Last month, industry leaders gathered at the Business France’s Sports Business Summit, New York City, to explore one of the most important shifts in the sports media industry today. The conversation centered on how artificial intelligence, content strategy, and data are transforming fan engagement and redefining business models. 

Moderated by Asrat Alemu from Project Levél, the panel brought together leading voices from across the sports ecosystem. Participants included Marcy Lefkovitz from Dalet, Amanda Herald from the NFL, Shirin Braden from the New Orleans Saints, and Victorien Tixier from ScorePlay. 

For sports organizations navigating rapid digital transformation, the message was clear. The future of sports media lies at the intersection of AI powered workflows, structured content, and deeply personalized fan experiences. These three elements are no longer independent. They are converging to create new opportunities for growth, efficiency, and connection with fans. 

Why Data Alone Is Not Enough: The Shift Toward Insight Driven Storytelling 

Data driven decision making has become standard across sports organizations, yet adoption and trust in data still vary. A shared anecdote during the panel highlighted a familiar challenge. Even when strong data is presented, decision makers sometimes resist it with reactions such as, “I have already made my decision, do not confuse me with the data.” 

This dynamic reveals an important truth about modern sports marketing and media operations. Data is most effective when it supports a clear vision rather than attempting to replace it. 

Amanda Herald emphasized that organizations must begin by defining the experience they want to create for fans. Once that vision is clear, data can strengthen the case and guide execution. This approach reflects a broader industry shift toward combining creativity, strategy, and analytics rather than treating them as separate disciplines. 

For Dalet customers, this reinforces a critical principle. Technology platforms and data systems deliver the most value when they enable storytelling and strategic decision making, not just reporting and measurement. 

The Evolution of Sports Content: From Output to Monetizable Asset 

Another central theme from the summit was the transformation of how content is viewed and managed within sports organizations. 

As Victorien Tixier explained, sports is fundamentally a storytelling business. Content is not simply a byproduct of marketing efforts. It is the foundation of fan engagement and the engine behind revenue generation. 

In the past, content was often treated as a single use output. Today, it is recognized as a structured and valuable asset that can be reused, enriched, and monetized over time. This shift is driving new expectations for how organizations manage their media. 

Modern sports organizations increasingly require platforms that can centralize content, enrich it with metadata, make it easily searchable, and distribute it across multiple channels. These capabilities allow teams and leagues to unlock more value from every piece of content they produce. 

This is where Dalet’s media workflows and AI powered solutions play a critical role. By enabling organizations to enrich content and make it more accessible, Dalet helps teams move beyond simple distribution models toward more advanced strategies that maximize both engagement and revenue. 

AI in Sports Media: Start with Quick Wins and Build Momentum 

When discussing AI adoption, Marcy Lefkovitz offered one of the most practical and grounded perspectives from the panel. 

“I am a fan and a believer, and it is just getting better and better. I think we should start with quick wins using AI.” 

Her point reflects a common challenge in the industry. While the potential of AI is significant, organizations can struggle with where to begin. Focusing on achievable and high impact use cases allows teams to build confidence and demonstrate value early. 

Examples of these quick wins include automating metadata creation such as player recognition and transcription, improving content discoverability through natural language search, accelerating highlight creation, and tailoring content for different distribution channels. These applications are already delivering measurable returns and helping organizations operate more efficiently. 

At the same time, Marcy encouraged teams to expand their thinking beyond these initial use cases. AI is not only about increasing speed or reducing manual work. It is about uncovering deeper insights and creating new value within content. 

AI can identify sponsorship placements in footage, enable better tracking and monetization of brand exposure. It can also support more advanced forms of personalization by adapting content for different viewing environments, whether for a fan in a stadium or watching on a streaming platform. In addition, enriched content archives create new opportunities to repurpose and monetize historical assets in ways that were not previously possible. 

Personalization at Scale: The Next Frontier for Fan Engagement 

One of the most important shifts discussed at the summit is the rise of personalized fan experiences. 

Fan behavior is evolving quickly, especially among younger audiences. Many fans now prefer short form content over full length broadcasts. They often follow individual players as closely as teams, and they expect content to be available on demand rather than tied to fixed schedules. 

AI enables organizations to respond to these changes in real time. By combining first party data with intelligent content systems, teams and leagues can gain a deeper understanding of individual preferences and deliver more relevant experiences. 

With the right infrastructure in place, sports organizations can tailor content to specific audiences, deliver targeted highlights and stories, and build stronger relationships with fans over time. This represents a major evolution in the sports media model and opens the door to new forms of engagement and loyalty. 

Human Creativity Still Matters: AI as an Enabler 

While AI continues to advance, the panel made it clear that human creativity remains essential. 

At organizations such as the NFL and the New Orleans Saints, AI is used to improve efficiency and streamline workflows, but it is not a replacement for creative thinking or brand identity. Shirin Breden underscored this point by explaining that AI is there to complement teams rather than replace them. 

This approach is particularly important in sports, where authenticity plays a central role in how fans connect with teams and leagues. Cultural nuance, storytelling, and emotional resonance cannot be fully automated. Fans expect experiences that feel genuine and aligned with the identity of the organization. 

The most successful strategies will be those that combine the power of AI with strong creative direction. AI can enhance creativity by removing friction and generating insights, but the human element remains at the core of meaningful fan engagement. 

What Is Agentic AI and Why It Matters for Media Workflows 

Looking ahead, Marcy Lefkovitz highlighted the growing importance of agentic AI as the next step in the evolution of media technology. 

Agentic AI differs from traditional tools because it does more than assist with specific tasks. It can actively participate in workflows by making decisions and executing actions based on defined goals. 

This shift has important implications for how teams operate. Instead of relying on complex manual processes or specialized roles for every task, organizations can use natural language interactions to guide systems and automate workflows. Activities such as editing, research, and data analysis can become faster and more accessible. 

For sports organizations, this means greater flexibility, improved efficiency, and the ability to focus more time on strategic and creative work. It also enables faster content production and distribution, helping organizations keep pace with modern fan expectations. 

For Dalet, agentic AI represents a significant step forward in media operations. It enables more intelligent and adaptive systems that can respond dynamically to user needs and business objectives. 

Measuring Success: Beyond the Game 

The panel concluded by redefining how success is measured in the sports industry. 

Traditional metrics such as ticket sales, broadcast revenue, and sponsorship deals are still important, but they are no longer sufficient on their own. Organizations are increasingly focused on long term fan engagement and sustained impact. 

Success now includes factors such as ongoing content consumption, social media growth, brand affinity, and emotional connection with fans. It also involves building stronger relationships with partners that extend beyond a single event or campaign. 

This reflects a broader shift toward lifetime fan value. Content, data, and technology must work together to create continuous engagement and deliver meaningful experiences over time. 

Final Takeaways for Sports Media Leaders 

The Business France Sports Business Summit made one thing clear. The convergence of AI, content, and data is fundamentally reshaping the sports industry. 

Marcy Lefkovitz’s perspective highlights a clear path forward for organizations. Start with practical AI applications that deliver immediate value. Treat content as a long-term asset rather than a one time output. Use AI to enable personalization at scale while preserving authenticity. And begin preparing for the impact of agentic AI on workflows and operations. 

As Marcy put it, “It is just getting better and better.” 

For sports organizations ready to evolve, the opportunity is significant. By building smarter workflows, unlocking the value of content, and delivering more meaningful fan experiences, teams and leagues can position themselves for long term success in a rapidly changing landscape.