How San Antonio Spurs Are Unlocking Experiences That Were "Once Impossible" 🏀
Plus, KSI to stream National League match to his YouTube channel, and Michael and Jo discuss the ICONS Series' disruptive approach with Chief Content Officer Chris Sice...
Hello and welcome to the Sports Pundit Newsletter,
It was great to see so many of you at last night’s Social in Victoria (with a turnout of 70+, I’m using today to recharge my social battery).
As those of you there will know, I'm always keen to talk about Spurs, but in today's newsletter we're switching the focus from the Spurs in North London to those in San Antonio.
It’s a development I think has some really positive implications for the way organisations view AI, shifting the focus from cost-cutting to revenue additive, and from back of house to front.
Here’s what’s coming up:
San Antonio Spurs Launch AI Studio 🏀
KSI to Stream Dagenham Match ⚽️
A Look Inside ICONS Series Content Strategy 🎥
Let’s get into it!
SPURRING INNOVATION
The San Antonio Spurs have announced the launch of Spurs AI Studio, a new platform designed to create AI-powered fan experiences in collaboration with brand partners and OpenAI.
The studio’s first activation, ULTRA Arrivals, is presented in partnership with Michelob ULTRA and invites fans to snap a photo of themselves and generate a cinematic, player-style tunnel walk video, placing them inside Frost Bank Center in pregame fashion.
The experience is built on the OpenAI API and uses generative AI to produce broadcast-style edits and personalised visuals, replicating the look and feel of an NBA player arrival.
The platform is designed to be repeatable, providing a vehicle for future activations with new and existing partners, rather than a one-off campaign.
ULTRA Arrivals is live now at UltraArrivals.SpursAIStudio.com and is open to fans aged 21+, with sharing encouraged via #ULTRACourtside.
Why It Matters
The tunnel walk activation is a clever piece of fan engagement. But taken at face value, that framing risks underselling what the Spurs have built.
There are three things worth unpacking.
The first is the commercial model behind ULTRA Arrivals specifically.
Exclusive to players, the tunnel walk was previously an iconic visual moment that brands could sponsor, but they could never truly activate around it from a fan perspective. With AI, the Spurs have unlocked net new commercial inventory, offering an experience that simply didn’t exist before.
Jordan Kolosey, VP of Business Strategy, Innovation & Data Operations at Spurs Sports & Entertainment, said as much at the launch:
“By working alongside innovative partners like Michelob ULTRA, we’re unlocking moments that were once impossible and bringing fans closer to the game than ever before.”
Much of the AI conversation has focused on cost reduction, be it lower headcount, automated workflows, fewer overheads etc. This story runs in the opposite direction. AI is primarily revenue additive rather than cost reductive.
The second is the infrastructure play.
The announcement focuses on Spurs AI Studio as a platform, rather than a one-off campaign using AI. This matters as it illustrates the intent of the organisation to build the technical and creative architecture to produce these experiences repeatedly, at scale.
That infrastructure has value beyond the Spurs’ own fanbase. If they can demonstrate that the studio model works, driving measurable partner ROI, then there is a potentially credible path toward licensing that capability to others who lack the in-house expertise to build it themselves (akin to how Miami HEAT spun out and operate 601 Analytics).
The final point is about the narrative. Spurs received a lot of praise when their relationship with OpenAI was first announced. However, in a market where AI has since become the hottest new sponsorship category, actually shipping something differentiates the organisation as one with genuine capability and reaffirms their positioning at the frontier of AI.
As such, this is a move really worth paying attention to.
SUPPORTED BY SUMMITLY 📆
This newsletter is proudly supported by Summitly, the conference and community calendar for the global sports industry.
Summitly makes it easier than ever to discover and plan for industry events, bringing together major conferences, curated communities, and fringe meetups, all in one convenient place.
Unlike traditional booking platforms, Summitly is a visibility and discovery layer, helping professionals find where to connect in real life without the hassle of spreadsheets, scattered invites, or missing out on important side events.
