Networking In Sports

As professional sports teams and their sponsors become increasingly intertwined, we’re witnessing a fascinating operational shift in how franchises are leveraging data to provide brands with access to fans.   Pacers Sports & Entertainment (PS&E), owner of the Indiana Pacers and Fever, recently launched a retail media network in partnership with Deloitte’s data analysis infrastructure and Yieldmo’s AI advertising capabilities. Through this venture, PS&E is extending its commercial reach far beyond its arena and owned media channels. It’s now activating sponsor messaging across the digital landscape utilizing fan data.   The media network looks for keywords like “Tyrese Haliburton” or “Caitlin Clark,” among others, then feeds people who click on an article about the Pacers or Fever stars an ad from a PS&E sponsor based on an understanding of their interests. For example, someone watching highlights who is thinking about buying a car will see an ad for an auto sponsor, while someone who dines out frequently may see a restaurant or a credit card ad. This takes place even if the article is published outside of PS&E’s media channels.   This first-of-its-kind move fits a broader trend of professional sports organizations working with second-level enablers to accelerate their capabilities and drive bottom-line value. In this case, PS&E is working with a data provider and an AI platform to monetize first-party fan data at scale and deliver measurable outcomes for sponsors, extending value far beyond signage in the arena and patches on jerseys.   Organizations that develop innovative ways to utilize fan passion and data will continue to disrupt settled wisdom of how to serve their bases and create new revenue streams.   Read more here: https://lnkd.in/e4GAuDSt

Signing Jamestown Analytics as a data player recruitment partner will be more impactful for Swansea City than having Snoop Dogg and Luka Modric as co-owners. Jamestown Analytics was founded in 2017 as an offshoot of Tony Bloom's wider analytics ecosystem, rooted in the same data infrastructure that powers Starlizard, his betting intelligence operation. The company is led by Johan Moazed and Justin Said. The methodology, the analytical approach and the staff all trace directly back to what Bloom built. The track record across their client clubs speaks for itself. Brighton identified Moises Caicedo for roughly £4 million and sold him to Chelsea for £115 million. Mitoma, Cucurella and Mac Allister came through the same framework. Union Saint-Gilloise won their first Belgian league title in 90 years last season. Como went from Serie B to Serie A. Hearts came within a final day of ending 40 years of Celtic and Rangers dominance at the top of Scottish football. Jamestown is one of the most secretive companies operating in football today. They do not publicize their methodology, they do not seek attention, and they are extremely selective about who they partner with. Getting access to their work is not straightforward. Known and alleged current and former partners include: Brighton (Premier League) Union Saint-Gilloise (Belgium) Como (Italy) Heart of Midlothian (Scotland) Ipswich Town (Championship/Premier League) Grimsby Town (League Two) Shelbourne (Ireland) IK Start (Norway) FC Nürnberg (Germany) Castellon (Spain) Melbourne Victory (Australia) Swansea City (Championship) This partnership makes sense because it did not happen in a vacuum. The Swansea ownership has been data-first since day one. Jamestown coming in is an upgrade layered on top of an existing foundation. That alignment from ownership through to the sporting director and recruitment department is what makes a data partnership actually deliver results. Player recruitment is the central challenge of Championship football. Clubs without parachute payments are competing against opponents with a structural financial advantage baked in from day one. The only sustainable way to close that gap is to be smarter in the transfer market. Identifying the right ones before anyone else does is where data gives you a genuine edge At that level, free transfers and loans are a core part of squad building. Better data means buying better, selling higher, identifying the right loans and free transfers before anyone else does, and making fewer costly mistakes. Over time that compounds into real financial momentum for the club.

