Mubadala World Tennis Championship Event Report-2018

MUBADALA WORLD TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP

EVENT REPORT 27-29 DECEMBER 2018

MUBADALAWTC.COM

CONGRATULATIONS

NOVAK DJOKOVIC! 4-TIME MUBADALA WORLD TENNIS CHAMPION

2 /3

INSIDE...

4

Event Review

22

Kids’ Day

40

TV Distribution

6

Timeline

24

Sponsor Activations

42

Marketing Campaign

8

Event Details

26

Tennis Clinics

44

Social Media

9

Results

28

Event Programme

46

Influencers

10

Ladies’ Players

30

On-Court Entertainment

48

PR Campaign

12

Men’s Players

32

Premier Hospitality

50

Previous Champions

14

New for 2018

33

Cocktail Reception

52

Testimonials

16

Media Days

34

Ball Kids & Volunteers

54

Mubadala Community Cup

18

Tennis Village

36

Sponsor Branding

20

Mubadala Interactive Zone

38

Spectator Research

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EVENT REVIEW Recognised as the beginning of the global tennis season, the 2018 Mubadala World Tennis Championship attracted the best line-up of players the event had ever seen, making the 11th edition of the tournament one of the most exciting in the history of the Championship.

Not only has the event helped to place Abu Dhabi on the map as the sporting capital of the region, but organisers FLASH Entertainment also witnessed the number of sponsors double in 2018, showcasing just how important the tournament has become to the UAE. Continuing its popular format of six male players and two female players, the latter of which was introduced in 2017, participating stars included Novak Djokovic (World No.1), Rafael Nadal (2), Kevin Anderson (6), Dominic Thiem (8), Karen Khachanov (11) and Hyeon Chung (25), as well as seven-time Grand Slam winner Venus Williams, who faced her sister and 23-time Grand Slam Champion Serena Williams in the ladies match.

The action didn’t just take place on the court. During the three-day duration of the tournament, visitors also enjoyed a myriad of action and entertainment in the Tennis Village – and the move to make the tournament more family-friendly clearly contributed to the success of the event. The entertainment was wide and varied, ranging from coaching clinics

4 /5

hosted by star players to Q&A sessions with the UAE’s top female athletes from the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy (FBMA), as well as with tennis superstars Karen Khachanov and Venus Williams, hosted by the tennis legend Pat Cash. A live-cooking session with Kevin Anderson proved particularly popular, as did performances by FAFA (winner of the Emerging Talent Competition) and Bait Al Oud from Abu Dhabi Classics.

Premier Hospitality guests were once again treated to an unforgettable experience of first class catering and exclusive player interactions. The hospitality lounge played host to intimate player Q&As and photo sessions, and premier seats provided guests with the ultimate court-side viewing experience during matches.

Not only was 2018 a remarkable year for the Mubadala World Tennis Championship, it was also a fantastic year for the Mubadala Community Cup (MCC) presented by Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. With over 300 participants, including a new ladies’ category, MCC showcased some amazing talent with great potential to become future tennis superstars.

Part of Mubadala and FLASH Entertainment’s objectives is to encourage young people to get into sport – and events like MWTC help to encourage a future generation of sporting champions.

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TIMELINE 2008 SEPTEMBER 2008 The Abu Dhabi World Tennis Championship, guided by the belief of the late H.H. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, former President of the UAE, and H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, is conceived to enhance the growth of tennis in the country and create a world-class tennis event in Abu Dhabi.

9 NOVEMBER 2008 FLASH Entertainment, in partnership with Capitala and IMG, announce the creation of a new special event to kick start the 2009 global tennis season – the Capitala World Tennis Championship – officially the first international tennis tournament in the capital.

31 DECEMBER 2011 SEPTEMBER 2009 The mini-tennis initiative ‘Capitala Tennis in Schools’ is launched to boost participation in tennis at a grassroots level.

2009

2 JANUARY 2010 Nadal defeats Soderling in the Championship final and signals the event as great preparation for the Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the rest of his record year.

24 OCTOBER 2010 Mubadala announces their title sponsorship and the event is officially renamed the Mubadala World Tennis Championship.

2011

1 JANUARY 2009

1 JANUARY 2011

The inaugural Capitala World Tennis Championship ball is served at the International Tennis Stadium, Zayed Sports City.

