How technology enhances the Wimbledon tennis experience
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ALEX PHILLIPS AND TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION
ROGER BLAKE
IBM
How technology
enhances the
Wimbledon tennis
experience
The All England Lawn Tennis and
Croquet Club (AELTC) and IBM have The challenge
worked closely together since 1990 Almost half a million spectators
to harness successive waves of watched Wimbledon court-side in
innovative technology to 2003 and around two billion
transform The viewers across more than
Championships into one 150 countries watched on
of the most popular and television. Last year, more
technically advanced than 4 million unique
events on the users accessed the
international sports official website –
calendar. Alex www.wimbledon.org
Phillips and Roger – from personal
Blake discuss the computers and
vital role of wireless devices.
technology in Indeed, the
supporting this Wimbledon website is
mission through the one of the largest live
provision of accurate, web events that IBM
fast and reliable services has ever designed,
to players, media, managed and hosted.
spectators and officials, What makes the
along with worldwide Wimbledon project different is
television and online audiences the global nature of the project,
via the Internet. the real-time nature, the vast range
of products, technologies and services
F
or 11 months of the year, the involved, and the huge supporting
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AELTC quietly serves its members Championships, the eyes of the world technology infrastructure required to
in the leafy London suburbs of are focused on the events taking place run the wealth of projects round the
Wimbledon. Then, during the weeks there. What are the challenges for those clock. A team of around 160
around the world famous who power the technology? professionals for the two week duration
9
TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION
of The Championships is required, product that could be deployed at an spreading the load evenly across the
including IBM (the technology partner increasingly greater scale. It is now a servers.
of the AELTC) and a wealth of mainstream part of IBM’s leading What differentiates WIS from the
specialist partners. WebSphere suite of software. website is that users are unaware that
they are using a web browser, and are
Wimbledon Information System contained within a controlled local
The scope of technology (WIS) Intranet network environment that restricts their
services at Wimbledon The rapid distribution of detailed real- use to only the WIS application. The high
The website time information to the media, public, bandwidth available on the local area
At the heart of the project is the website. players and coaches on site during The network provides WIS users with an
It is powered by the same IBM hosting Championships is critical to the AELTC’s exceptionally rich multimedia experience,
infrastructure that has supported some goals. Press and broadcasters require making large, high quality video clips
of the world’s most highly visited sports draw and player information each day, viewable from every terminal. Scores,
event websites (for example, The scores and match statistics during statistics and results are typically
Masters Golf Tournament). Tennis fans games, and detailed point-by-point delivered in less than a second from
around the globe can feel that they are a reports for matches as soon as they been entered by the data entry teams.
part of the Wimbledon action via a have finished. Players and coaches also
‘virtual seat’ at Wimbledon. The IBM find this information invaluable in order to Commentators Information
Real-time Scoreboard, Media Console, develop strategies and identify areas for System
interactive cameras, live Radio improvement in subsequent matches. The Commentators system is a highly
Wimbledon and online shop are just In the past, much of this information specialised application that takes the key
some of the features available to the had been compiled by hand and match statistics in the real-time
user. reproduced though photocopying and environment, and displays them in a
During the Wimbledon fortnight, the printing, resulting in delays getting the format that is easily understood by
AELTC operates at about 250 times information to those people who relied tennis professionals and commentators.
normal capacity, its website visited by on it. For the media especially, time is This system is available to any
four million people in just 15 days. By everything. In 2000, IBM introduced The authorised commentator. It is found in
early July it’s back to business as usual, Wimbledon Information System (WIS) the broadcasters’ studios, commentary
a small organisation catering for its Intranet. WIS is now the main source of positions around the televised Show
regular customers and starting the long real-time information for those on site Courts and in the TV production units.
process of planning for the next during The Championships. With around There is no system like this anywhere
tournament. 80 touch-screen terminals distributed else in the world of tennis. It gives in-
Only during events like Wimbledon across the grounds, it provides up-to- depth analysis relating to any game in
can systems be exposed to the real the-second information
levels and variations in demand for anyone visiting,
generated by users across the globe. working or participating
Thus, it provides an ideal opportunity to in The Championships.