AI Just Broke Sports' $100B Partnership Model 🚀 Week 34 reveals how sports organisations are evolving from basic sponsorship deals to comprehensive AI-driven partnerships that transform fan experiences, operational efficiency, and revenue generation. The shift shows technology companies becoming integral operational partners rather than simple service providers. Here's what's reshaping the sports landscape: 🤝 Strategic AI Partnerships NFL extends Microsoft partnership for real-time AI game analysis IBM powers US Open with personalised AI fan experiences Sony becomes official partner for World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 Google partners with Stephen Curry across Health, Pixel, and Cloud platforms Chelsea FC teams with FICO for enterprise analytics in USA market 💡 Next-Gen Fan Innovation Manchester City launches Fan Labs for next-generation experiences San Antonio Spurs hosts generative AI demo day across four use cases University of Florida debuts facial authentication for game entry Capgemini launches TryZOneIQ for real-time rugby match analysis Burnley FC creates Future Clarets youth development center with aiScout 🏟️ Infrastructure & Connectivity Washington Commanders signs first-ever AI naming rights deal with BigBear.ai Sunderland AFC enhances 5G connectivity through SONET project Wicket partners with Geelong Cats for facial authentication entry Multiple clubs adopt data analytics partnerships for performance insights 💰 Strategic Investments Eight Sleep raises $100M for AI-powered sleep technology expansion CoachUp acquires Bando Performance for athletic training integration Ultrahuman acquires viO HealthTech, launches Cycle & Ovulation Pro Flowstate secures $600K for AI-powered surfing tracking technology 📊 Market Intelligence IBM releases "2025 Sports Survey" on fan engagement shifts Pri0r1ty Intelligence launches Metr1c AI-powered sponsorship agency Various streaming partnerships expand global content reach 🔑 Insight: The NFL-Microsoft partnership extension isn't just about better stats—it's proof that AI is becoming the nervous system of professional sports. When the world's most valuable sports league doubles down on real-time AI analytics, every other organisation must follow or risk obsolescence. BigBear.ai's historic NFL naming rights deal signals we're entering an era where AI companies aren't just vendors—they're marquee partners worthy of stadium naming rights alongside traditional corporate giants. Week 34 shows the transformation is complete: sports technology has evolved from supporting operations to defining competitive advantage and fan loyalty in the AI-first economy.

There's a huge swing and a broad spectrum of success when it comes to partnership activations in sports. The contract value notwithstanding, the difference between a thoughtful, mutually beneficial, well-communicated and articulated partnership and execution can mean a difference of millions. You have to digest and internalize the lessons from my interview with Nick Kelly, CEO of Encore Sports & Entertainment, who has successfully navigated every side of the partnership and fan engagement equation—from AB InBev and Verizon to leading an MLS club (Charlotte FC), and more. His thought-provoking insights reveal how the best deals and activations come together today. We're well past the days of simple transactions, in favor of more complex, incentive-laden, mutually beneficial partnerships: ↗️ The Perspective on ROI: Why "bang for your buck" can mean something different to different brands, whether they're looking for broad awareness, marketing lift, business-back, customer perks, etc. ↗️ New Content, Unpredictable Platforms and Dynamics: There is great upside and creativity to uncover in the ever-evolving world of content and channels. Build in opportunities to grow and succeed together, so you can share in that upside ↗️ Be Trustworthy Teammates: Articulate and appreciate the perspective and goals for each side. It's not adversarial, it's ensuring the deal looks good for both sides (and that'll lead to renewals, too). How will each side answer the question and justify the spend? ↗️ The Magic of Partners Who Elevate Each Other: Big brands can act as "evangelists" for emerging leagues, demanding better visibility from broadcast partners, and driving the entire ecosystem forward. But even in established sports, both sides of the partnership can work on the other's behalf. What can the brand bring to the table, what goals can they help accomplish in kind? And how can that POV be baked into discussions and ideas? If you want to understand how brand deals work across leagues and teams, read this. If you want to know how partnerships are evolving to meet new opportunities and capture more value, read this and learn from Nick. There is incredible power in partnerships that the best in the biz are just now starting to fully realize, capture, and measure