A dream final between Federer and Nadal wows the crowds and sees Nadal win in straight sets, taking the title home for the second consecutive year.

3 JANUARY 2009 Great Britain’s Andy Murray is crowned the inaugural Capitala World Tennis Championship victor in front of a sold-out stadium.

6 /7

first time.

2010

NOVEMBER 2008 The Capitala Community Cup commences as the first exciting step in creating a series of unique tennis-themed initiatives to engage the community, with a focus on encouraging UAE youth to play tennis.

World-class tennis at the 2011 MWTC culminates in an incredible final between Djokovic and Ferrer, with Djokovic taking the title for the

2012 29 DECEMBER 2012 Emirati duo Hamad Janahi and Abdulrahman Al Janahi get the once-in-a-lifetime chance to play with Murray and Berdych on centre court. The nail-biting final between Djokovic and Almagro then wows the sold-out stadium with Djokovic coming back from a set down to retain his title.

2013 28 DECEMBER 2013 Final day sees yet another sell-out stadium, as Novak Djokovic clinches his third consecutive MWTC title!

2015

2017 3 JANUARY 2015 Murray lifts the MWTC trophy following the 3rd and 4th play-off after the unfortunate withdrawal of Djokovic due to illness. Luckily, fans didn’t miss out on the tennis action as Almagro and Lopez returned to court for a hilarious exhibition match umpired by Pat Cash.

2016 2 JANUARY 2016 Following three days of the closest matches in MWTC history (a total of 10 hours and 32 minute of on-court action!), Nadal raises the MWTC trophy for the third time, beating Raonic 7-6, 6-3 in a crowd-

24 DECEMBER 2017 MWTC’s first-ever ladies’ match is announced, featuring 23-time Grand Slam Champion Serena Williams and reigning French Open Champion Jelena Ostapenko.

World No.1 Novak Djokovic equals Rafael Nadal’s record of four titles at MWTC with a hard-fought 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 win over World No.6 Kevin Anderson.

30 DECEMBER 2017 Kevin Anderson defeats Roberto Bautista Agut in straight sets 6-4, 7-6 (7-0), to become the 10th MWTC Champion.

MWTC’s first-ever ladies’ match takes place with Jelena Ostapenko defeating Serena Williams in a super-set.

2018

thrilling final.

27 DECEMBER 2018

DECEMBER 2016

Famous tennis siblings Serena and Venus Williams meet in Abu Dhabi for

In a Wimbledon final rematch from a few months previous, World No.1 Andy Murray and No.3 Milos Raonic battle it out for third place, with the Brit winning 6-3, 7-6. Rafael Nadal makes the perfect return to the court, winning his fourth MWTC title, defeating David Goffin.

29 DECEMBER 2018

the first time, with Venus winning the match 4-6, 6-3, 10-8, in 1 hr and 26 mins.

28 DECEMBER 2018 Defending champion Kevin Anderson overcomes Rafael Nadal in three tightly fought sets – 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 – to secure his place in the final. World No.1 Novak Djokovic beats Karen Khachanov 6-4, 6-2 in the day’s other semi-final.

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DAY 1

EVENT DETAILS Dates: 27 – 29 December 2018

Event Owner: FLASH Entertainment

Official Venue: International Tennis Centre, Zayed Sports City

THURSDAY, 27 DEC 2018

4:00 PM

MATCH 1

Official Website: www.mubadalawtc.com

Title Sponsor: Mubadala Investment Company

HYEON CHUNG

77 2

1

KEVIN ANDERSON

64 6

6

OFFICIAL SPONSORS

Official Vehicle

Official Sponsor

Official Time-Keeper

Official Sports Drink

Official Water Provider

Official Hotel Partner

Official Ball & Racket Supplier

Official Healthcare Provider

Official Beverage Partner

MEDIA PARTNERS

MATCH 2 DOMINIC THIEM KAREN KHACHANOV

6:00 PM 6

3

3

77 6

EVENT PARTNERS

LADIES’ MATCH PRIZE MONEY

USD $250,000 8 /9

8:00 PM

Match Format: • Elimination series of matches, with the top two seeded players given a bye on Day 1.

