Wimbledon is embracing Indian culture in a major push to grow its audience in one of the world’s fastest-growing sports markets, blending its traditional image with Bollywood music, regional languages and even Indian desserts.
This year’s campaign featured a partnership with Delhi’s historic KUReMAL’S to create a strawberries-and-cream kulfi, giving Wimbledon’s iconic dessert an Indian twist. The tournament also shared social media videos featuring tennis legends like Roger Federer set to popular Bollywood songs, invited Indian cricketers and influencers to the Royal Box, and produced digital content in multiple Indian languages.
The strategy appears to have delivered results. The men’s singles final, in which Jannik Sinner defeated Alexander Zverev, attracted an estimated 2.7 million livestream viewers in India, despite starting after midnight local time. Overall tournament viewership in India reportedly averaged 853,000 viewers, an 18% increase from last year.
India is already Wimbledon’s largest international audience by reach, and organizers see further growth potential as interest in tennis rises. The emergence of Arnav Paparkar, the first Indian in 36 years to reach the Wimbledon boys’ singles quarterfinals, has added to the momentum.
Experts say the campaign reflects a broader shift in sports marketing, where global brands increasingly adapt to local cultures rather than expecting audiences to embrace foreign traditions. By incorporating familiar Indian cultural elements, Wimbledon hopes to attract younger fans in a country where cricket remains the dominant sport.
The effort also benefits streaming platform JioStar, which holds India’s Wimbledon broadcast rights and is seeking to diversify its sports portfolio beyond cricket. Industry analysts say tennis helps attract affluent urban viewers and premium advertisers in sectors such as luxury goods, finance, automobiles and travel.
