The Role of the Storyteller in a Data and AI World

Moderator: Ben Alamar

Panelists: Jackie MacMullan, Jeff Bennett, Rebecca Dyer, Brant Berglund

Storytelling plays a vital role in the fan experience. Across the sports landscape, storytellers are relied upon to convey the drama and excitement of sports, bring new fans in, and satisfy fans' hunger for knowledge. The tools available to storytellers have expanded significantly over the last few years with the expansion of new data sets and metrics that provide new insights and perspectives on sports. The recent advances in AI also provide the opportunity for new tools, but also a potential to replace certain types of storytelling through automation. This panel discusses how the role of the storyteller has changed, skills and perspectives needed to tell good stories, and how AI is and will change how fans engage with sports stories.