VENUS WILLIAMS

4

6 (10)

• Best of 5th/6th place and 3rd/4th place matches played on Day 2 and 3 respectively.

SERENA WILLIAMS

6

3

• The Opening Day includes a ladies’ exhibition match.

8

DAY 2

FRIDAY, 28 DEC 2018

3:00 PM

5TH PLACE MATCH HYEON CHUNG

6

6

DOMINIC THIEM

2

3

DAY 3 EXHIBITION MATCH 5:00 PM

SATURDAY, 29 DEC 2018

CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH 7:00 PM NOVAK DJOKOVIC

4

7

7

KEVIN ANDERSON

6

5

5

5:00 PM

SEMI FINAL 1 RAFAEL NADAL

6

3

4

KEVIN ANDERSON

4

6

6

SEMI FINAL 2

KAREN KHACHANOV

7:00 PM

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

6

6

KAREN KHACHANOV

4

2

6

4 (10)

3

6 (3) DOMINIC THIEM

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LADIES’ PLAYERS

Serena and Venus Williams stole the spotlight on the Opening Day of MWTC 2018 – their first-ever meeting in Abu Dhabi. The packed-out stadium enjoyed a wonderful game of tennis as the sisters clearly showed that they can be fierce rivals on the court. After an exciting match that lasted one hour and 26 minutes, Venus defeated her younger sister Serena 4-6, 6-3, (10-8).

SERENA WILLIAMS AGE: 37 GRAND SLAMS: 23 NATIONALITY: American HEIGHT: 5’9” (175cm) PLAYS: Right-handed CAREER TITLES: 72

10/ 11

VENUS WILLIAMS AGE: 38 GRAND SLAMS: 7 NATIONALITY: American HEIGHT: 6’1” (185cm) PLAYS: Right-handed CAREER TITLES: 49

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MEN’S PLAYERS

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

RAFAEL NADAL

KEVIN ANDERSON

AGE: 31

AGE: 32

AGE: 32

WORLD RANKING: 1

WORLD RANKING: 2

WORLD RANKING: 6

NATIONALITY: Serbian

NATIONALITY: Spanish

NATIONALITY: South African

HEIGHT: 6’2” (188cm)

HEIGHT: 6’1” (185cm)

HEIGHT: 6’8” (203cm)

WEIGHT: 77kg (170lb)

WEIGHT: 85kg (188lb)

WEIGHT: 94kg (208lb)

PLAYS: Right-handed

PLAYS: Left-handed

PLAYS: Right-handed

BACKHAND: Two-handed

BACKHAND: Two-handed

BACKHAND: Two-handed

CAREER TITLES: 72

CAREER TITLES: 80

CAREER TITLES: 5

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DOMINIC THIEM

KAREN KHACHANOV

HYEON CHUNG

AGE: 25

AGE: 22

WORLD RANKING: 8

WORLD RANKING: 11

WORLD RANKING: 25

NATIONALITY: Austrian

NATIONALITY: Russian

NATIONALITY: South Korean

HEIGHT: 6’1” (185cm)

HEIGHT: 6’6” (201cm)

HEIGHT: 6’2” (189cm)

WEIGHT: 79kg (174lb)

WEIGHT: 87kg (192lb)

WEIGHT: 89kg (196lb)

PLAYS: Right-handed

PLAYS: Right-handed

PLAYS: Right-handed

BACKHAND: One-handed

BACKHAND: Two-handed

BACKHAND: Two-handed

CAREER TITLES: 11

CAREER TITLES: 4

CAREER TITLES: 0

AGE: 22

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Family Festival Integration Live Cooking Display

NEW FOR 2018 Each year, MWTC offers the best experience to new and returning fans. The 11th edition was action packed with a combination of fresh entertainment, along with the tournament’s most-popular activities, for fans of all ages to enjoy.

From a thrilling Ladies’ Exhibition Match between famous tennis siblings Serena and Venus Williams, to a Live Cooking show with Kevin Anderson and Pat Cash, and the amazing freestyle tennis tricks performed by Stef Bojic from Serbia, there was plenty of action both on and off the court.

The move to make the tournament more familyfriendly, and allowing free entry for children (aged 2 - 12) on Day 1, also contributed to the event’s success.

