Five Things We Learned About AI in Sports

Stats Perform’s Chief Scientist, Patrick Lucey, highlights what our 2026 Sports Fan Engagement, Monetisation & AI Trends Survey reveals about AI’s transformational role in the future of sports media.

By: Patrick Lucey

Advances in data, technology and AI mean the sports media landscape is evolving faster than ever before. Fans now expect instant insights, personalised experiences and high-quality content across multiple platforms, and AI empowers organisations to meet those changing demands. Competition for attention is intensifying, and content teams are pushed to deliver more, faster, without sacrificing accuracy or editorial quality.

To understand how the industry is adapting, we surveyed 675 executives across digital media, broadcasters, betting operators, teams, leagues, sponsors and brands. The results paint a clear picture: Today AI sits rights at the heart of content creation and production across sports media.

Here are five of our biggest takeaways from the survey findings and what they mean for the future of fan engagement.

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1. AI adoption is soaring

The era of experimenting with AI is over. 81% of organisations have expanded their use of AI in the past year, signalling that the technology has crossed a critical threshold and is now a core part of daily workflows across the sports media ecosystem.

But adoption alone is not enough. The real competitive advantage lies in how effectively organisations apply AI to create smarter, faster and more engaging fan experiences. As more AI-generated content enters the market, expectations for accuracy and reliability are rising.

This is why data quality has become the defining differentiator. In an age where content can be produced and shared instantly, organisations must rely on trusted, ground-truth data to maintain credibility and fan trust.

2. AI helps teams get more done, faster

Seven in ten sports media organisations already report that AI enables them to do more in less time, highlighting the immediate impact the technology is having on workflow efficiency. Live coverage is a prime example: teams often have only moments to deliver real-time analysis, and without AI, producing timely content at scale becomes incredibly challenging.

With AI in place, 69% of organisations say they can produce more content in less time, allowing teams to react faster and expand their coverage. Respondents also note improvements in cost efficiency, content volume and overall quality, showing that AI is not only accelerating production but also helping build more scalable and sustainable content operations.

3. Scaling content volume is the top driver of AI adoption

As demand for always-on sports coverage grows, organisations are recognising they need to produce more content than ever without compromising on quality. Consistent, high-volume content output is now essential for driving fan engagement and commercial growth.

It is therefore no surprise that executives identified increasing content volume as their leading reason for adopting AI. From automating routine tasks to translating and localising content for global audiences, AI enables content teams to scale their production far beyond what manual workflows can achieve.

The ability to increase output while upholding strong editorial standards gives organisations a clear competitive advantage. Those using AI in this way are better positioned to reach wider audiences, deepen fan connections and unlock new revenue opportunities in an increasingly crowded sports media landscape.

4. By 2030, automation and personalisation will dominate AI use

Looking ahead, sports media organisations expect AI to play an even greater role in shaping how fans consume and interact with content. Personalisation will see the most dramatic growth: today, only 27% of survey respondents use AI for personalisation, but this is expected to rise to 61% by 2030.

Content automation, however, will remain just as important. 50% of respondents use automation today, and this is projected to grow to 65% by 2030. Automation provides the essential foundation: it enables teams to produce the volume and consistency of content required to fuel personalised experiences at scale.

5. AI should enhance creativity and trust, not replace them

As AI becomes more capable, sports media organisations are thinking carefully about how to use it responsibly. Executives emphasised that although automation is invaluable for scaling production, the heart of fan engagement must remain human. Fans connect most deeply with stories that feel authentic, emotional and thoughtfully crafted.

For this reason, premium sports media businesses are using AI to support and elevate their creative teams rather than replace them.

Thrive in an AI-led future

In 2026, adopting AI is no longer optional. With the technology now embedded across the industry, the real differentiator is how effectively organisations put it to work. The leaders will be those who harness AI for efficiency and scale while preserving authentic human connections that build fan trust.

To explore these trends in depth, along with many others shaping the future of sports media, including how fan behaviours are evolving and where new revenue opportunities are emerging, download Stats Perform’s 2026 Sports Fan Engagement, Monetisation and AI Trends Report by filling out the form below.