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Sports marketing faces AI reckoning as machines choose what fans see
MUMBAI: The sports industry is hurtling towards a future where artificial intelligence decides what fans watch, buy and attend—and most organisations are woefully unprepared. That’s the stark warning from IMG’s Digital Trends Report 2026, which argues that AI has become “the heart of all change” in sports marketing.
The report, drawn from insights across IMG’s 200-strong digital team spanning five continents, upends conventional wisdom about content strategy. Quality over quantity? Dead. Sports brands must now churn out high-volume, high-quality material constantly across every platform, using AI to streamline production whilst investing heavily in creative talent. “The brands that scale up production without sacrificing purpose or originality will dominate attention and engagement,” the report concludes.
But volume alone won’t cut it. As AI assistants and agentic search tools increasingly curate what fans discover—often through zero-click searches that bypass traditional websites—sports organisations face a brutal new reality: become the source that machines trust, or vanish. IMG has coined a term for this challenge: Generative Engine Optimisation, or GEO. It demands authoritative, structured content that AI agents can confidently cite and recommend.
Amazon emerges as a particularly disruptive force. The tech giant now occupies “the intersection of sports, technology, and fan experience”, seamlessly connecting live streaming, AWS-powered analytics, and integrated commerce. Rightsholders must develop Amazon-specific strategies or risk losing control of their data, intellectual property and commercial relationships.
The report identifies YouTube as the priority platform globally for the second consecutive year, followed by Instagram, TikTok and Facebook. Spotify enters the rankings for the first time, reflecting sport’s deepening entanglement with entertainment. In China, Douyin dominates, whilst Xiaohongshu—a hybrid of search, social media and shopping—has become Gen Alpha’s discovery engine.
Yet amid the technological upheaval, IMG stresses that human creativity remains irreplaceable. Real-time AI translation may render content globally fluent, but only humans grasp tone, humour and cultural nuance. Similarly, whilst short-form video drives discovery, long-form content builds genuine fandom and revenue. The digital era also favours individuals over institutions—fans follow creators, not corporations—forcing sports organisations to develop on-camera talent and embrace two-way dialogue.
Lewis Wiltshire, senior vice president and managing director for digital at IMG, captured the paradox: “Amidst the technological advances, we predict that human creativity and local insight will matter more than ever as we move into 2026.”
The message is clear: master the machines, but don’t become one. Sports organisations that cling to traditional broadcast control whilst algorithms reshape discovery will find themselves shouting into the void. The future belongs to those who can feed the AI beast without losing their soul.
The full report is available to read here.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
