IBM and Tennis Australia introduce deeper insights and new digital experiences for fans of the 2017 Australian Open

MELBOURNE, Australia, Jan. 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) and Tennis Australia today announced new digital capabilities that are further enhancing the fan experience at the Australian Open 2017. This includes IBM serving new richer real-time player insights via IBM SlamTracker analytics, now available within the tournament's mobile app.

For the first time at the tournament, SlamTracker is available through the Australian Open mobile app, allowing fans to stay close to the action, no matter where they are. Also new this year, SlamTracker is offering real-time analytics on players and how they are likely to perform under "pressure situations" within a match, such as a tie break, based on their playing style and historical data. This insight will be available to fans from week two of the tournament, when the intensity of competition and pressure on players really kicks in. The new capability is underpinned by IBM's BlueMix cloud technology, to facilitate faster delivery of insights and greater scalability.

"We take a fan-first approach to every Australian Open, and this year we have taken a step further to provide a full end-to-end digital experience to spectators in Australia and around the world," said Primoz Trcek, CIO, Tennis Australia. "In 2016 more than 2 million unique visitors accessed the mobile Australian Open site, indicating an increasing appetite to access match stats on the go. By offering SlamTracker analytics in the app, specially designed for mobile consumption, we're ensuring that all fans, whether in the stadium, travelling on the Melbourne tram or watching from the other side of the world, are able to receive up-to-date information in real time."

"Similar to other fans increasingly choosing mobile to consume and engage with their favorite sports, the Australian Open mobile experience is all about connecting the consumer to the action on the court. Moving to a cloud platform gives Tennis Australia the agility it needs to react quickly in order to provide faster and more in-depth insights to fans," said Ian Wong, IBM Interactive Experience.

IBM's decades of experience transforming the fan experience at all four tennis Grand Slams, Melbourne Spring Fashion Week, and other global sports and entertainment events is helping Tennis Australia to create unique and engaging experiences for its fans.

For more information about IBM visit www.ibm.com/australianopen.

Contact: Melinda Zurich, +1 914 499 4034

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SOURCE IBM