Key Takeaways
–AI Drives Monetization: Sports organizations using AI are nearly 3x more likely to monetize content on their owned platforms compared to those who haven’t adopted it
–Owned Channels Outperform Social: Websites and apps generate more than twice the revenue of social media and podcasts — but only half of teams are capitalizing on that potential
–Wimbledon Sets the Benchmark: By integrating generative AI into its digital strategy, Wimbledon saw double-digit growth in engagement and content consumption across its owned platforms
Wimbledon's decision to replace line judges with automated electronic line calling (ELC) was one of the main talking points in the lead-up to the 2025 tournament. Technology, the headlines screamed, had usurped tradition at the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC). In reality, though, Wimbledon's commitment to new technology is just as deep as its fidelity to tradition.
Since partnering with IBM 30 years ago, data analytics has stood at the heart of the Wimbledon digital experience. In the past few years, the AELTC has used generative AI to turn historical and real-time data into insights and visualizations, create video highlights, add spoken word audio commentary to recaps, and offer personalized catch-up summaries across Wimbledon's digital channels.
The big innovation in this year's tournament is "Match Chat," an interactive AI assistant that provides match information and immediately responds to fan prompts on the Wimbledon app and website. “Eventually,” said Chris Clements, digital products lead at the AELTC, “I think we’ll probably get to a point where AI can allow us to tailor our content more specifically to individuals on a one-to-one basis.”
The Monetization Gap: AI Early Adopters vs. Everyone Else
How fan-facing entities leverage advanced technology is one of the main themes of a recent study by data and insights generation company Stats Perform. Drawing on the perspectives of 740 media executives from across the globe, the study focuses on the opportunities and challenges of fan engagement in the digital age. Key findings include:
– Monetizing content has been getting harder, especially in North America, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific
– Owned websites and apps are over twice as effective in terms of generating revenue as social media activity and podcasts
– Teams, leagues, and federations struggle to monetize their owned and operated channels; only 51% generate revenues from their websites, and only 41% from their app
Those who do capitalize on their O&O have one thing in common: they are early adopters of AI. More than a third of AI adopters (35%) said that AI has already made it easier to commercialize their content, whereas among organizations that haven’t implemented AI tools, only 12% manage to monetize content smoothly.
Volume, Quality, Speed: Transforming Content Operations
According to industry executives, the biggest benefits of AI tools are the ability to automate content (67%), followed by reporting analysis (60%) and personalizing experiences (39%). In day-to-day operations, said respondents, AI solutions help them achieve more in less time (68%), increase the volume of content (65%), and improve the quality of content (60%).
“Given that sports industry executives acknowledge that it is getting more difficult to monetize their audiences, it may seem counterproductive that many are yet to embrace innovative AI tools that could provide vital assistance,” note the study's authors. “This cannot change soon enough. Fan engagement and monetization trends are evolving – and many have only just scratched the surface in terms of their capabilities.”
AI sceptics need to look no further than Wimbledon. In last year's tournament, for example, fan engagement in AELTC's O&O channels improved across the board thanks to new generative AI features:
– Content throughout The Championships received more than two billion impressions and over 100 million engagements – year-over-year increases of 12% and 19% respectively
– There was an increase of 79% year-over-year in articles read on wimbledon.com and the mobile app
– Video views on Wimbledon's website and app increased by 70%
Turning O&Os into high-performing destinations
As the digital race for fan attention intensifies, it's becoming clear that owned platforms are not just places to host content — they are engines of growth and monetization. But turning those platforms into high-performing destinations requires more than repurposing highlights. It calls for a strategy built around speed, personalization, and volume – three areas where AI content creation tools are quickly becoming the competitive edge.
By automating the production of diverse content formats and optimizing every moment for fan consumption, AI empowers rights holders to deliver engaging, platform-native experiences that convert passive viewers into loyal users. Wimbledon’s digital success proves that even the most storied institutions can lead the way when it comes to innovation, and outlines a clear division of labor: tradition wins hearts, but technology wins the future.
