“Generative AI will likely continue to lead technological innovation. Its ability to create content, automate complex tasks, and assist in decision-making ensures its relevance across multiple industries”, says Björn Rosenthal, who as Head of Product at DFL Digital Sports leads the Bundesliga’s digital transformation, combining data analytics, customer feedback, and user experience to innovate in the digital sports domain.
Björn Rosenthal will be a keynote speaker at the Digital Trends 2024 forum, revealing how the increasing integration of AI in creative, operational, and analytical processes supports business growth and efficiency improvements. His expertise in digital strategy and AI application has significantly shaped the Bundesliga’s approach to advanced digital strategies, enhancing both global reach and content personalization. Passionate about AI, Bjoern explores its vast scaling potential and transformative effects on diverse digital platforms and user experiences. This expertise has been crucial in positioning the Bundesliga on an international stage.
“Looking at the Gartner Hype Cycle, Generative AI has now moved beyond the peak of exaggerated expectations, though it continues to generate a lot of attention”, notes Björn Rosenthal, who alongside his role at DFL Digital Sports, heads a startup focused on AI solutions for customer support and sports content creation, demonstrating his dedication to applying AI in innovative and practical ways.
“In 2025, the most value will come from a blend of generative AI and other AI techniques that are already well-established and easier to implement. 2023 was the year of Gen AI POCs, in 2024 we saw more and more solution going in production. 2025 will become the year of operationalizing Gen AI solutions”, Rosenthal says.
According to him Generative AI is set to unlock unprecedented opportunities for both sports media houses and rights holders, particularly in content creation and the development of unique fan experiences. “Beyond the automation of routine tasks like image recognition, auto-tagging of assets, and content generation, the real game-changer lies in personalized content creation”, he says and adds:
“In sports media, personalization should go beyond simply recommending content; it’s about dynamically generating and delivering individualized experiences that cater to each fan’s specific interests. With generative AI, media houses can not only analyze fan behavior but also craft tailored content that speaks directly to the preferences of different demographics—be it Gen Z, Millennials, or Baby Boomers. This extends to creating content for diverse groups, such as home vs. away fans or across different socioeconomic backgrounds. By tapping into these capabilities, sports media companies can reach the “next level” of fan engagement.
Generative AI makes it possible to provide highly individualized content in real-time, reflecting the nuanced interests of fans. For instance, it could enable the generation of unique post-match analyses or highlight reels based on a user’s favorite players or teams. For rights holders, this level of personalization enhances fan loyalty and provides a deeper connection to the sport, effectively creating a more immersive and engaging experience across various platforms.
An additional advantage of generative AI in sports media is its potential to make sports coverage more accessible on a global scale. Sports organizations, particularly rights holders, are increasingly focused on making their content more widely available internationally. We are already seeing efforts to provide content in ways that are easier to consume across different regions. The automatic generation of multilingual commentary and subtitles for videos will only improve in quality as AI technologies advance. This will enable sports media to serve broader, global audiences, offering localized content that resonates with fans regardless of their geographic location. As AI-driven solutions continue to enhance internationalization efforts, we can expect more seamless, accessible sports experiences for fans around the world, further increasing the reach and impact of sports media.”
