There is extensive BBC interactive Wimbledon coverage and international audiences can buy an online video stream subscription through Wimbledon Live on the Wimbledon website.
However, whilst the Wimbledon website gains high traffic (8.6 million unique visitors viewing over 266 million pages in 2007), Wimbledon are also extending coverage by using social networks and social media. The aim is to create opportunities for deeper engagement with the tournament and allow Wimbledon fans to discuss and share Wimbledon content.
1) Wimbledon Facebook Fan Page
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wimbledon/15690358731?ref=s
The Wimbledon Facebook Fan Page is a great example of how Facebook Fan Pages can be used.

The Wimbledon Fan Page has over 9,000 fans.
UPDATE: Facebook have deleted this page because they classify Wimbledon as a 'corporation'........ http://tinyurl.com/5kgcb2
2) Wimbledon in Second Life
IBM provide the technology for Wimbledon and since 2006 IBM programmers have been bringing Wimbledon experiences into Second Life. For 2008 a mini-Wimbledon has been built with courts, various IBM behind the scenes info stands, links to live scores and free gifts / games.

I also got given a Second Life Wimbledon T-shirt (which I am wearing in the picture below), though I would recommend familiarising yourself with how to change clothes before trying to put the T-shirt on - I ended up naked on the court for a good few minutes while I worked out how to change clothes!


Second Life Wimbledon is there until the end of the tournament, have a look before it goes!
Wimbledon Second Life address:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/IBM%207/133/167/23
3) Wimbledon YouTube
Wimbledon are uploading daily previews and interviews to YouTube and then presenting these video clips on the Wimbledon Facebook page
Here is the Day 9 Wimbledon YouTube preview:
4) Wimbledon blogs and Fanlog
Wimbledon are running a Fanlog through the Wimbledon website and publishing Facebook notes on the Wimbledon Facebook Page.
These posts aim to provide alternative viewpoints to the main media reporting by allowing both Fans and behind the scenes people to publish their thoughts.
These posts aim to provide alternative viewpoints to the main media reporting by allowing both Fans and behind the scenes people to publish their thoughts.
5) Wimbledon Twitter
Wimbledon started using Twitter in 2007 (under the username Wimbledon2007) to publish scores and updates.
Twitter is again being used this year, but under the more generic
http://www.twitter.com/wimbledon.
The 2008 Wimbledon tournament is also represented on Twitter by Andy Murray! Thanks to Jemima Kiss we learn that Andy Murray is a Twitterer and has been updating his account as the build up and tournament has progressed. Since Andy Murray's Twitter use has been highlighted his following has grown significantly - join in at http://twitter.com/andy_murray

http://www.twitter.com/wimbledon.


Wimbledon continue to experiment with technology and the social media initiatives that are running around the tournament are interesting. It presents an intriguing blend of tradition (white kits etc) and modernity, but seems to work and successfully brings Wimbledon to life online.
5 comments:
just a little correction to some numbers.
Wimbledon org 8,618,366 unique users but 266 billion not million page views. 266,311,332 page views for the event
Oh and the twitter it live, some other people had got 2008. Wimbledons official twitter is http://www.twitter.com/wimbledon
Thank you for your comments. I have amended the section on Twitter so that it now shows the correct official Wimbledon Twitter.
I'm a bit confused over page views though, as I got my figures from the Behind the scenes IT section of the Wimbledon website. Also wouldn't 266 billion views work out to be something like 30,000 page views per user????
doh ! yes its million :-) apologies. Late nights :-)
Apology accepted! Would also be great to know the unique user and page view figures for the 2008 tournament. Do you know when these will be available please?
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