Advancing the Game: How AI is Set to Transform Football

Artificial intelligence is reshaping our daily lives in profound ways. Since the introduction of generative AI to the general public in 2022, we’ve witnessed its impact on a grand scale. Traditional models from companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google Bard, which build foundational technologies, are now familiar features in our digital landscape. While these models offer broad applications, they are trained on the same data sources—primarily the open web—leading to a convergence in their functionalities and outputs.

As the AI landscape evolves, the next wave is emerging: domain-specific expert AI. These specialised systems promise to deliver nuanced insights and capabilities tailored to specific fields, setting them apart from their more generalist counterparts. In the world of sports, especially football, this shift towards specialised AI is not just on the horizon; it’s already underway. These systems integrate specialist AI models, such as player ratings, physical traits, and transfer valuations, into a foundational framework, enabling seamless interaction in natural language while providing real-time domain expertise.

The impact of these new models will be significant as they offer the best of both worlds – high quality domain specific information within a broad corpus of expertise and language understanding. According to Allied Market Research, the global AI in sports market was valued at $2.2 billion in 2022 and it is projected to increase to $29.7 billion by 2032.

Against this background, I highlight some of the key transformative challenges that AI is set to address in football.

Tackling Social Media Abuse

One of the most pressing issues for athletes today is the risk of online abuse. According to FIFA, over half of all athletes report experiencing this form of harassment, which significantly impacts their mental health and performance anxiety. While social media platforms offer a space for fans to connect with their favourite players, they can also be arenas for harmful behaviours and cyberbullying. To combat this critical issue, AI solutions can be employed to monitor social media and other digital platforms in real-time. These technologies are capable of identifying and flagging abusive or threatening content directed at players. Traditionally, this task has relied on human reporting, but AI systems can monitor these interactions on a much larger scale. By utilising advanced algorithms, these AI systems can automatically initiate content takedown procedures and alert the relevant authorities, ensuring a swift response to protect athletes. Furthermore, this technology aids sports clubs in proactively identifying players who are at high risk of receiving abuse, enabling timely interventions and support to safeguard their well-being. This broader application of AI illustrates how technology is being leveraged to create safer online environments for athletes, enhancing their ability to focus on their sport without the added stress of online harassment.

Enhancing Fan Engagement Through Personalised Content

In the modern digital era, sports teams are increasingly pivoting from traditional physical revenue streams—such as tickets, merchandise, broadcast rights, and sponsorships—towards enhancing fan engagement through digital direct-to-consumer (D2C) channels. This strategic shift not only diversifies revenue but also broadens connections with a global fanbase, extending beyond traditional boundaries. For example, FIFA report five billion football fans around the world, with Latin America, the Middle East and Africa representing the largest fan bases. However, no club from outside Europe is ranked in the top 30 revenue generators in global football.



Creating New Digital Experiences with ReplayAI

We have also developed ReplayAI, a tool that transforms fan interaction with the game through the use of probabilistic Causal AI technology which involves analysing and modelling potential cause-and-effect scenarios. ReplayAI enables fans to pause real-time events and delve into various “what-if” scenarios—like imagining the outcomes if a catch was dropped in cricket or a penalty wasn’t overturned by VAR, exploring the potential outcomes of decisions or actions not taken during a match. This interactive technology not only captivates fans during live games by extending the excitement beyond the typical 90-minute match but also offers educational insights into the strategic complexities of football.

Moreover, ReplayAI allows fans to retrospectively consider historical scenarios, such as imagining the implications if Zidane had not been sent off in the 2006 World Cup final, or if a VAR decision had gone differently, potentially altering the outcome of crucial matches. Imagine, for instance, the ramifications for Real Madrid had they succeeded in signing Harry Kane—could such a move have helped them secure another Champions League title? ReplayAI not only enhances current viewing experiences but also redefines how historical events are discussed among fans, filling engagement gaps beyond the 90 minutes on a Saturday afternoon. 

Pushing Sports into a Technology-Driven Era

The adoption of these advanced AI technologies signifies a broader shift in the sports industry from traditional broadcasting to a more technology-driven approach. These AI tools offer clubs unprecedented ways to protect and engage players and fans. This shift promises to usher in a new era focused on technological innovation rather than solely on broadcast viewership.