test new applications in the background To provide the high
or as restricted user pilots. IBM runs and availability necessary to
hosts all of the official Grand Slam tennis maintain these systems,
websites, providing a rolling opportunity IBM WebSphere Edge
for new functionality to be introduced Server is used for fail-
from event to event. over in the event of any
One technology to benefit from such problem during the
development during Wimbledon is IBM processing-intense
MQ Event Broker, which provides period of The
‘publish and subscribe’ messaging Championships. In
facilities. This technology allows scores addition, this mission-
and statistics to be constantly sent to a critical software also
web browser and updated without the performs load-balancing
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need for the user to refresh the web functions between
page. This technology was originally these WIS terminals and
Figure 1 The Wimbledon website
produced by IBM’s research labs, and the corresponding
(www.wimbledon.org)
was then tested and developed into a content servers,
10
TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION
Chair umpire
Referee’s live scores
(Referees Referees Referees
Office layer
office) player names order of play
(schedule)
Serve
Serve speed
speed (primary)
layer
Warm ‘Scores’ Serve speed Serve speed
Data backup Refs office translation translation
Translation ‘Scores’ score (primary) (backup)
layer Refs office
Configure
– order of
All show Backup data Network play, draws
court data entry for servers statistics
Data
entry shoe courts (primary and broadcaster
collection Outer court
layer (primary) backup)
statistics
(post match)
NewBios
broadcast
Venue
Network IBM Ethernet Network
Backup
TV graphics
Live score Commentator system
Primary
switcher All WIS
scoring Internet
Referees clients 3rd party exports
Figure 2 An overview of the core data collection systems used during The Championships, along with those systems that
make use of the data
progress. This includes information such specialist companies that work with IBM. as serve, return, baseline and net play,
as player biographies, players’ statistics One is used to keep the burnt-in score and even includes a point-by-point
in the event so far, and current match in the top left-hand corner of the screen, breakdown of how each point was won
statistics broken down at a summary and the other is controlled via keyboard or lost. Players and coaches use it to
and detail level. extenders to the BBC production area, help them improve their game. Player
where they select the scores and Reports generated via data entry on
TV graphics statistics graphics to be shown on hand-held PDAs from the outside courts
For each show court, systems generate television. These graphics can be are of particular use to junior players and
TV graphics for the host broadcaster, the detailed and build up gradually on their coaches, who would otherwise not
BBC, plus many international screen, such as serve direction, or more capture many statistics about their game
broadcasters. These courts are the ones immediate mini-graphics that can show, as they rarely play on the show courts.
reserved for key matches and are also for example, the latest serve speed.
covered by television. The international Data capture
broadcasters take either a ‘clean’ feed, Other core systems The key to a successful service is
which is just the BBC camera feed There are a number of other systems making information instantly available
where they can add their own graphics, that help with the running of The and accessible.
or a ‘dirty’ feed, which includes the Championships. For example, Player There are various approaches to
graphics chosen by the BBC production Interview Schedule Application (PISA) is collecting data, depending on the type
team. used to book Player Interviews. Another of court and information required. There
Each court is equipped with two system, based on the information are 19 courts at the Club, six of which
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ThinkPad laptop computers that receive captured by the tennis experts, provides are show courts. All courts have the
the data packets. Each drives a high Player Reports as soon as each match latest scores captured online by the
quality TV Graphics Generator, known as has completed. This report contains Umpire using a Pocket PC device. For
the Agile, produced by one of the various sections, analysing areas such those who understand the information
11
TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION
ThinkPad laptop computer to control the
radar heads and they are enabled just
before each serve is delivered. Once the
speed has been captured, it is displayed
courtside on displays at each end of the
court so that the spectators can see the
speed immediately after the serve.
Together with the rally count, it is also
broadcast across the network for instant
access by all users of the
Commentators and TV Graphics
Systems, plus the Internet and Intranet.
Figure 3 Wimbledon Information System (WIS) Intranet For later analysis, it is then merged in
with the data entry packet relevant to
collected by the Umpire, the statistics data via the keypad and confirming the that court.
captured are limited to the score, aces call. A network broadcasting technique
and double faults. This system is run to is used to make this data available
support the Referee’s Office, who also immediately to all users who need it, Evolving the user experience
manages the event, including the draw such as those using the Commentators, through improved
and the order of play for each day. With TV Graphics, Internet and Intranet technology
the inevitable rain delays, the Referee’s systems. A copy of the data is also New channels, such as the General
Office also uses the system to move written to twin servers for backup Packet Radio Service (GPRS) data
matches around the courts during the purposes. networks that are made available by
day in order to maximise the progress of The callers on each show court are mobile operators in Europe, have
the draw for key events. connected back to the main operations opened up the possibility of receiving
Alongside the show courts, an extra room via headsets, which can be used graphically rich, real-time information in
team of tennis experts (usually county to provide the same information to the palm of a user’s hand, anywhere that
junior players) collects more detailed another data entry person located in the a mobile phone works.
statistics such as where the serve was operations room. This ‘backup’ person In 2002 IBM introduced a mobile e-
aimed (wide, body, centre), whether the uses a separate ThinkPad laptop business solution that allowed users with
server followed into the net and how the computer and keyboard to enter the GPRS-enabled Personal Digital
point was won or lost (‘winning forehand data in parallel and sends out a backup Assistants (PDAs) to receive up-to-the-
volley,’ for example). This data is packet of data using the same second information from the Pocket
captured using an IBM ThinkPad laptop broadcast technique. If anything should Wimbledon website. For the first time,
computer, which boasts a specialised happen to the courtside machine or mobile users could follow all show
keypad for speed of data entry, with one connection, a simple switch allows the courts in real-time, with point-by-point
person calling and the other entering backup packet to be treated as if it were scores being pushed to their Java-
the main one. This shadowing technique enabled PDA devices. Detailed pages
can be used on all show courts, but offering match results, order of play, and
tends to be limited to the key matches player biographies and pictures were
being televised at the time. also available.
