This year’s Wimbledon tennis championships will be the most interactive yet, as organisers aim to bring fans closer to the action with the integration of a social networking site.
A social command centre, controlled by IBM SoftLayer, is to be set up in time for the start of the tournament. This will see data from Twitter analysed, with insights into hot topics from both on and off court being offered. Event organisers have suggested that this campaign will allow them to understand and react to the needs of the fans, and are hopeful that this will complement the tennis, rather than overshadow it.
As part of this interactive initiative, content including tweets, images, and online poll results will be displayed on the big screens facing the famous Henman Hill. This is set to encourage those watching matches on site to share their reactions and opinions, while comparing these thoughts with those viewing the action at home.
The interaction has already started, with fans anticipating the return of the reigning champion, Britain’s Andy Murray, with the launch of the hashtag #WelcomeBackAndy. The official Wimbledon Twitter account @Wimbledon will also be displaying photos of fans in its newsfeed, while offering prizes for a daily #selfie competition, which encourages fans to pose for the camera.
According to statistics, 6.6 million tweets were posted relating to last year’s competition, with Murray’s victory being the third most tweeted-about event in the UK. It is also believed that up to 63% of British users of the network will be tuning into or following this year’s event.
- Chrome to warn users regarding insecure web forms - August 20, 2020
- Google trials virtual business cards in India - August 14, 2020
- DuckDuckGo claims Google market share would drop if users given choice - August 11, 2020