Through these initiatives, we are developing a future where AI and sports continue to evolve in tandem. This symbiosis between cutting-edge technology and traditional sports can unlock new potentials, offering both challenges and opportunities that will redefine the industry standards. As we continue to develop and refine our AI offerings, the goal remains clear: to ensure that football and sports at large not only keep pace with technological advancements but lead the way in adopting them.

By Professor Nick Jennings, SentientSports. For more information about SentientSports please visit https://www.sentientsports.com/

McLaren signs eBay as official partner

McLaren Racing has announced global online marketplace eBay as an Official Partner of the McLaren Formula 1 Team on a multi-year partnership.

The partnership will see eBay branding feature on the race cars of McLaren Formula 1 Team drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri for four races across the 2024 season – starting with the Miami Grand Prix this week. eBay branding will also be present at the British, United States and Las Vegas grands prix.

Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing, said: “McLaren Racing and eBay have a great synergy with both brands having a commitment to a passionate community of followers. We look forward to going racing with world’s most iconic online marketplace.”

As global brands, the partnership will enable both McLaren Racing and eBay to reach new audiences through unique story-telling opportunities with their respective fans and customers around the world, with a focus on community, individuality and passion.

Chris Prill, Global VP of Auto Parts & Accessories, eBay, said: “eBay is home to a thriving community of auto enthusiasts, from casual DIYers to professional modders, seeking trusted parts and accessories. For nearly 30 years we’ve been committed to inspiring and serving this audience, and together with McLaren we will establish lasting connections with even more car and motorsport lovers worldwide.”

Liverpool FC agrees five-year extension with AXA

Liverpool FC and official global training partner AXA have agreed to a five-year extension, continuing their long-term meaningful partnership until at least 2029.

AXA, global insurance leader with 147,000 employees across the world, joined the LFC partner family as the club’s official insurance partner in 2018. Built upon shared common values and aspirations on and off the pitch, the partnership has grown and evolved over the past several seasons, with AXA demonstrating its commitment to the LFC men’s and women’s teams.

As official global training partner, from the outset AXA has been striving to support the common goal of promoting wellbeing, a healthy lifestyle and supporting progress.

The partnership between the club and AXA has been marked by numerous milestones. AXA has proudly been featured on all LFC training kits since 2019, when it became the club’s official training kit partner.

In 2020, AXA expanded its partnership to include the naming rights of a new state-of-the-art training facility – the AXA Training Centre – in Kirkby. The renewed agreement saw AXA expand its original training kit relationship to one focused more holistically on training and helped kickstart the beginning of a new chapter in the club’s illustrious history.

AXA and LFC further strengthened their partnership when the club welcomed Melwood back to the LFC family as the new home of LFC Women, officially known as the AXA Melwood Training Centre. The move back to this legendary location steeped in history opened another exciting chapter for the women’s team and girls’ academy, enabling them to continue to compete at the highest level, attracting, developing and retaining the best talent in the game.

Both state-of-the-art facilities have played a pivotal role in nurturing talent and achieving success on the pitch, further solidifying AXA’s commitment to both the women’s and men’s teams and supporting the development of football at all levels.

Specifically, the AXA Melwood Training Centre embodies AXA’s dedication to empowering women in sports. In a world where female athletes often face challenges, AXA stands firm in its belief that “Being a woman shouldn’t be a risk”. The AXA Melwood Training Centre stands as a testament to this commitment, providing a secure and empowering space for the LFC Women team and girls’ academy to thrive.

Ben Latty, commercial director at LFC, said: “Partnering with global brands and developing long-term, meaningful relationships is a vital part of our commercial strategy.

“The naming rights of our state-of-the-art training facilities and AXA’s presence on our training kits have been instrumental in our success, and this renewal reaffirms AXA’s commitment to our men’s and women’s teams, our fans, and our communities. We are excited to see how this partnership will continue to grow and evolve.”

Virginie Berçot, AXA global brand director, said: “This marks a continuation of our proud and enduring story. We are pleased to announce the extension of our long-term commitment to the club until 2029, following our previous dedication to the women’s teams by lending our name to their new training centre seven months ago.

“Becoming the sole and exclusive global training partner of the club is a significant milestone for us, reaffirming our strategy of a fruitful and purposeful collaboration around our brand priorities.”

DAZN threatens legal action against DFL

DAZN has threatened legal action against the German Football League (DFL) in relation to the auction for the Bundesliga’s domestic TV rights for the seasons 2025/26 to 2028/29.