Venus Williams Q&A with Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy Athletes

Free Kids’ Freestyle Clinic

Roaming Village MC

14/ 15

Free Kids’ Zone

Free Entry for Kids on Day 1

Foxtenn Real Bounce

Tennis Freestyle Show & Clinic

Live Musical Performances

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Dominic Thiem, Kevin Anderson, Karen Khachanov and Hyeon Chung were delighted to be gifted locally crafted racket covers during their time in Qasr Al Hosn, Abu Dhabi

The Williams sisters, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal meet on Centre Court

MEDIA DAYS As part of their Mubadala World Tennis Championship 2018 experience, Kevin Anderson, Karen Khachanov, Hyeon Chung and Dominic Thiem enjoyed a taste of Abu Dhabi culture with a tour of the newly renovated Qasr Al Hosn heritage site, a day before the on-court action started at Zayed Sport City.

Media also had an opportunity to meet Venus and Serena Williams, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal on the Opening Day, following a photo opportunity on the Centre Court.

Famous tennis siblings Serena and Venus also met with top Emirati female athletes from the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy – UAE ice hockey player Fatima Alali, UAE figure skater Zahra Lari and UAE basketball player Fatima Alamri.

16/ 17

The Williams sisters meet athletes from the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy Enjoying a taste of Emirati culture

Venus Williams taking part in a lively media session with reporters

PR VALUE OF BOTH MEDIA DAYS

30M IMPRESSIONS

A photo stop at Qasr Al Hosn

Bringing tennis to Qasr Al Hosn

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TENNIS VILLAGE

The 2018 Tennis Village at MWTC was a fun-filled hit loved by visitors of all ages – as well as the players.

Bigger and better than ever before, the Tennis Village boasted plenty of entertainment for every member of the family across the three-day tournament.

The Williams sisters share their sporting tips with top Emirati female athletes from the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy

Heading to the newly constructed Mubadala Interactive Zone Gatorade Top Performance Corner

Venus Williams and Pat Cash chat to the crowds

18 / 19

Mercedes-Benz EMC display

Karen Khachanov takes a breather from the Star Player Clinics

The Live Cooking Show with Pat Cash and Kevin Anderson, hosted by Saadiyat Rotana, was a hit with fans

Karen Khachanov answers a young tennis fan’s questions

The National Chill Out Zone

Tennis freestyler Stef Bojic

Visitors could select from a variety of F&B choices

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MUBADALA INTERACTIVE ZONE The Mubadala Interactive Zone was again at the heart of the Tennis Village and provided guests with an array of engaging tennis themed activities, as well as playing host to the daily autograph signings with the MWTC players.

20/ 21

Glow-in-the-dark tennis Spelling it out

Having fun with caricatures

“CHAMPIONS KEEP PLAYING UNTIL THEY GET IT RIGHT” BILLIE JEAN KING

Testing skills

A young fan tries his commentating skills

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KIDS’ DAY

The 2018 MWTC not only invited kids (aged 2 – 12) to enter the event for free on Day 1, it also challenged youngsters to test their co-ordination, fitness and tennis skills across 10 activity stations.

Kids’ Day successfully accomplished its goal of educating the younger generations about the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle, while a Q&A session with MWTC star Karen Khachanov, hosted by Pat Cash, gave inquisitive youngsters the unique opportunity to quiz the player on what it takes to become a professional athlete.

Getting into full swing

Fans leave testimonials

22/ 23

Aiming high

Feeding the tiger (safely)

Learning a few tricks

Fitness fun

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SPONSOR ACTIVATIONS Fun and creative sponsor activations in the Tennis Village allowed visitors to connect with sponsor brands experientially.

Testing eye-to-hand co-ordination with The National

Taste of luxury with Mercedes-Benz

Taking aim with Mubadala

Saadiyat Rotana promotes a healthy diet Wilson merchandise

Keeping the ball bouncing with Highland Spring

24/ 25

Participants in the Mercedes-Benz Competition Extra flavours at Saadiyat Rotana’s live cooking show

OVER

A ‘hole’ lot of fun with The National

15,000

Relaxing with Saadiyat Rotana

PEOPLE VISITED THE VILLAGE AND ENJOYED THE ACTIVATIONS

Aiming for the Gatorade title

Star turns at the Star FM activation

Making a splash with Highland Spring

Read all about it with What’s On Abu Dhabi

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TENNIS CLINICS

MWTC prides itself on the unrivalled access fans get to the star players, with the tennis clinics a key highlight of this. Across the three days, tennis clinics – free for all to watch – were held with the MWTC star players for winners of the community competitions, UAE Special Olympics tennis players, sponsors and social media competition winners.

