How AI is changing the game for direct-to-consumer sports offerings

Two revolutions are changing the media landscape: the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and the rapid expansion of direct-to-consumer (D2C) streaming. Both are changing industries across the board, but their impact is particularly profound in media distribution. The convergence of these two revolutions presents a unique opportunity for content creators and sports organizations alike to rethink the way they engage with fans, monetize content and control their own destiny.

The D2C Disruption
Traditionally, sports teams and leagues relied on television networks such as ESPN or TNT to purchase media rights, package that content into television channels, and sell it to consumers through multichannel video programmers (MVPDs). While this model has been successful for decades, the advent of the Internet promised a new era of content distribution – one in which anyone could share their content directly with audiences without the burden of intermediaries.