As per DAZN, the other bidder Sky was unlawfully given the larger part of the deal. The auction is currently suspended while DAZN’s claims are being investigated.

DAZN’s says its bid for rights package B (which amounts to 196 matches per season) was 20 per cent higher than Sky’s bid, and above the reservation price.

DAZN has sent a letter to the DFL saying it will take legal action to challenge the decision next week if a solution wasn’t found before then.

According to a report in the FT today, DAZN has until Tuesday to legally challenge the outcome of the auction.

The DFL has previously said the rights deal auction had been made “in accordance with the auction rules known to all interested companies”, and said it hadn’t made any errors in the procedure. It went on to say DAZN’s allegations are “inaccurate”.

Following its auction bid, DAZN had been asked by DFL for a bank guarantee, which the streaming service said it provided within a few working days.

Currently, DAZN shares the domestic Bundesliga rights with Sky, with Sky holding the rights to the biggest share of matches, including all Saturday matches.

FIFA inks four-year deal with Aramco

Aramco, one of the world’s leading integrated energy and chemicals companies, has signed a four-year global partnership with FIFA.

The company becomes FIFA’s Major Worldwide Partner exclusive in the energy category, with sponsorship rights for multiple events including the highly anticipated FIFA World Cup 26™ and FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™.

The agreement, which runs until the end of 2027, builds on a shared commitment to innovation and development, and will combine football’s unique global reach with Aramco’s history of championing innovation and community engagement. Through the partnership Aramco and FIFA intend to leverage the power of football to create impactful social initiatives around the world.

Gianni Infantino, FIFA President, said: “We are delighted to welcome Aramco to FIFA’s family of global partners. This partnership will assist FIFA to successfully deliver its flagship tournaments over the next four years and, as is the case with all our commercial agreements, enable us to provide enhanced support to our 211 FIFA member associations across the globe. Aramco has a strong track record of supporting world class events, but also a focus on developing grassroots sport initiatives. We look forward to collaborating with them on a variety of initiatives over the coming years.”

Amin H. Nasser, Aramco President & CEO, said: “Through this partnership with FIFA we aim to contribute to football development and harness the power of sport to make an impact around the globe. It reflects our ambition to enable vibrant communities and extends our backing of sport as a platform for growth. Our existing relationship with the Saudi football team Al-Qadsiah, our support for women’s golf through the Aramco Team Series, and our backing of F1 in Schools each demonstrate the possibilities of such partnerships to create pathways for opportunity, positively impact society and promote development at the grassroots level.”

Aramco also intends to work with FIFA to drive innovation, identifying opportunities to deploy the company’s expertise and technologies in the delivery of football events globally. This includes initiatives that aim to provide new and innovative ways for football fans to engage with FIFA’s events.

Man City inks deal with digital collectible platform Quidd

Manchester City has signed a new multi-year partnership with Quidd, one of the world’s leading digital collectible platforms.


Quidd is providing new experiences for fans to be able to swap and collect digital cards, transforming the football culture pastime of collecting stickers and cards into the modern age through the use of technology.

The partnership will give fans the opportunity to unlock a number of real-world rewards including official Manchester City merchandise, hospitality tickets and money-can’t-buy experiences, including an exclusive opportunity to watch a first team training session at the City Football Academy.

To mark the collaboration with the club, Quidd will be releasing a range of special edition digital collectibles which will allow Cityzens the ability to collect and benefit from Manchester City themed digital products.

This will be through the Quidd marketplace, which has facilitated the issue, sale and exchange of limited-edition, officially licensed digital collectibles since the brand’s formation in 2016.

The first series will feature over 200 bespoke player cards and will be available on the state-of-the-art Quidd marketplace at 2pm on Thursday 2nd May, with the first 10,000 Cityzens acquiring two free packs plus exclusive access to ‘For The Fans’ packs within 72 hours of release.

For more information on the digital collectible release, please visit: https://bit.ly/ManCityQuidd.

Tom Boyle, Vice-President, Global Partnerships Marketing and Operations at City Football Group, said: “We’re pleased to announce our new partnership with Quidd today.

“We’re excited to help transform the traditional football pastime of cards and collectibles in a new digital age alongside Quidd, enabling us to further connect with our fans across the globe.

“We look forward to working together on creating new digital experiences and games for our fans to enjoy”.

Michael Bramlage, Chief Executive Officer at Quidd, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Manchester City, one of the very best clubs in the game. This partnership signals our intent to revolutionise the world of sport collectibles.