All clinics were run seamlessly thanks to the support of Tennis Three Sixty and Zayed Sports City Academy.

A young fan impresses Kevin Anderson

Hyeon Chung surrounded by promising future tennis stars

26/ 27

Karen Khachanov happily signing autographs

Kids learn the importance of stretching properly

Concentration is the name of the game Hyeon Chung teaches youngsters to play for every point

Mums and dads watch the kids in action

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EVENT PROGRAMME The perfect pocket-sized guide, the 2018 Mubadala World Tennis Championship programme was crammed full with everything fans needed to know about the event and its partners – from fun tennis facts to player stats, sponsor activations, site map and much more. It even offered fans the perfect opportunity to collect the players’ autographs.

Dominic Thiem obliges with one of many autographs

Autograph and selfie time

28/ 29

Hyeon Chung making a fan happy

Novak Djokovic signing autographs

Rafael Nadal signs a sea of MWTC programmes

Rafael Nadal is all smiles with a fan

Kevin Anderson signing his player profile page

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ON-COURT ENTERTAINMENT

Apart from the thrilling tennis action, on-court entertainment offered fans plenty of other engaging activities.

Mercedes-Benz Competition

Selfies

30/ 31

Coin Toss Mercedes-Benz Competition

Bag Carriers Snap-happy fans with Novak Djokovic

Tennis Freestyle Show

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PREMIER HOSPITALITY

Premier Hospitality offered guests an unrivalled MWTC 2018 experience, providing fans with an unforgettable end to the year.

The best court-side seats

Fantastic photo opportunities

Autograph sessions with the players

Intimate Q&As Delicious food and refreshing beverages with table service

TV screens showcasing the live on-court action

32/ 33

Sharing a joke with Rafael Nadal

COCKTAIL RECEPTION

An exclusive Cocktail Reception was held at the stunning Nasma Beachfront Bar at Saadiyat Rotana, after Day 2 of the Championship.

Over 100 invited guests enjoyed the breathtaking sea views and cool vibes at the Abu Dhabi venue as they mingled with the MWTC players.

Hyeon Chung enjoying the relaxed atmosphere

Guests making Karen Khachanov feel welcome Novak Djokovic and Pat Cash entertain guests

Kevin Anderson chatting with guests

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BALL KIDS & VOLUNTEERS

MWTC wouldn’t be as successful without the dedicated volunteers who step into the roles of ushers, drivers, clinic desk coordinators, village attendants, information desk representatives and more.

And thanks to the excellent training provided by Zayed Sports City Academy, this year’s Ball Kids ensured play ran smoothly on Centre Court.

On behalf of the whole MWTC team, we would like to thank those who dedicated their time and commitment to the event. We are truly grateful for your invaluable contribution.

34/ 35

NO. OF VOLUNTEERS

+160 Volunteers at your service

MWTC’s team of ball kids ensure play runs smoothly

NO. OF BALL KIDS

+40

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SPONSOR BRANDING

In 2018, MWTC secured double the number of sponsors compared to the previous year – a clear signal of the increasing popularity and importance of the Championship in the UAE and the rest of the world.

The Championship is grateful to have such great partners, who play a key part in the overall success of the tournament.

MWTC would like to thank all of our sponsors who made the 2018 tournament such a resounding success.