To ensure that a full set of statistics Following on from this successful
for singles matches is captured on all proof of concept, pda.wimbledon.org
courts, a further tennis expert is used on was introduced in 2003 for anyone
each ‘outside court’ to capture the same worldwide to access real-time
data as on the show courts, but in this information on a mobile device.
case with a hand-held IBM WorkPad In addition, the AELTC was very
personal digital assistant that employs interested in bringing information to
the Palm operating system. those queuing for tickets outside the
In addition to the statistics collected grounds (often for hours), helping to
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courtside, there are also radar heads at improve the experience, customer
Figure 4 The video streaming and real- each end of the show courts that are satisfaction and loyalty. Queue walkers
time scoring functions of used to capture the speed of each used Pocket Wimbledon to give
Pocket Wimbledon serve. A radar operator uses an IBM information to the public while waiting to
12TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION
enter the grounds. What we dub ‘Pocket popular with the photographers and will advantage of a vastly scalable IT
Wimbledon’ also gives key members of be extended to other courts this year. infrastructure equipped with the latest
staff the ability to keep track of matches Finally, the IBM team delivered a technologies without having to make the
in play – as it unfolds. proof-of-concept project evaluating the huge upfront capital investment needed
Last year, a number of innovative capabilities of active Radio Frequency to build one. The on-demand model also
Wireless LAN- (WLAN) based projects Identification (RFID) technology when grants The All England Lawn Tennis Club
were introduced. A large area of the applied to staff and information access to additional IT support during
grounds was provided with WLAN technology (IT) assets in a dynamic ‘the Fortnight’ of The Championships.
coverage, using the IEEE 802.11b operational environment. This makes it They don’t own, manage or maintain the
Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) standard. This very difficult for high value equipment information technology – all Club officials
provides a relatively fast, 11 megabits theft. The project also provided the have to do is turn it on. ■
per second, wireless network. IBM’s opportunity to assess the technology’s
Ethical Hacking Team – a group that applicability to security and staffing Further reading
ensures the latest and best standards of issues. A total of 40 users and a number http://www.ibm.com/e-business/
security are employed – was brought in of IT assets were equipped with Active uk/wimbledon/
to check the entire network was secure. RFID tags, allowing authorised personnel http://www.wimbledon.org/
In 2004 it will be upgraded to the to pinpoint their locations within the
Alex Phillips is currently part of IBM’s
802.11g standard, potentially providing designated 40,000 square metre zone.
Pervasive/Wireless Emerging
54 megabits per second, thus providing The asset tags had movement sensors
Business Opportunities organisation,
a faster service for users. that triggered security alerts in the event
and specialises in wireless
Sports reporters are given access to of unplanned equipment moves. The
technologies. He has worked on the
the Internet from their own wireless- system – consisting of tags, readers and
IBM Wimbledon team for 5 years and
enabled laptop computers, allowing software – was integrated with an IBM
is responsible
them to send their articles back to the infrastructure that allowed personnel to
for the
office for editing and publishing as soon track locations through a web
Wimbledon
as possible. International press application. The system was capable of
Information
photographers on Centre Court were locating tagged items between 5 and 50
System Intranet
also given access to the WLAN network. metres away.
and bringing
In the past they gave their films or digital With a wireless tracking solution, IBM
new Wireless
storage cards to ‘runners’ who took and the Wimbledon team would be able
technologies
them off court during change-of-ends for to locate key personnel in real-time. It
into the
processing. With the vast majority of would also improve security by issuing
Wimbledon
press now using digital SLR cameras, security alerts when valuable equipment
project. Alex has a background in
IBM gave them the ability to send their is moved without authorisation, thus
science and graduated from Queen
photos over the WLAN network via their eliminating theft and reducing costs.
Mary’s (University of London) with a
laptop to their editors, thus speeding up By using IBM’s on-demand
PhD in Chemical Physics.
the time to publish. This was incredibly e-business model, Wimbledon can take
Roger Blake is an IBM Distinguished
Engineer and is the Technical Leader
for IBM Business Consulting Services,
the Consulting
and Systems
Integration arm
of IBM. He has
been the
technical
consultant to the
AELTC since
1992 and is
responsible for the overall technical
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solution for Wimbledon. Roger is a
Fellow of the BCS and a Chartered
Engineer. He graduated in
Figure 5 2003 Wimbledon Championships: Sluiter vs Kafelnikov Mathematics from Brunel University.
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