“We have an ambition to be the best, most successful digital collectibles business – so it makes complete sense for Quidd to align with Manchester City, the most forward-thinking and progressive football club on earth.

“Quidd will provide fans with a fun and easy way to connect with their favourite football clubs and players”.

The Sport Apparel Drama – Adidas grow, Nike, Puma UA Struggle

“Carlo De Marchis ‘a guy with the yellow scarf pens down this month’s Business Index. Lots of big movers such as TKO, Guild eSports and Tencent but the focus is on apparel and adidas’ recent share price surge”

How come? New CEO? Rebound? Sponsorship deals? Streetwear coolness? 

Full disclosure: I wear Adidas most days, Munich, Hamburg, SL 72 etc…

Let’s dig in!

In a challenging period for the athletic footwear and apparel industry, Adidas has emerged as a standout performer. The German sportswear giant’s stock has climbed over 30% year-to-date, handily outpacing the broader market and key rivals like Nike, Puma and Under Armour.

Adidas’ resurgence comes on the heels of a difficult 2023, marred by the company’s costly split with rapper and designer Kanye West. The breakup over West’s antisemitic comments forced Adidas to abandon its lucrative Yeezy line, leading to the company’s first annual loss in over 30 years.

However, Adidas has rebounded impressively in 2024. The company’s fiscal Q1 results, released in a preliminary announcement on April 18, revealed a 4% increase in revenue to €5.5 billion, beating analyst expectations. Even more encouragingly, operating profit soared to €336 million from just €60 million a year earlier. Gross margins also expanded by over 6 percentage points to 51.2%.

The strong start to the year prompted Adidas to significantly raise its full-year guidance. The company now projects mid-to-high single digit revenue growth (up from mid-single digits previously) and operating profit of around €700 million, 40% higher than its prior forecast of €500 million. Analysts applauded the upgraded outlook, with Telsey Advisory Group’s Cristina Fernandez increasing her price target on Adidas shares to €225.

CEO Bjørn Gulden, who took the helm in January 2023, looks to be the steadying presence Adidas needs. If Adidas can build on its encouraging start to 2024, invest judiciously in product innovation and marquee partnerships, and avoid any more unforced errors, the company has a good shot at sustaining its stock market outperformance.

Adidas appears to be executing more effectively on the fashion and influencer partnerships that drive the athletic industry. While Nike and Under Armour have leaned heavily into performance sports like basketball, Adidas has cultivated popular streetwear collaborations with designers like Pharrell Williams and Sean Wotherspoon that generate buzz.

Adidas is also pursuing high-profile sponsorships, including a reported new kit deal with Liverpool F.C. starting in the 2025-26 season, swiping the Premier League club away from Nike. However, the company faces brand challenges, particularly on its home turf. In a major blow, Adidas lost its position as the German national soccer team’s kit supplier to Nike starting in 2027, ending a 70-year relationship. Some saw it as a stinging rebuke to a homegrown brand in favor of a foreign competitor. “I would have liked a bit more local patriotism,” lamented Germany’s economy minister.

Several other factors are fueling Adidas’ momentum. Robust demand for retro styles like the Samba and Gazelle is attracting consumers and driving sales growth. Adidas also still managed to generate €200 million in profitable Yeezy inventory liquidation in 2023 and early 2024, putting that turbulent chapter behind it. With major sporting events like the Olympics and Euro 2024 on tap, Adidas is well-positioned to capitalize on the heightened interest.

Adidas’ turnaround stands in stark contrast to the headwinds battering competitors Nike and Puma. Both companies recently warned of a slowdown in the athletic footwear and apparel market. Supply chain issues, weakening consumer demand, and unfavorable currency impacts are all weighing on their financial results.

In its most recent quarter, Nike’s revenue declined 1% year-over-year, with North American sales down 5%. The company is undergoing significant layoffs as it looks to cut $2 billion in costs. Puma has also felt the sting of macroeconomic pressures, especially from the devaluation of the Argentine peso in one of its key growth markets.

Under Armour, meanwhile, continues to lose ground to larger rivals. The company is struggling to gain traction with its flagship footwear like the Curry brand as it remains more reliant on the intensely competitive North American market.

The biggest contributor to Adidas’ 2024 comeback is undoubtedly the waning impact of the Yeezy debacle. With that painful and expensive episode receding, the company can refocus on its core offerings and storytelling.