36/ 37

SPONSOR BENEFITS:

Sponsors benefited from prime position court-side branding

GLOBAL EXPOSURE

TV BROADCAST

NET SPONSORSHIP VALUE

EXTENSIVE VENUE BRANDING

STRONG DIGITAL PLATFORMS

+150 $185.0 M COUNTRIES

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SPECTATORS’ AGE GROUP

SPECTATOR RESEARCH MWTC OCCUPANCY

58%

13,858

OF ATTENDEES ARE MORE ACTIVE AND MORE INTERESTED IN TENNIS SINCE THE HOSTING OF MWTC IN 2009

10,131

12% 33% 35%

16 - 24 years

25 - 34 years

35 - 44 years

GENDER GAP

54%

46%

14% 5%

45 - 54 years

55 - 64 years

2%

65+ years

TOURNAMENT WEBSITE AND OFFICIAL SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS WERE THE MOST POPULAR WAYS ATTENDEES KEPT UP-TO-DATE WITH THE EVENT

2017

+34% 38/ 39

2018

INCREASE IN ATTENDANCE VS 2017

14%

WEBSITE increase vs 2017

7%

FACEBOOK increase vs 2017

13%

INSTAGRAM increase vs 2017

5%

TWITTER increase vs 2017

HOW ATTENDEES HEARD OF MWTC 2018

44%

INTERNET ADVERTISING

41%

NEWSPAPER/MAGAZINE ADVERTISING

26%

28%

WORD OF MOUTH

17%

FACEBOOK

INSTAGRAM

OVERALL EXPERIENCE (NET%: GOOD OR VERY GOOD)

75%

OF ATTENDEES WERE UAE RESIDENTS

82%

OF SPECTATORS ARE VERY LIKELY TO RETURN IN 2019

83%

87%

OVERALL EXPERIENCE

TOURNAMENT ORGANISATION

81%

76%

ATTENDEES VISITED THE EVENT WITH

12% MYSELF

63%

1 - 3 PEOPLE

25%

4 - 9 PEOPLE

SPECTATOR VILLAGE EXPERIENCE

F&B QUALITY

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TV DISTRIBUTION

40/ 41

CUMULATIVE AUDIENCE

BROADCAST HOURS

TOTAL TV HOUSEHOLD REACH

GROSS MEDIA VALUE

13.0 M

1,561 HRS

772.7 M

$631.2 M

NET SPONSORSHIP VALUE

SOCIAL MEDIA MENTIONS

NUMBER OF TWITTER MENTIONS

SOCIAL MEDIA VIDEO VIEWS

$185.0 M

11,996

11,002

666,912

KEY PERFORMANCE

AMERICAS

EUROPE

AFRICA & MIDDLE EAST

ASIA PACIFIC

73:15:38

797:01:04 253:18:34 437:19:15

773,954

4,078,416 5,618,025 2,545,383

COVERAGE

VIEWERSHIP

COVERAGE

VIEWERSHIP

COVERAGE

VIEWERSHIP

COVERAGE

VIEWERSHIP

M U BA DA L A WO R L D T E N N I S C H A M P I 0 N S H I P 2 0 1 8

MARKETING CAMPAIGN One of the strongest and most successful marketing campaigns in the tournament’s history lead to a packed stadium across the three days of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship 2018.

The campaign launched on 3 October with the announcement of the first players – Novak Djokovic and Venus Williams – which immediately created many conversations around the Championship.

The key goal was to assure that the campaign messaging was engaged across multiple channels specifically targeting the key demographics, and speaking in the language and tone of our audience.

The campaign followed a ‘power of fame’ approach, promoting unrivalled access to the world’s best players. Also, recognising the market’s needs beyond the sport, the messaging heavily emphasized family entertainment, the overall weekend experience and the power of the all-star line-up, including signed merchandise giveaways, exclusive meet and greets, tennis clinics with the MWTC players and more.

YAS MALL Yas Mall Advertising

SEEN BY

+1 MILLION 42/ 43

AL KHALIDIYA ROAD Abu Dhabi Advertising

SEEN BY

+800K THE CONTENT STRATEGY:

R I T E

ELEVANT NTERESTING IMELY NTERTAINING

LUXURY MAGAZINE, THE NATIONAL

+65K DISTRIBUTION IN THE UAE

ADNOC PETROL STATIONS, ABU DHABI DIGITAL ADVERTISING

+27M IMPRESSIONS

+20M

VISITS TO ADNOC SERVICE STATIONS

COLLABORATION WITH ABU DHABI CLASSICS

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SOCIAL MEDIA MWTC’s social media platforms witnessed the most significant growths in reach and engagement among key demographics that the tournament has ever seen. Together with media partners and influencers, 2018’s campaign also witnessed proactive player engagement with the tournament’s content.

