Tiebreakers at Wimbledon: Will They Help or Hurt Fan Engagement?

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Tennis is a sport steeped in tradition, and with championships dating back to the 1800s, Wimbledon is a perfect example of that rich history. So with The All England Club’s recent decision to break from tradition, it’s no surprise that the tennis community is sitting up and paying attention!

Tennis.com reports that Wimbledon “will introduce final-set tiebreakers next year, starting when the score reaches 12-12 in the decider. The grass-court Grand Slam tournament is the second of the four majors to use a final-set tiebreaker to determine a singles match.”

Do Time Constraints Help or Hurt Fan Engagement?

The introduction of tiebreakers at Wimbledon is the latest development in an ongoing debate over how fan engagement and tradition should each be weighed when making decisions about the future of the sport.

In Nielsen’s report on the Top 5 Global Sports Industry Trends of 2018, Global Managing Director Glenn Lovett writes about “an increase in competition: for sports, for media revenue, for fan attention. Sports must work harder than ever to obtain, retain, and grow their fan bases and revenue streams.”

The report also points out key trends reshaping sports content, including shorter attention spans, more competition for consumer attention, and an increase in mobile media consumption. As a result, many sports are looking at new ways to keep fans engaged and interested in their sport. 

Doug Perlman, chief executive officer of Sports Media Advisors, explains, “There are now so many different ways to engage with properties, and people are getting highlights whenever they want. People have to question whether younger viewers are less inclined to watch or less inclined to watch as long.” (Source, emphasis added)

For tennis to compete with fast-paced, time-based sports like basketball and football, we’re seeing the introduction of new time constraints—not only tiebreakers, but also the widely-debated serve clock.

Of course, tiebreaks and time constraints will eliminate those epic, record-breaking, marathon battles that capture the attention of not just tennis fans, but sports fans around the world. (Who could forget the 2010 match between Isner and Mahut?)

Changes like these not only change the viewer’s experience, but also the game itself.  Tennis fans and players alike have strong opinions about the future of the sport… and we want to hear yours!

Join the Conversation

Tiebreaks and other changes in tennis raise lots of important questions, such as:

• Do time constraint that keep matches short but eliminate marathon battles help or hurt fan engagement?
• Should the French Open and Australian Open follow suit and introduce tiebreaks?
• How do time constraints and serve clocks affect tennis players during matches and tourneys?
• How should fan engagement, tradition, and the player’s experience each be weighed in these decisions?

Of course, these questions are just the tip of the iceberg. Tennis fans everywhere are talking about these big decisions, and we want to hear what YOU think! Check out our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to share your thoughts.