The sports industry has weathered every technological disruption thrown at it. TV didn’t kill stadiums, the internet didn’t kill broadcasts, and streaming didn’t kill linear deals. Each wave instead redistributed value and forced organizations to rethink what they were selling and to whom. Those that adapted unlocked new models: The Premier League’s embrace of satellite TV turned it into a global property worth billions, while Netflix’s move into live sports signaled a future beyond legacy distributors.

AI is the next inflection point, but it is different from everything that came before. For the first time, the technology doesn’t just change how sports are distributed. It changes how fans discover, follow, and experience the games themselves.

Proprietary research from Horizon Sports & Experiences makes the challenge clear: More than 75% of sports fans are aware AI is being used in their sport, but fewer than half say they understand how it works. When adoption outpaces comprehension, skepticism fills the void. That skepticism is not just a communications problem; it’s a commercial one. Organizations that deploy AI without closing that gap risk eroding the fan trust that underpins every sponsorship, media deal and ticket sold.

The excuse is gone: From data points to fan profiles

For years, the fragmentation of fan data has offered the industry a convenient alibi. Ticketing........

© Sports Business Journal