From stadium-sized summits to intimate after-hours gatherings, Summitly ensures that no opportunity for connection slips through the cracks.
We’ve added 350+ events in 60+ cities from 100+ organisers and continue to add more in our mission to become the definitive source for sports execs that want to meet IRL.
HIGHLIGHTS
KSI takes National League global with YouTube broadcast 📺🌍
Dagenham & Redbridge will stream their National League South fixture vs Hampton & Richmond live and free on YouTube via KSI’s channel.
The initiative, supported by DAZN and the National League, marks a first for the competition and aims to bring non-league football to a global audience.
US capital floods into IPL with record franchise deals 💰🏏
Two IPL franchises were sold for over $1 billion each, including a $1.63bn deal for Rajasthan Royals backed by US investors.
The deals mark a significant jump in franchise valuations for one of the world’s most-watched sports leagues. It also signals Blackstone’s first pro sports bet.
Chanel launches athlete-focused CC League programme 💄🏅
Chanel Beauty has launched the CC League, a two-year programme supporting seven female athletes across multiple sports.
The initiative combines mentorship and storytelling, positioning beauty as a tool for confidence and empowerment.
Alexis Ohanian buys second WTGL franchise as valuations climb ⛳📈
Alexis Ohanian has purchased the second team in TGL’s upcoming women’s league for around $20 million.
Some of the men’s TGL franchises, of which Ohanian owns the LA-based team, are now valued between $90–100 million, with early signs of positive cash flow emerging.
Budweiser 0.0 enters IPL with multi-team sponsorship strategy 🍺🤝
AB InBev’s Budweiser 0.0 brand has signed sponsorship deals with five IPL franchises.
The move marks the brand’s first major entry into the league, targeting younger and health-conscious consumers.
Uniqlo secures naming rights at Dodger Stadium 👕🏟️
Uniqlo has become the first brand to attach its name to the field at Dodger Stadium.
The partnership includes broader collaboration across retail, community and fan engagement initiatives.
MEDIA PODCAST
Chris Sice [#85]: Bringing together Golf, Culture, and Engagement ⛳️
On today’s episode of the Sports Pundit Media Podcast, Jo and Michael are joined by Chris Sice, Chief Content Officer at ICONS Series.
ICONS Series is a disruptive experiential sports and entertainment brand that brings together the biggest, boldest cross-section of world class athletes and fans.
This conversation, which took place off the back of their most recent event in Bangkok, explores the series’ disruptive approach to golf, both on the course and in the ways that they approach media.
Timestamps
2:00 - ICONS Series Origin Story
12:30 - Broadcast and YouTube Hybrid
17:00 - Players as Media Channels
23:00 - Live Vs Edited Storytelling
30:00 - Audience Data And Surprises
34:00 - Building Cultural Resonance
37:00 - Monetising Cultural Currency
🔍 Search ‘Sports Pundit Podcast’ wherever you listen, available on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube 🎧
About The Hosts
Jo Redfern is a digital and youth media specialist who has spent the last five years at the forefront of platforms such as YouTube, Roblox, and TikTok. With a background in traditional broadcast and kids media, Jo is known for turning generational media behaviours into commercial opportunities. Through her consultancy firm, Futrhood, she helps IP owners and rights holders scale engagement and monetisation by leveraging content, platforms, community, and emerging tech.
Michael Cohen has spent the last decade building at the intersection of sport, media, and the creator economy. As former CEO of Whistle, he scaled the company into a $100M multi-platform media business, driving organic growth and strategic M&A before leading its exit to Eleven Sports and later DAZN. Today, through his new venture Disruptive Play, Michael partners with companies and creators to shape the next wave of sports and media IP, challenging the status quo and architecting business models for the next era of sport.
Produced by OH SIX
The Sports Pundit Podcast is proudly produced by OH SIX, a content marketing agency specialising in producing digital and social-first content that connects. Trusted by Premier League clubs, F1 teams, and top brands, OH SIX deliver premium content end-to-end, from ideation, working with talent during production and platform specific content to reach audiences on screen.