The athletic footwear and apparel space will likely remain fiercely competitive and sensitive to shifting consumer tastes and spending. Companies will have to deftly navigate challenges from continued supply chain disruptions to online distribution to increasing calls for environmental and social responsibility.

In that context, Adidas’ strong 2024 rebound is all the more impressive. If the company can stay on offense, as Gulden urges, and keep making prudent strategic decisions, it has a chance to solidify its recent gains. After a humbling period, Adidas is showing a resilience and agility that the market is rewarding. The German giant looks ready to run again.

Here’s the full index:

The women’s game, immersive fan experiences and content commerce is the future of Sport

In his latest View From Asia column, Unmish Parthasarathi, the Singapore-based Founder of Picture Board Partners, the Strategy, Innovation & Venture Development boutique, shares insights from an event earlier this month at the intersection of Sports, Technology and Finance.

On 11th April, I had the privilege of hosting the second STF (Sport, Tech, Finance) Asia Leadership Dialogue – a private forum of decision makers from the worlds of Sport, Technology, Media, Finance, and, Government – at the Singapore Cricket Club, in association with the Professional Triathletes Organisation, on the eve of their first T100 Asia Race on the Marina. 

The 100-strong audience was treated to an insightful day listening to, and networking with, over two dozen speakers from London, Madrid, Dubai, Johannesburg, Seoul, Hong Kong, Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Mumbai and Kuala Lumpur besides local representation from the Lion City – that remain the hub of Asia. 

The event theme “Connecting Content, Code & Capital to Engage The Gen-Z Fan” provided many answers and even posed some questions to the invite-only gathering. The following were my #TopTwentyTakeaways from six panels, three case studies, and an After Dinner Chat with Joseph Schooling – Singapore’s first Olympic gold medalist who famously beat Michael Phelps at Rio 2016!

1. Siddharth Patel (Asia Managing Partner, CVC Capital and Board Member, Gujarat Titans) spoke about the value of Sport in aggregating passion, at scale, gives its centrality to popular culture for the masses 


2. Nikhil Bahel (Managing Partners, Elysian Park Ventures) celebrated Sport as the last bastion of appointment to view content that enables value creation & capture to be scheduled around the Match Day window 

3. Matthew Wheeler (Founder & CEO, A&W Capital) located India as a forward indicator of what is Asia’s Decade as growing leisure for a young demographics boosts the growth of spectator and participant sports

4. Stirling Mortlock (CoFounder and CIO, VX Capital) cited Australia as the ideal lab where SportsTech companies can find their feet with a mix of innovation, insights and investment to then take on the world

5. Lawerence Duffy (Founder & CEO, Aurora Media Partners) shared how a next generation technology stack is enabling the omnichannel productisation of content at a speed and scale that’s unprecedented in the history of story telling in Sport

6. Anurag Dahiya (CCO, The International Cricket Council) looked into the future at how the women’s game and grassroots sport are the new foundations for future relevance – and hence growth – of Cricket

7. Erica Kerner (Global MD, Sponsorship & Events, Standard Chartered Bank) sensed a tipping point in the measurement of brand spends – from analogue metrics to behavioural & psychographic learnings

8. Javier Foncillas (Head of Commercial Partnerships, Dolby) shares how immersive experiences of sound and video allows promoters to bring the stadium to the fan – the reverse of a historical pattern 

9. Kelvin Watts explained the success of Rugby (Union) in South Africa with an emotional case study about Super Sport Schools in South Africa, an experience enabled by Pixellot’s computer vision tech. 

10. Mike Kerr (APAC MD, BeIN Sports) cited the concept of ‘concentrated engagement‘ as premium content and technology has combined to elevate Race Weekend experiences for Formula 1 fan across Asia

11. Mitch Hong (Chairman, Eclat Media and Group CEO SPOTV) shared how Sport is driving value for Pay-TV in markets such as Korea and Japan whilst recognising the challenges across SE Asia and Hong Kong. 

