International Tennis Federation picks Imagen for content archive

The International Tennis Federation (ITF), the world governing body of tennis, is using Imagen’s video platform to manage and distribute a content archive of 15,000 assets that dates back to the 1940s.

Included in the repository of content is footage from the Davis Cup and Fed Cup competitions, among other things.

The announcement follows on from a project in which the ITF digitised its content catalogue, which previously existed only in physical copies across multiple formats, including VHS, betacam, SD and HD tapes and 2K film.

ITF has now engaged Imagen to store, manage and share its content so that it can generate more value from those assets and actively commercialise the content. The Imagen content portal provides the ITF’s internal teams with instant access to high-resolution video from its entire archive.

Kelly Fairweather, ITF chief operating officer said: “Imagen offered a wealth of expertise and knowledge when it came to getting this project underway. [They] listened to what we aspired to achieve with this project and came up with a bespoke solution that we felt was ideal and has allowed us to exploit the maximum benefit from our content.”

Quick access to the archive allows the ITF to distribute content to its partners, manage clip sales and asset licensing, and leverage archive content for digital campaigns to maximise its value, Imagen said.

Using Imagen Media Logger, the ITF can also apply time-based metadata to its video, “making it quicker and easier to search for specific types of clip, including fan reactions, bench moments or aces.”

The metadata functionality is said to reduce the time it takes for the ITF to deliver content to clients and has allowed for faster reaction time internally to events happening across tennis.

This, in turn, allows the ITF’s social and digital teams to capitalise on the exposure of an event in the moment, particularly with short-form clips.

In the future, the platform will allow the ITF to provide access to content to its member nations in order for them to use it for regional promotional materials.

Charlie Horrell, the chief executive of Imagen, added: “With extensive experience of working with other sporting bodies, we have in-depth knowledge of how organisations like the ITF use content and its value to their businesses. Thanks to this we were able to ensure we catered to the ITF’s exact needs, whilst also introducing them to other services and ideas which have worked for other clients.”