TLDR
Tennis Australia has named Adobe the Official AI Marketing and Creativity Partner of the Australian Open in a multi-year deal, the software company's first tennis sponsorship anywhere in the world. Adobe CX Enterprise will recommend matches, dining and activities to people at Melbourne Park, and Tennis Australia will use it to tailor campaigns for overseas fans.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
What the deal covers
Tennis Australia announced on 12 October 2026 that Adobe has signed a multi-year partnership making it the Official AI Marketing and Creativity Partner of the Australian Open, the software company's first tennis sponsorship anywhere in the world.[1] The Australian Open 2027 runs from 11 to 31 January at Melbourne Park.[2]
For Adobe, the deal is a shop window. Duncan Egan, Adobe's vice president of enterprise marketing for Asia Pacific and Japan, called the AO "the ideal partner to showcase how AI can transform fan engagement at scale".[4] No audience or budget figures were released.
"We're proud that Adobe has chosen the Australian Open as its first tennis partnership globally," said Cedric Cornelis, Chief Commercial Officer at Tennis Australia.[1]
How the personalisation works
Adobe CX Enterprise (which Adobe describes as an end-to-end platform for customer experience orchestration) will personalise recommendations for match scheduling, dining and activities, with the stated aim of reducing fans' screen time and increasing time spent in the venue.[1] Recommendations like that only work if the system knows who you are and what you like. The AO website already invites visitors to sign in or create a free account to use its personalisation features and follow favourite players,[1] so the account, not the stadium, is where the data comes from.
Tennis Australia will also use the platform to tailor content and marketing campaigns for its international audiences while keeping the AO brand consistent across markets.[1] Cornelis described the tournament as "the Grand Slam of Asia-Pacific".[1]
Alan Sharvin, Chief Technology Officer at Tennis Australia, said: "One of our core ambitions is to better understand our audiences and deliver more connected, relevant and personalised experiences at scale, whether you're a fan, a patron or a participant. Adobe is a key partner and enabler in helping us bring that ambition to life, connecting our data and digital capabilities to create more value from every interaction."[1]
Katrina Troughton, Adobe's Vice President and Managing Director ANZ, said: "With Adobe CX Enterprise, Tennis Australia can connect fans with the moments, content and experiences that matter most to them. At the same time, we're giving tennis fans access to AI-powered tools to unleash their creativity and share their love of the game. Together, we're helping shape the future of fan experiences both on and off the court."[1]
The AO has run AI features before
Adobe is not the tournament's first AI partner. At the 2024 Australian Open, Infosys ran generative AI "Match Bytes" story cards, a win predictor and a "Rafa Forever" tribute generator for fans, and Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley said Infosys had helped it with digital technology for the previous six years.[3]
What is new is the marketing side. Infosys built features fans played with; Adobe is being brought in to run who gets shown what, on site and in Tennis Australia's campaigns overseas. Neither side disclosed the value or length of the deal, and the rollout is phased with no published timetable. The first live test is the 2027 tournament at Melbourne Park, 11 to 31 January.[2]
SOURCES & CITATIONS
James Dore is Strategy Director at Bushnote, a leader in SEO and AEO in Australia. He writes on search, AI and the technology decisions shaping government and industry.