12. Yannick Colaco (CoFounder and CEO, FanCode) explained the thesis for the OTT first play in India that’s built a community that’s niche and deep and pioneered social commerce at the last Cricket World Cup 

13. Vikrant Mudaliar (CMO, Dream 11) was bullish about the growth of fantasy as an all-new genre that emerged as a larger revenue generator for federations over the last month and spoke about #WhatsNext

14. Sam Renouf (Founder and CEO of the Professional Triathletes Organisation) , and event host partner of #STFA24 explained the launch of Asia’s first T100 race on the Singapore Marina as part of a packed 2024 calendar 

15. David Franks (Chairman, The Protect Group) explained the concept of embedded insurance – a key feature to secure advance bookings by mitigating risk of cancellation tickets to major events for the punter and the player alike. 

16. Anthony Arena (Founder, Aura Platform) explained the concept of ‘orchestration’, as a the magic sauce that’s urgently needed to enable personalisation at scale that’s table stakes to engage the Gen-Z fan segment  


17. Iris Cordoba (General Manager, of the Global Sports Innovation Center Powered by Microsoft)explained how an ecosystem is being built using problem statement to drive innovation; it takes a village!!


18. Mark Chay (Chief Development Officer, Global Esports Federation) and a former Olympic swimmer who flew the Singapore flag at Sydney & Athens, celebrated Sport’s adoption of Gaming as a vital way to remain relevant to the next generation of Fandom!

19. Simon Davis (Founder CEO, Mighty Bear Games) shared a research trip to Las Vegas where he saw young punters consuming five discrete, yet complementary, content items simultaneously – it’s the North Star for Sport! 


20. Last, but nowhere the least, the recently retired Joseph Schooling shared his plans to launch a Sports Fund that will capitalise on opportunities in wellness and fitness – in Asia and beyond! 

The author can be contacted at unmish@pictureboard.asia

SentientSports hires Prof. Nick Jennings to senior leadership team

SentientSports, a leading artificial intelligence (AI) company who are revolutionising the sports industry by unlocking the full potential of AI in sporting organisations have hired Professor Nick Jennings to its senior leadership team.

As Vice-Chancellor and President of Loughborough University, Professor Jennings will help Sentient Sports use Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to automatically identify and block the toxic content online in real time and improve the safety of professional football players as well as adding value across a number of other AI applications for teams and fans.

Internationally recognised as one of the leading computer scientists, with over 95,000 citations to his name, Professor Jennings is the current Vice-Chancellor and President of Loughborough University, who are consistently named the world’s best universities for Sport.

Elsewhere, he has previously held roles as the Vice-Provost for Research and Enterprise at Imperial College London, along with becoming the UK’s first Regius Professor of Computer Science at the University of Southampton and the first Chief Scientific Advisor for National Security for the UK Government.

Throughout his career, he has been involved in a number of successful startups within the tech sector and was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the Queen’s New Year Honours List in 2016 for his services to computer science and national security science.

Professor Jennings said: “Joining SentientSports is a brilliant opportunity for me to apply my expertise in AI to real-world issues in the sports industry. I’m eager to work alongside Ryan and the team to enhance fan engagement and tackle the pressing challenge of online abuse towards players.”

He added: “I am passionate about sports, so combining my passion with my work motivates me and I’m looking forward to collaborating with the team to help them become world leaders in the AI and sports industry.”

Professor Jennings’ appointment sees him join an already established board at Sentient Sports, which is made up of three generations of AI talent. Professor Jennings was PhD supervisor to Professor Gopal Ramchurn, who chairs the board and is a prominent figure in the AI community. Professor Ramchurn is also a Professor of Artificial Intelligence at the University of Southampton and similarly mentored Dr. Ryan Beal, CEO and founder of SentientSports, who was recently announced on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Sports List for 2024.

This latest appointment continues an exciting phase of board-level expansion for Southampton based Sentient Sports following the appointment of former Manchester United Chief Executive Ed Woodwood as a Strategic Advisor and Non-Executive Board Member in November last year.

Ed Woodward said: “Nick is a fantastic addition to our board. His appointment significantly enhances our ability to address the challenges we’ve identified within sports teams. His expertise in AI, coupled with his experience at Loughborough working alongside UK sports leaders, will be invaluable to us.”

Dr. Ryan Beal, CEO and founder of SentientSports said: “We are thrilled to have Nick join our board. He has been at the forefront of some of the most significant AI research and brings generational AI talent to our team. His PhD supervision of Gopal, who in turn supervised me, shows the depth of expertise he brings.”

Commenting further he said: “By leveraging cutting-edge AI technology, our aim is to build sophisticated AI agents across social media platforms and news outlets. These agents will be equipped to automatically detect abusive content, initiate legal takedown procedures, and alert the relevant authorities. Additionally, our AI tools will help sports clubs identify players at risk of such abuse, enabling timely intervention with appropriate support and training.”

