The Autonomous Sports Organization: What Agentic AI Means for Fans, Sponsors, and Revenue

Wednesday, May 27 | 12:30 PM ET

The Autonomous Sports Organization: What Agentic AI Means for Fans, Sponsors, and Revenue

Presented by Next League

Generative AI dominated the sports business conversation in 2024 and 2025. The next wave is bigger, and quieter.

AI is moving from a tool that generates content to a system that perceives the game, interprets what it sees, and acts on it in real time. Cameras become sensors. Models become judges.

The moments that define a sports property, a contested call, a record-breaking run, a sponsor activation, are increasingly being witnessed, validated, and amplified by AI in real time.

In this episode of SBJ Live, sports executives examine how this new perception and decision layer reshapes the three things every sports executive cares about most: fan experience, sponsorship value, and revenue growth.

The discussion will focus on what is already in market today, what is twelve to twenty-four months out, and what CMOs, CROs, and digital leaders should be preparing for now.

What You Will Learn

• How agentic AI is evolving from content generation to real‑time perception, decision‑making, and action
• Where AI is already being used today to validate moments, shape fan experiences, and unlock new revenue streams
• How sponsorship models change when moments are detected, verified, and activated automatically
• What the next 12–24 months look like for AI‑driven engagement, and monetization
• How sports business leaders should be preparing their organizations now—from data strategy to operating models

Who Should Attend

• Team, league, and venue executives responsible for fan experience, digital strategy, and business operations
• Chief Marketing Officers, Chief Revenue Officers, and sponsorship leaders evaluating next‑generation activation and measurement
• Media, content, and data executives working at the intersection of broadcast, streaming, and real‑time engagement
• Technology, innovation, and AI leaders tasked with deploying AI systems
• Brand and agency partners looking to understand how AI‑enabled perception changes sponsorship value and inventory

Registration is free. All registrants will receive a recording of the webinar following the event.

Featured Speakers:

Shripal Shah, Chief AI & Innovation Officer, Next League

Shripal Shah is the Chief AI and Innovation Officer at Next League, where he drives emerging technology and innovation strategies to help sports organizations scale revenue, fan engagement, and digital transformation.

He was most recently Chief Digital Officer at Shop Your Way (SYW), where he spearheaded a comprehensive digital transformation that revolutionized the retail loyalty space. While SVP, Chief Strategy Officer with the Washington Commanders, Shah transformed the team's digital business, generating $60M+ in sponsorship revenue and designing a 120K+ member loyalty program.

A recognized thought leader in AI and sports technology, Shah has authored three influential books: Leveling Up with AI: A Strategic Guide to AI in Sports Marketing, The Art of Victory: Generative AI and the New Frontier of Global Sports and Unlocking Fan Loyalty: From Frequent Flyers to Fanatics in the Age of AI. His widely-read AI Playbook column for John Wallstreet is considered a definitive resource for AI innovation in the sports business. He also serves as Adjunct Professors at Georgetown University and Drexel University.

Iwao Fusillo, Chief Data and Analytics Officer, New York Jets

Iwao Fusillo is the inaugural Chief Data & Analytics Officer for the New York Jets, where he leads the organization’s data, AI, and machine learning strategy across both football and business operations. He oversees a multidisciplinary team of data scientists, application developers, and business analysts, and serves as a strategic advisor to the club’s executive leadership.

Fusillo brings more than two decades of leadership experience transforming data and analytics into competitive advantage at iconic organizations. He previously established the NFL’s first data and analytics function for fan engagement, sponsorship, and media, and held Chief Data & Analytics Officer roles at General Motors and PepsiCo.

Josh Gwyther, CEO, Owl AI

With expertise in enterprise AI, real-time systems and emerging technologies, Josh innovates at the forefront of applied artificial intelligence. Previously Google Cloud’s Head of AI Solutions Architecture, he is focused on advancing AI-powered solutions that are reshaping officiating, competition analysis and sports technology.

**This episode of SBJ Live is sponsored and produced in coordination with a sponsor. The SBJ editorial team was not involved in the production of this episode.