Today’s guest columnist is David Levy, chairman of Genius Sports and co-CEO of Horizon Sports and Experiences (HS&E).
I am not a fan of boldfaced predictions, especially in the business of sports–where the unpredictable is really what we cherish on the field. However, as an ex-hockey player I’ve always lived by the great Wayne Gretzky’s advice to “skate to where the puck is going, not to where it has been.”
Today the puck is moving faster than ever, but some exciting trends and opportunities are emerging around women’s sports, data implementation and AI integration. Some key thoughts:
Use of data technology engagement in sports played by women will continue to soar. We at Genius saw the growth in women’s sports early, and in the college space started using data as an engagement tool in the broadcast of all women’s sports. HS&E also saw this opportunity a year ago–it’s why we invested and are launching college basketball’s Women Champions Classic, which will air live in primetime on Fox. The professional leagues and their broadcast partners are integrating mainstream data technology as well into their telecasts and on all distribution platforms.
There are several reasons for this; first, our broadcast and distribution partners across the board are seeing increased demand for women’s sports. Larger audiences and fans hungry for engagement want a deeper dive into what’s happening on and off the field. And as more women’s programming hours are scheduled, engagement opportunities for these elite female athletes will grow, just as we have seen for men.
Brands have responded and are shifting more media and sponsorship dollars into women’s sports than ever before. This will ultimately bring down the costs of data tech and visualizations as scale creates efficiencies.
The toolbox for AI integration will be getting much larger. Though Artificial Intelligence was something many traditionalists feared as little as a year ago, now it’s being accepted as a powerful tool to improve the fan and broadcast experience. At its core, AI tools make jobs simpler and increase the ways we can engage. On the production side, AI is proving to be more evolution than revolution in numerous ways; the impact is real, and it’s further enhancing the viewer experience. Some examples:
· Generating personalized content for fans, such as highlight reels and player profiles, based on individual preferences.
· AI-driven camera systems are capturing dynamic footage from various angles, ensuring optimal coverage of the game.
· Virtual graphics and augmented reality technologies are creating immersive experiences, enriching the broadcast with real-time analytics and interactive elements.
Consider the use of AI to customize feeds for the consumer. Think of Kevin Harlan announcing an NBA game in English; with AI and zero latency he will also be heard in French, German and Spanish–in his voice and in real-time, on the viewer’s feed of choice. With this technology there is no loss of quality but an increase in engagement and enjoyment by the fan whose only request is to hear the action in their native tongue.
Also let’s not forget the incremental revenue opportunities created by this AI technology. Brands will be able to sponsor new visual creations in the telecast without disrupting the game or the viewer experience. So whether it’s betting, stats overlays or brand-sponsored activation, the multicast will allow fans to become their own personal director by choosing the feed they want. The resulting audience data will also improve brands’ ability to target consumers.
Many other engagement elements are still being tested with various levels of success, and if you’ve been around this industry as long as I have, you’ve lived through many trends. (3D glasses anyone? I have several pair in a closet). The key is to cut through the noise and listen to what fans want, see what is scalable and know what is sellable. These three points provide a good starting roadmap that will lead to success. I am excited to be on this journey into a rapidly growing future where tech leads the way to engagement, women’s sports continue to grow exponentially and future content becomes more gamified and personalized.
Consider these more observations than predictions, even though Genius and I are in the gambling business.
I don’t want to spend your money, but these are all pretty safe bets.
