Australian Open turns to animation to engage new fans

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Looking to watch tennis with a unique twist? The Australian Open might just be what you need. Tennis Australia has been streaming animated versions of real-life matches on YouTube, bringing the game to a whole new audience and level. The animation closely mirrors the real-time action, including players’ outfits, dramatic racket throws (ahem, Daniil Medvedev), and the ball’s trajectory, offering a fresh and fun way for kids to experience the tournament.

According to the Morning Brew, “Animation allows Tennis Australia to show matches online despite having sold away broadcasting rights to various TV channels, bringing the sport to more people who don’t have specific TV subscriptions. It’s also an opportunity for the organization to “captivate a new generation of fans,” following in the tracks of the NFL and NHL, which have both used real-time animation during their games in an effort to appeal to young viewers.”

They also report engagement for the tournament is going up. “When Tennis Australia debuted the technology last year, the first four days brought in 140,000 viewers. This year, the number of people watching over that period jumped to 950,000.”

My family and I went to Australia last month (check out my trip reports), and we would’ve loved to extend our stay to Melbourne to watch the Australian Open live. But for now, these animated live streams are keeping my kids’ attention far more than the live broadcasts on ESPN.