When global sport came to a halt in 2020, United World Wrestling (UWW) faced the same challenge every federation did: how to stay relevant, connected, and growing even when sport itself could not play out. What followed was one of the most effective digital turnarounds in Olympic sport.
The IRIS-led Digital Workshop with UWW began in April 2020. The goal was simple: use data to transform how the federation communicates with fans, strengthen engagement, and turn every piece of content into measurable value. One year later, the results were clear, and UWW had moved from a mid-tier performer into one of the most efficient and engaging digital organizations amongst similar federations.
Reframing the Digital Strategy
When the project started, UWW’s main challenge was not lack of content, but how it was used. Video posting was inconsistent, engagement per follower was low, and social media platforms’ potential was untapped. By realigning its strategy around fewer but better posts, audience understanding, and platform-specific content, UWW built a stronger digital presence with optimal effort. Within a year, it ranked ninth overall, ahead of larger organizations.
The data told a clear story of progress. Across platforms, follower growth averaged between 4% and 46% depending on the channel. YouTube became a cornerstone of UWW’s strategy. In 2020, UWW accounted for a significant share of total views among Olympic federations, placing it among the top performers in its category. The core philosophy behind the transformation was efficiency. Every post served a purpose, drove engagement, attracted new followers, or converted attention into longer watch time. Behind this success was a more granular understanding of its audience. Using data, IRIS helped UWW identify where its digital fans were most active globally and where potential growth existed.
UWW’s story became about people again. Campaigns like #WeWillWrestleAgain reminded fans that wrestling’s spirit could not be paused. The Fantasy Wrestling Tournament turned them into active participants, creating rivalries and excitement online when there were no tournaments on the mat. The #UWWTop100 series celebrated wrestling’s greats, bringing fans back to YouTube in record numbers. Benchmarking against other combat sports showed further progress. The digital transformation was about sustainable growth. UWW efficiently utilised the power of data to identify where improvements would yield the highest returns.