AI in Sports and Beyond: Rethinking the Fan Experience

Fans are coming back. Major League Baseball reported that 2025 attendance rose for the third consecutive season, with 71,409,421 fans, the third straight year above 70 million. That is good news for one league, not a guarantee for every team. In our view, it changes the question from how to get fans back to what makes the live experience worth the trip.

This article looks at what fans say they want, how generative AI can help with outreach, where immersive experiences fit, and what a good fan app does.

What do younger fans want from a live game?

In a PwC survey of about 2,000 sports fans, younger fans (ages 18 to 34) said what they want most is a unique and memorable experience: 62% cited it, significantly more than older fans. PwC also found that younger fans were 1.4 times more likely than older fans to attend a live game at least once a month, and 46% more likely to cite downtime as a negative part of a game.

Downtime is the opening. Halftimes, breaks, and lines are moments a team can fill with something to do.

How can generative AI help with fan outreach?

Generative AI can help a team tailor email, social posts, and in-app messages to each fan, such as which games, promotions, or offers to show. Customers expect it: in Salesforce’s “State of the Connected Customer” research (sixth edition, 14,300 consumers and business buyers), 73% expect better personalization as technology advances.

The same research is a reminder to build in trust. Eighty percent said it is important for a human to validate the output of AI, and 71% are more likely to trust a company with personal data if its use is clearly explained. In our view, that means a person reviews what goes out, and fans know how their data is used.

Where do immersive experiences fit?

Immersive experiences, such as AR games, can turn downtime into participation. We built the Blueberry Catch Challenge for D.C. United, an AR mobile game that uses facial tracking so players catch falling berries on a live leaderboard, designed as a sponsor-linked activation for match days.

Keep expectations realistic. PwC found that 18% of younger fans report using AR or VR at live games, a rate that largely tracks with older fans. We cover this in more depth in immersive experiences in sports.

What should a fan app do?

Fans are used to convenience, so the stadium experience should match it. In our view, a good mobile companion makes the visit easier: tickets in the app, help finding your seat and concessions, and fewer lines. The PGA TOUR fan app we helped rebuild includes geofenced concessions and player-location awareness, which is the kind of on-site help that makes a visit smoother. We write about elevating the user experience in the stadium and about de-risking digital fan experiences.

How can a team get started?

In our view, five steps keep a fan experience project grounded:

1. Find the moments fans find dull, such as downtime and lines.
2. Pick one moment and one idea, such as a game, an offer, or a wayfinding tool.
3. Use fan data only where fans can see the benefit, and explain it.
4. Keep a person reviewing anything AI sends to fans.
5. Measure whether fans use it, then refine it before adding more.

Our services page explains how we work with sports and entertainment teams.

Planning a fan experience? Talk to us.