In 2024, IBM launched the AI Sports Club, a global activation platform designed to showcase how IBM transforms data into AI-powered experiences across iconic sports partnerships, including The Masters, Scuderia Ferrari, and the US Open. While IBM’s AI innovations were well known within enterprise and tech circles, general public awareness of its role in the AI space remained limited.
So in 2025, as the US Open hit its final stretch, IBM and GPJ took the shot: bring AI out of the boardroom and onto the streets of New York.
AI Sports Club at the Park — a four-day takeover of Madison Square Park designed to show the city (and the world) what AI can really do when it’s in the hands of fans.
Smashing Expectations in the Heart of Manhattan
Located directly across from IBM’s brand-new One Madison Avenue HQ, the activation transformed the park into a full-on fan zone — equal parts tech demo, community space, and AI playground.
We split the experience into two zones:
- The Active Zone featured four AI-powered table tennis experiences, affectionately known as Calling the Shots. Using real-time match data from IBM, fans got live AI commentary on their play, personalized stats, and AI-fueled trivia that tested their tennis chops.
- The Passive Zone delivered a full-on watch party vibe, complete with a live stream of the US Open semis and finals, enhanced by the IBM tech that the USTA/IBM partnership is famous for. After years of isolation, it brought fans back together — no tickets required.
To kick it all off? A live taping of Andy Roddick’s podcast Served set the tone, followed by appearances from tennis legends, NYC officials, creators, and curious passersby who quickly turned into fans.
The Results Were Game, Set, Match
- 1.3M+ impressions generated by content from the activation
- 565,000+ visitors engaged with the park experience
- 4,200+ participants played in the AI table tennis zone
- 50% lift in AI awareness among on-site and digital audiences
- 98% attendee satisfaction, with fans asking: “When’s the next one?”
By turning enterprise-grade AI into something tangible, playful, and genuinely fun, IBM reintroduced itself to the public — not just as a tech leader, but as an experience brand.
The AI Sports Club made AI accessible, emotional, and interactive — and in doing so, reminded fans why IBM is a major player, on and off the court.
