MKTG and dentsu Sports Analytics (DSA) have been appointed as Tennis Australia’s global research and insights partner, in a multi-year agreement designed to deepen audience understanding and drive international growth for the sport.
The partnership spans 12 global markets and will cover Tennis Australia’s tentpole events, including the Australian Open, United Cup, and lead-in tournaments in Adelaide, Brisbane and Hobart, as well as grassroots programs like Hot Shots Tennis, Cardio Tennis, Padel, Pop Tennis and Pickleball.
The deal brings together MKTG’s sports strategy and insights expertise with the custom research capabilities of dentsu Intelligence, under the DSA umbrella. The collaboration aims to help Tennis Australia sharpen its global fan and participant segmentation, leading to more targeted, data-informed engagement strategies.
Martin Ansell, Head of Strategy and Insights at MKTG, said: “Tennis Australia is well known as one of the world’s leading forward-thinking and innovative rights holders who value the importance of having the best data and insight to stay ahead.”
“We are excited to support TA by bringing the best of DSA’s research innovation to the fore and are laser-focused to help them understand the cultural impact of their brands, how to grow their already-strong player base, and to uncover the key opportunities to grow audience segments around the world.”
The research program will use DSA’s proprietary Cultural Relevance Framework, the Decoding 360 insights platform, and fan transaction data from its partnership with Fonto. These tools will support Tennis Australia’s 2030 strategy by identifying and acting on growth opportunities in key and emerging markets.
Jarrad Provis, General Manager of Integrated Marketing at MKTG, called the agreement “a significant milestone for dentsu Sports Analytics,” adding: “Innovation to drive meaningful impact sits at our core, fueling growth and generating positive outcomes for our clients, the industry, and society.”
Cedric Cornelis, Chief Commercial Officer at Tennis Australia, said the partnership would transform how the organisation leverages insights: “The agency’s Cultural Relevance Framework, advanced fan segmentation, and seamless integration with dentsu’s global insights network will empower us to better understand our global audiences and the cultural influence of our brands.”
“What truly stood out was the ability to turn actionable insights directly into strategy, propelling us toward our 2030 vision.”
The deal strengthens DSA’s position in the global sports analytics market, with existing research programs in place across properties including Formula 1, the NFL and UEFA.