AI-Driven Digital Content Gains Traction Among Sports Fans, IBM Finds

Published Date : 18/08/2025 

A new global study by IBM shows that sports fans are increasingly turning to AI and personalized digital content for enhanced engagement and real-time updates. 

ARMONK, N.Y., August 18, 2025 – A new global study commissioned by IBM (NYSE: IBM) reveals that sports fans are increasingly embracing dynamic digital content experiences, with AI, personalization, and real-time features playing a central role in their engagement with sports.

The study, which surveyed over 20,000 sports fans across 12 countries, shows a growing acceptance of technology, particularly AI, in the sports industry. Total AI usage among fans has increased since 2024, with 85% of respondents seeing value in integrating AI into their sports experience and 63% expressing trust in AI-generated content. The top priorities for AI-enhanced sports engagement are real-time game updates (35%) and personalized content (30%).

Beyond live events, fans are turning to video highlights (51%), post-event recaps (37%), and player interviews (32%) to stay connected to their favorite sports. Mobile sports apps are widely adopted, with 73% of surveyed fans using them to stay updated. Social media is the leading platform for accessing additional content, and social media influencers play a significant role, with 59% of surveyed followers engaging with them for analysis and predictions.

Only 27% of surveyed fans expect their sports consumption habits to remain the same over the next two years. Eighty percent (80%) believe technology, specifically AI, will have the greatest influence on how they follow sports by 2027. More than half (56%) of surveyed fans want AI-powered insights and commentary for past, current, and future sporting events. Additionally, 33% of respondents believe real-time translation technology will have the most significant impact on their international sports experience in the next 2-3 years, particularly in markets where English is not the dominant language.

“The sports media landscape is more complex than ever, and fans are comfortable consuming digital content around the clock,” said Kameryn Stanhouse, Vice President, Sports and Entertainment Partnerships, IBM. “With fans signaling their readiness to embrace AI, we will continue working with our tournament, league, and media partners to meet fans where they are, whether they’re watching the action in person or enhancing their second-screen experience.”

Other key findings include:

- Sports engagement expands beyond the game with fast, non-stop content across screens:

- 90% of fans surveyed consume sports content beyond watching events, with younger fans leading the trend.

- 40% of surveyed mobile sports app users rely on apps for centralized information and 35% for real-time updates when unable to watch games live.

- Mobile sports app usage jumps among in-person event attendees, with 82% of surveyed fans using apps during events. Of those, 91% engage with apps during live events, mostly for real-time commentary (44%), stats or analytics (41%), and enhanced in-stadium experiences (35%).

- Multi-device usage to follow sporting events increased from 27% to 29%, indicating a significant upward trend in second-screen behavior.

- 74% of respondents following sports influencers say storytelling is important to how they experience or connect with sports, especially among fans ages 18-44.

- Fans seek more connected, community-driven sports experiences:

- 35% of surveyed fans plan to watch more live content over the next two years, and 29% expect to attend more events in person.

- Fans surveyed agree that enhancements like faster recaps (67%), personalization capabilities (65%), and greater access to players and teams (65%) will improve their digital sports experience.

- Interest in community-driven experiences is rising: More fans rank community engagement as their first or second priority when consuming sports content, with the share of respondents ranking it as their top priority (1st) rising from 9% in 2024 to 11% in 2025.

- More respondents now identify community-building and fan interaction as important areas for AI-driven improvements in sports engagement (21% in 2025 vs. 20% in 2024).

To view the full study, visit: https://newsroom.ibm.com/image/IBM_Sport_Survey_Report_2025.pdf

Study Methodology:

This survey was conducted in June 2025 among a total sample of 20,864 sports fans 18+ in the US, Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, India, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and Brazil. The interviews for each country were conducted online, and the data is unweighted, with ~2,000 responses per market in the US, Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and India and ~1,000 responses per market in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and Brazil.

To qualify for this survey, respondents must be at least an average sports fan and follow one or more of the following sports: soccer, cricket, tennis, basketball, baseball, rugby, golf, American football, F1 racing, track and field, swimming, and the Olympics.

Longitudinal insights provide a global overview of how sports fans’ behaviors and attitudes changed between 2024 and 2025. To ensure accurate year-over-year comparisons, Mexico and Brazil are excluded from these analyses, as they were not included in the 2024 data.

About IBM:

IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs, and gain the competitive edge in their industries. Thousands of government and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications, and healthcare rely on IBM's hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently, and securely. IBM's breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions, and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM's long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity, and service. Visit www.ibm.com for more information. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS): 

Q: What is the main finding of IBM's global study on sports fans?

A: The main finding is that sports fans are increasingly turning to AI and personalized digital content for enhanced engagement and real-time updates.

Q: How many sports fans were surveyed in the study?

A: The study surveyed over 20,000 sports fans across 12 countries.

Q: What are the top priorities for AI-enhanced sports engagement according to the survey?

A: The top priorities for AI-enhanced sports engagement are real-time game updates (35%) and personalized content (30%).

Q: How do mobile sports apps contribute to the fan experience?

A: Mobile sports apps are widely adopted, with 73% of surveyed fans using them to stay updated. They provide real-time updates, centralized information, and enhance in-stadium experiences.

Q: What role do social media influencers play in sports content consumption?

A: Social media influencers play a significant role, with 59% of surveyed followers engaging with them for analysis and predictions. 

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