SAP and WTA: A Win-Win-Win for Fans, Players and Media

Sports leagues and associations are continuing to strengthen their focus on data analysis to optimize player performance. And they’re using technology to improve fan engagement. So it makes perfect sense for them to find a technology partner that can help bring the experience to the next level.

And that is exactly what SAP and the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) did.

SAP and WTA announced Monday the formation of their multi-year global relationship aimed at transforming the tennis experience through innovative technology and apps. This collaboration would change the sport by:

• Engaging fans
• Offering players the tools they need to analyze performance and optimize strategy
• Providing analysis to better serve the media

Tennis pro Serena Williams joined WTA CEO and Chairman Stacey Allaster and SAP Senior VP of Global Strategic Initiatives Steve Peck on stage for the announcement.

Williams talked about the importance of technology to tennis, fans, players and the media. She expressed excited about the new opportunities that will be available via the collaboration.

The Twittersphere seemed to share Williams’ enthusiasm.

“Interesting to hear SAP will provide stats for all WTA matches regardless of court assignment,” Courtney Nguyen, a freelance tennis writer for Beyond the Baseline on SI.com, tweeted. “That’s a huge game changer.”

There was also excitment over SAP’s greater role in professional sports.

“Congratulations to @WTA & @SAP on their new partnership,” CBS Sports and Tennis Channel correspondent Bill Macatee, tweeted. “@SAPSponsors continues to increase their great presence in sports around the world.”

Data provided by SAP could help players evaluate their own performance, as well as discover potential weaknesses of opponents.

SAP is an official partner of this year’s WTA Championships in Istanbul and next year’s Singapore. SAP’s legacy with tennis also includes being the current mobile app provider at the Sony Open tennis tournament and sponsoring the SAP Open men’s tournament from 2005 to 2013.