The main goal was to provide unique and original content about the Championship, as well as offer exciting competitions and behind the scene updates before the event. The approach assured to follow top trends at the time and have the most updated and exclusive news. Social media also successfully served as a 24/7 customer service platform.

MWTC’s social media provided fans with creative and up-to-date content about the Championship.

Thanks to a collaboration with the players, the channels also had exclusive pre-event coverage of each player preparing for the Championship, as well as special behind-thescenes moments.

Media partners gave incredible coverage across their social media channels, including Instagram story takeovers during the Media Days, competitions, featured posts and much more. Influencers’ content also showed significant interest and engagement with key demographics delivering a high engagement rate of 4.71%.

Tournament ambassador and favourite tennis legend Pat Cash generated weekly pre-event posts creating great local and international excitement around the Championship.

SOCIAL MEDIA ALSO ENGAGED FANS THROUGH:

QUIZZES

GIVEAWAYS

MEET AND GREETS WITH PLAYERS

COACHING CLINICS

SIGNED MERCHANDISE

#KIFAKNOVAK #YALLARAFA #SALAMSERENA Arabic player hashtags caught on and gave MWTC platforms an identity outside the digital space (used during live match commentary and as cheers for support by fans on court)

44/ 45

TICKET UPGRADES

AND MORE UNIQUE ACTIVITES

IMPRESSIONS

ENGAGEMENT

+11.2M

+183.3K

+384%

+392%

+33.4K LINK CLICKS

+520K VIDEO VIEWS

2017

2018

2017

2018

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INFLUENCERS

In line with the changing ways in which consumers absorb information, a team of influencers were used as part of the MWTC marketing campaign for the first time. Twenty-five lifestyle and sports influencers engaged with the event content to build awareness of MWTC throughout the UAE and encourage followers to attend the tournament.

+2.9M REACH

@sambysabrina

46/ 47

@saranavarrof

4.71%

ENGAGEMENT RATE

POST SPOTLIGHT

HOW MWTC STACKED UP AGAINST SPONSORED POST? MWTC posts performed

523%

above the Facebook sponsored post benchmark (0.9%)

4.71%

288 COMMENTS TOP 3 INFLUENCERS

@saranavarrof

8.05%

@damiendemolder

7.88%

You look like a

@sambysabrina

5.42%

Champion Sounds so amazing!!

Amazing! I can only imagine how cool it will be to see the players in action. Have a great time !

@marinasteinborn

@packmoreintolife

0.9%

Nadaaaal

Oh I love Tennis @alinak.official Oh how fun! So nice that kids get in free the first day!! @travel_tribe_guides

@andra_contiu I love thats kids are free. Looks like you have quite a pro on your hands here @travelynnfamily

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M U BA DA L A WO R L D T E N N I S C H A M P I 0 N S H I P 2 0 1 8

PR CAMPAIGN

The PR campaign produced a significant increase in coverage, delivering over USD $10M in PR value, generating a 47% growth compared to 2017.

The campaign achieved a successful reach both nationally and internationally, with MWTC 2018 featuring in leading media outlets such as Bloomberg, CNN, BBC, The Daily Mail, Fox Sports and ESPN. The main goal was to use tactical messaging when reaching key demographics. It was important to speak their language when entering various channels with different audience needs.

The campaign successfully built a connection with locals by focusing on the community and what matters to them. The messaging strongly positioned the Championship as a familyfriendly must-attend event. In addition, creative concepts were developed to build out the sport’s credentials, capturing sports enthusiasts and more.

The Championship players and ambassador Pat Cash, proactively participated in pre-event interviews, giving national media an opportunity to write exclusive features for their readers in the GCC. The event saw 152 accredited international and local media attend during the tournament, demonstrating the importance of the event in the global tennis and lifestyle calendars.

