GenAI Matters in Sports Too
Another Tailwind for Sports Rights Values
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Sports is one of the only bright spots in media today. Sports franchise valuations keep rising. NFL ratings are up so far this season. The NBA is basking in a successful rights renewal that saw new bidders emerge. Viewership of this summer’s Paris Olympics marked a huge rebound from the record-low numbers in Tokyo three years ago. More generally, sports are one of the only TV genres that still attract younger viewers.
Meanwhile, the talk of every boardroom and investor meeting is increasingly consumed with GenAI. What, if anything, does GenAI have to do with sports programming? The concept may seem like a contradiction in terms. GenAI is synthetic. Sports features real people doing real things in real life.
As I explain below, there are important applications of GenAI in sports that could enhance the fan experience, maybe boost revenue and, as a result, add another tailwind to the value of sports rights.
Tl;dr:
- The implications of GenAI for scripted entertainment and sports programming are very different. For Hollywood, it could prove a disruptive threat; for sports it’s an opportunity.
- Since the main appeal of sports is its authenticity, most GenAI use cases in sports programming relate to the creation of derivative or supplementary programming that enhances the sports viewing experience, not replaces it.
- These include real-time translation/localization; multi-modal conversion between combinations of text, audio, images and video; video augmented with GenAI, like dynamic real-time graphics and even virtual commentators; and the ability to create personalized feeds.
- Another (eventual) opportunity for the leagues is licensing footage for model training, which might be among the most valuable data licensing deals struck so far.
- An elephant in the room is the complex rights dynamics between leagues, teams, distribution partners, players associations and players. “AI rights” would need to clarified and codified for much of this to move forward.
- There isn’t much forcing the leagues to act, since GenAI is more opportunity than threat. But progressive leagues will figure it out.
This post is sponsored by WSC Sports.
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