Show Notes
For decades, the sports industry has relied on broadcasters to fund growth, distribute content and monetise audiences. But what happens when that model starts to change?
In this episode, SportsPro CEO Nick Meacham sits down with Mark Locke, CEO of Genius Sports, to explore how leagues, teams and technology companies are adapting to a new era of fan monetisation.
Locke discusses Genius Sports' evolution from its betting roots into a global technology business, the company's acquisition of Legend, the growing role of AI and data ownership, and why he believes the next generation of sports growth will come from direct relationships with fans.
The conversation also examines the changing economics of media rights, the company’s NFL partnership, gaming as a future distribution channel and what sports organisations need to do to thrive in a more personalised digital world. This is the first episode in SportsPro's New Economics of Fandom series, exploring how sport's commercial future is being rewritten.
Key topics: Is the era of broadcast-driven sports growth coming to an end? What does the future of fan monetisation actually look like? Who will benefit most from AI in the sports industry? Why did Genius Sports spend up to US$1.2bn acquiring Legend? What might be the next billion-dollar revenue opportunity in sport?
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