, indicating its broad applicability in the sports sector. For students and faculty, SSPAIN.ai exemplifies how academic research can transform industry practices. Computer science students contributed significantly to its development, gaining hands-on experience in areas such as modeling, user interface design, and product ownership.

Jensen envisions SSPAIN.ai as a pre-seed investment or a prime acquisition for major leagues, positioning it as a benchmark in sponsorship analytics. Showcased at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, the ultimate goal of SSPAIN.ai is to empower sports organizations with actionable insights, shaping their financial futures and competitive landscapes for years to come.

Wimbledon has renewed its long-standing partnership with IBM, enhancing one of the most successful technology collaborations in sports history. Starting in 1990, this partnership has grown to encompass a comprehensive range of AI, cloud, and digital tools that support tournament operations, data collection, and fan engagement.

The multi-year extension will deepen the commitment to using AI, which has recently been pivotal in automating highlight packaging for digital platforms, providing data-driven insights, and personalizing fan content. The Wimbledon mobile app, enhanced by these AI capabilities, saw a 19% increase in usage during the 2025 Championships, boasting 19.1 billion engagements across various channels.

Usama Al-Qassab, the AELTC’s marketing director, emphasizes that this partnership not only brings innovation but also aims to attract a new generation of fans globally. The collaboration with IBM provides a platform for both organizations to showcase their commitment to constant innovation and to create personalized digital experiences.

IBM benefits significantly as this partnership serves as a high-profile case study for its AI and infrastructure capabilities across industries. Jonathan Adashek, IBM’s SVP, highlights that the shared values and trust built over nearly three decades have set a standard for how sports organizations can effectively utilize technology.

Wimbledon’s digital strategy focuses on ensuring smooth tournament operations while engaging fans both at the event and worldwide. Despite some challenges, the partnership with IBM has been integral in introducing pioneering technologies and establishing industry best practices, making it a model for modern sports technology collaborations. This renewal continues to provide invaluable reference cases for industry stakeholders, enhancing the overall fan experience.

TECNO, the official global partner of CAF, has unveiled four innovative AI tools aimed at enhancing how fans engage with the Africa Cup of Nations 2025, set to transform the experience for millions across the continent.

Highlighting the integration of technology in sports, TECNO's latest suite is powered by its proprietary Ella AI system. This development caters to the increasing need for interactive and enriched football experiences beyond traditional viewing methods. Fans now leverage their smartphones as essential companions that provide deeper insights and facilitate engagement.

Central to this suite is the Ella Match Decoder, an AI engine that analyzes on-field actions, tactical patterns, and pivotal moments in real time. This feature democratizes access to professional commentary, offering casual viewers a clearer understanding of match dynamics such as momentum shifts and defensive strategies.

In addition, Ella Snap & Know utilizes visual recognition to enhance the viewing experience, while Ella Match Highlight curates personalized summaries of key moments—allowing fans to control what they revisit and share, independently from official broadcast resources.

Furthermore, Ella Star Cam captures the vibrant atmosphere of the stands, emphasizing the cultural significance of African football through spontaneous expressions of excitement and collective jubilation. This feature fosters a sense of immersion, allowing fans to relive the emotional highs of the tournament.

As a part of a broader initiative, TECNO intends to integrate these tools into physical and digital engagement platforms throughout AFCON 2025. By redefining fans' roles from passive consumers to active participants, TECNO promotes a more interactive football ecosystem, ensuring that smartphones now serve not just as recording devices, but as tools that enhance, interpret, and shape the rich narratives of the beautiful game.