Since artificial intelligence apparently is influencing every decision we now make and, in turn, dominating sport industry discussions (by supposedly making us smarter and faster), we both flew to Europe this summer to learn more.

One of us attended the Middle East Sport and Investment Forum (MESIF) in London in early June at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where industry attendees explored the growing sport ecosystem currently under construction in the Middle East.

The other visited the AI and Sport Marketing conference at the ICN Business School in Paris before attending the Center for Sport & Business annual meeting at the Stockholm School of Economics. There, too, AI was top of mind.

The quality of each event’s content and corresponding technology focus was not only clear, but obvious. AI sat front and center, but there’s so much more tech coming into view, and some of it will greatly influence our industry.

To paraphrase any number of science fiction movies, we all need to be aware. Very aware.

For instance, one presentation and exhibit in London featured the work (and vision) of Fjolla Holzleithner, the female founder and CEO of Austrian-based virtual reality company Dayholi. Holzleithner is enthusiastic for VR and believes there is an advanced evolutionary stage still to be built into the future ways sports fans consume content.

As anyone who’s ever read our columns knows, we’re big believers in VR and frequently sprinkle in glowing references to this immersive technology........

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