ENGLISH MEDIA: Arabian Business

605

Total no. of Print Clips

195

Total no. of Online Clips

391

ARABIC

ONLINE MEDIA: Yalla Abu Dhabi

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA: Tennis World USA

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA: Channel News Asia

LIFESTYLE VS. SPORTS SPORTS

ENGLISH

Total no. of Clips

483

LIFESTYLE

484

19

Total Ad Value of Clips ($)

3,469,037

Total PR Value of Clips ($)

10,400,304

48/ 49

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA: Fox Sports Asia

ARABIC MEDIA: Al Khaleej

ENGLISH VS. ARABIC

CAMPAIGN IN NUMBERS

Total no. of Social Media Clips

ENGLISH MEDIA: Abu Dhabi World

122

121

+10M PR VALUE

ARABIC MEDIA: Al Bayan ENGLISH MEDIA: The National

152

ACCREDITED MEDIA LIFESTYLE MEDIA: Hello

LIFESTYLE MEDIA: What’s On Abu Dhabi

25

ONLINE MEDIA: Zawya

INTERVIEWS 150% increase compared to 2017

ARABIC MEDIA: Al Ittihad

LIFESTYLE MEDIA: Jumeirah Magazine

ARABIC MEDIA: Al Khaleej

ENGLISH MEDIA: Gulf News

+6.3BN IMPRESSIONS

ONLINE MEDIA: Shortlist Abu Dhabi M U BA DA L A WO R L D T E N N I S C H A M P I 0 N S H I P 2 0 1 8

PREVIOUS CHAMPIONS EDITION 1

EDITION 3

ANDY MURRAY

RAFAEL NADAL

EDITION 2

EDITION 4

RAFAEL NADAL

50/ 51

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

EDITION 5

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

EDITION 6

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

EDITION 7

ANDY MURRAY

EDITION 10

KEVIN ANDERSON

EDITION 11

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

EDITION 8

RAFAEL NADAL

EDITION 9

RAFAEL NADAL

M U BA DA L A WO R L D T E N N I S C H A M P I 0 N S H I P 2 0 1 8

TESTIMONIALS

We set out to make the 11th edition of the Mubadala World Tennis Championships our best to date. We’ve been inundated with positive feedback from fans and are already planning the 2019 edition.”

JOHN LICKRISH, CEO FLASH ENTERTAINMENT 52/ 53

Abu Dhabi is one of my favourite places to play – the climate, atmosphere and enthusiasm from the crowds at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship provides the perfect start to the new season.

The tournament brings together players at the top of their game; we all relish playing in these extremely competitive matches.”

RAFAEL NADAL

In the first match of the season you just hope it goes well, and I really enjoyed playing in Abu Dhabi.”

VENUS WILLIAMS

It feels good to be back out there, like old times! We both did well and I’m really happy. I enjoyed it more this year – if that’s even possible.”

SERENA WILLIAMS

The energy from the crowd makes it a great place to play.”

KAREN KHACHANOV

I am absolutely thrilled to be coming to Abu Dhabi and to play against some of the biggest players in the world.”

HYEON CHUNG

I especially enjoyed being involved with the kids’ clinics last year, which was such a great feeling.”

DOMINIC THIEM

The Mubadala World Tennis Championship is the perfect start to the tennis season.”

KEVIN ANDERSON

I was very pleased with how I played today and this tournament is a great lead up to the new season.”

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

M U BA DA L A WO R L D T E N N I S C H A M P I 0 N S H I P 2 0 1 8

MUBADALA COMMUNITY CUP

The 11th edition of the Mubadala Community Cup (MCC), presented by Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, showcased some of the best upcoming talent in various categories, including the newlyannounced ladies’ category.

With over 300 participants, the MCC was a display of exciting tennis, and the various winners across the categories not only showcased their raw talent but also their potential to become future tennis superstars.

The Cup plays an important role in identifying the future tennis talents in the region. By hosting this tournament, we were able to find young players who show not just great skills but also impressive sportsmanship.

It is through activities like this that we hope to motivate younger fans to pick up their rackets and become the driving force of the next generation of tennis stars.

54/ 55

M U BA DA L A WO R L D T E N N I S C H A M P I 0 N S H I P 2 0 1 8

56/ 57

THANK YOU!

A special thank you to our sponsors on behalf of Mubadala World Tennis Championship and FLASH Entertainment.

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#MWTC

12

MubadalaWorldTennisChampionship MubadalaTennis MubadalaTennis

The 12th edition of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship takes place 19-21 December 2019.

See you then.

Mubadala World Tennis Championship

M U BA DA L A WO R L D T E N N I S C H A M P I 0 N S H I P 2 0 1 8

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