‘Like putting on a wedding for 50,000 people’: Wimbledon’s marketing boss on going global
Attracting new, younger global audiences from different demographics is a priority for the tennis championship, explains marketing director Usama Al-Qassab.
Wimbledon may be one of the most famous sporting events in the world, but there are only so many people who can actually fit into the grounds of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club to watch the matches in person.
As a result the Championship has a long history of taking the excitement and some of the atmosphere of the tennis to a far wider audience. Wimbledon was the location of the first live radio broadcast of a sports event and of pioneering broadcasts on black and white television, colour TV and HD broadcasting.
Director of marketing and commercial at Wimbledon, Usama Al-Qassab, says the brand consciously seeks ways to bridge the gaps between its heritage, the excitement of the current game and the future of audience participation in sports.
