As the first serve was delivered at this year's Wimbledon Championships, its speed flashed up on the famous green scoreboards behind the player. Throughout the tournament, thousands of service speeds and millions of other data points will be presented on screens across the All England Lawn Tennis Club.
The speed of that first serve is just one of over 4.5 million data points that will be collected during the tournament. Distance covered, backhand winners, and unforced errors will all be meticulously recorded and analyzed. Despite being the sport’s oldest Championship, Wimbledon remains at the forefront of technological innovation. Since IBM began partnering with the event in 1990, more than 65 million data points have been recorded, providing valuable insights not only to spectators and sportspeople but also to data analysts.
Driven by Data
Data-driven success has become a hallmark of modern sports. From Steph Curry's revolution in basketball to Pep Guardiola’s Premier League strategies and Novak Djokovic's dominance in tennis, data analysis has played a crucial role. This trend is evident beyond sports, permeating industries like finance and pharmaceuticals, where data is key to refining processes and achieving success.
Wimbledon and Data Analysis
Wimbledon’s collaboration with IBM exemplifies the power of data in sports. The tournament employs 48 county tennis players trained as data analysts, who interpret the 4.5 million data points collected during the event. Their insights help create IBM Slamtracker, a live stat center for fans, and provide players with detailed video packages supported by match data within 20 minutes of finishing a match. Additionally, AI-driven highlight packages are produced almost instantly for broadcasters.
Relevance to Business
The link between Wimbledon's data efforts and business might seem tenuous, but it's quite relevant. The effective use of data analytics can drive success in any field. Just as Wimbledon leverages data to enhance performance and fan engagement, businesses can harness data to optimize operations and achieve strategic goals.
As you enjoy this year’s Wimbledon, perhaps with a glass of Pimms and some strawberries, consider how your business can similarly benefit from data. If one of sport’s oldest tournaments can embrace cutting-edge technology, so can you.
At Develop, our technology team is here to help you find the best data talent for your business. Let's chat about how you can make the most of your information!
%20(1).jpg)
%20(2).jpg)