He added: “Guided by Nick’s extensive experience in various AI domains, one of our key commitments at Sentient is to create a safer and more supportive environment for athletes online.”

MLB signs WM as official sustainability partner

Major League Baseball has named WM, a leading environmental services provider, as the Official Sustainability Partner of Major League Baseball.

This is the first sustainability-focused partner in League history, which will aim to elevate MLB’s continued sustainability-related efforts in ballparks and throughout communities.

WM will be the presenting sponsor of Major League Baseball’s official Earth Day and Green Week celebrations, which will include a variety of environmental-positive practices and messaging. Additionally, WM will offer sustainability advisory services to MLB Clubs, which includes end-to-end solutions intended to help customers achieve their sustainability goals in waste reduction and diversion, greenhouse gas emissions management, and more. WM also will support MLB Green Teams at MLB All-Star Week, the World Series and other MLB special events, as well as provide support to the League office and its facilities.

“As with any event driven industry that prioritizes sustainability at our facilities and in our communities, it is critical that we partner with organizations that share similar values in that space,” said Noah Garden, Deputy Commissioner, Business & Media, Major League Baseball. “This new partnership with WM takes our sustainability efforts to new heights. We look forward to continuing this work with WM as we host best-in-class events that are sustainability-focused driven for years to come.”

“WM has a more than 20-year history for its advisory services team, providing sustainability solutions for a variety of customers of all sizes and industries,” said Tara Hemmer, chief sustainability officer, WM. “Our expertise has helped us triple the number of customers in the sports space since 2021 – including leagues, events, teams and venues — and we look forward to the incredible opportunity to build comprehensive and custom plans designed to improve sustainable operations for MLB and its Clubs.”


This relationship follows MLB’s extensive history of sustainability efforts, which have garnered positive recognition from both the Green Sports Alliance and Council for Responsible Sport. MLB recently earned the highest honor and achievement in sports, receiving ‘Evergreen Status’ from the Council for Responsible Sport for the League’s efforts during 2023 MLB All-Star Week at T-Mobile Park, home of the Seattle Mariners. In years prior, MLB has consistently earned Gold Status, which is the second highest level granted by the council.

“The leadership and commitment of MLB in the delivery of environmental, social and economic impact has been evident, from being the first North American league to join the Green Sports Alliance, to achieving the Council for Responsible Sport’s top-level Evergreen status of Event Sustainability for the 2023 All Star Game in Seattle,” said Aileen McManamon, Chair, Green Sports Alliance. “Their holistic and substantive approach to sustainability merits notice and imitation by all sports rights holders.”

By the Numbers: Greening Efforts Across MLB

29 MLB Clubs have installed LED field lighting
11 Ballparks utilize on-site gardens
10 Ballparks utilize solar power
6 MLB Ballparks are LEED certified
MLB Clubs will host several activations in honor of Earth Day and throughout Earth Month including volunteer projects and other sustainability efforts such as field renovations and ballpark “Green Teams.” All 30 MLB Clubs have shared their efforts for the 2024 season, please visit MLB.com/Green for a more detailed list of annual sustainability efforts. Additional Club Activation Examples for 2024 Earth Day efforts is available here.

As an annual Earth Day tradition, MLB today also announced the recipient of the 2023 Green Glove Award, which recognizes the Club that demonstrates outstanding commitment to diverting waste from landfills at their ballpark. From implementing comprehensive recycling programs to promoting composting initiatives and reducing overall waste generation, this award celebrates the Club’s dedication to responsible waste management practices. This year, MLB recognizes the Toronto Blue Jays for their work reaching nearly 100% annual waste-diversion rate, this is the first time the Toronto Blue Jays have received this special honor. Award finalists for the Green Glove Award include the San Francisco Giants, Minnesota Twins, Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres.

Additionally this year, MLB added three new sustainability award honors for Clubs including the Power Pitch Award, for the MLB Ballpark that demonstrates exemplary efforts in preserving power and energy usage from the previous year, H2O Home Run Award, which recognizes the Club that demonstrates exceptional dedication and achievement in reducing its water usage from the previous year and the Eco-Slugger Innovation Award, which is an honor given to the Club that demonstrates innovative efforts in implementing environmentally sustainable practices and initiatives either in the ballpark or in the community.