AI, membership models, and athlete economics will drive profits by 2028
The sports industry is entering one of the most transformative periods in its history.
According to PwC’s 2026 sports industry outlook, the next wave of growth will not come primarily from new stadiums or television deals. Instead, the biggest profit drivers will be artificial intelligence, recurring membership fan models, and new athlete-centered economic systems.
PwC describes the coming era of sports business as “faster, leaner, smarter.”
Organizations that embrace technology driven decision making and direct fan engagement models will unlock new revenue streams. Those that remain tied to legacy models will struggle to keep pace with rapidly evolving fan expectations.
This shift affects every layer of the sports ecosystem.
Leagues must rethink media strategy.
Teams must rethink fan engagement.
Athletes must rethink how they build and monetize their audiences.
And it explains why infrastructure platforms like Thravos are emerging as one of the most important technologies in the next generation of sports business.
AI is becoming the operating system of sports organizations
Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming the core engine behind decision making in sports.
PwC’s analysis highlights how teams and leagues are deploying AI tools across multiple operational layers including ticket pricing, sponsorship valuation, broadcast production, and performance analytics.
These technologies allow sports organizations to move faster and make decisions based on real-time data rather than intuition.
PwC outlines this transformation in its Global Entertainment and Media Outlook, which identifies AI and advanced analytics as critical drivers of efficiency and profitability across sports and media industries.
PwC Global Entertainment and Media Outlook
AI is not only improving operations.
It is also reshaping fan engagement.
Teams can now analyze fan behavior, predict demand patterns, and personalize content delivery in ways that were impossible only a decade ago.
The result is a smarter sports economy built around data.
For athletes, this data revolution creates new opportunities to understand and monetize their fan communities.
Platforms like Thravos allow athletes to capture engagement data directly within their own ecosystems rather than relying solely on opaque social media algorithms.
Membership models are replacing traditional ticketing economics
Another major trend highlighted by PwC is the rapid rise of membership driven fan engagement models.
Traditional sports monetization has long relied on one time transactions.
Fans bought tickets for individual games.
They purchased merchandise occasionally.
They consumed broadcast content passively.
That model is evolving.
Younger audiences increasingly expect ongoing digital access and interactive experiences rather than occasional live events.
Research from Deloitte’s sports industry outlook confirms that subscription style engagement models are becoming essential to long-term sports revenue growth.
Deloitte sports industry outlook
Membership ecosystems allow fans to participate continuously rather than sporadically.
They receive exclusive content, digital experiences, community access, and interactive engagement opportunities.
This transformation strengthens loyalty while creating recurring revenue.
Thravos extends this membership model directly to athletes.
Athletes can build dedicated fan communities where supporters subscribe for access to competitions, training sessions, exclusive content, and direct interaction.
Instead of relying solely on brand endorsements, athletes develop long-term relationships with their audiences.
The rise of new athlete economics
Perhaps the most profound prediction in PwC’s outlook involves the emergence of new athlete economic models.
Historically, athlete income came from two primary sources.
Salary and endorsements.
That structure is rapidly evolving.
Athletes are increasingly participating in the sports economy through equity participation, intellectual property ownership, and community driven monetization models.
The growth of Name Image and Likeness (NIL) rights in college sports has demonstrated how quickly athlete compensation structures can evolve when athletes gain commercial freedom.
The NCAA outlines the NIL framework allowing athletes to monetize their name, image, and likeness through sponsorships and partnerships.
NCAA NIL overview
But the implications extend far beyond college athletics.
Athletes at every level are becoming entrepreneurs.
They are building media brands, launching digital communities, and creating new forms of fan engagement.
The challenge is infrastructure.
Most social media platforms were not designed specifically for sports monetization.
They prioritize scale and advertising rather than community ownership.
Thravos addresses this gap by providing a sports focused environment where athletes can build and monetize fan relationships directly.
Athletes are becoming media platforms
PwC’s outlook emphasizes a broader structural shift.
Athletes themselves are becoming media platforms.
Fans increasingly follow athletes rather than teams. They consume behind the scenes content, personal stories, training routines, and interactive engagement experiences.
This shift has been confirmed by broader sports audience research from Nielsen, which shows younger fans prioritizing digital engagement and athlete storytelling alongside traditional broadcasts.
Nielsen sports audience insights
Athlete communities therefore represent powerful media ecosystems.
Brands recognize this and increasingly partner directly with athletes to reach engaged audiences.
However, long term success depends on ownership.
Athletes must control their communities and engagement infrastructure.
Thravos provides that ownership by enabling athletes to build dedicated digital environments independent of general social platforms.
Sports organizations are becoming technology platforms
PwC’s analysis suggests that sports organizations are evolving from content producers into technology driven platforms.
Platforms connect participants, creators, fans, and sponsors within shared digital ecosystems.
This structural shift has been documented across the broader sports economy. Market research from Statista shows that digital platforms and fan engagement technologies are becoming major growth drivers within the global sports industry.
Statista sports market research
At the same time, research from McKinsey highlights the growing economic power of the creator economy, where individuals build direct relationships with audiences rather than relying solely on institutional media distribution.
McKinsey creator economy insights
Athletes sit at the intersection of both trends.
They are creators with global audiences.
They are participants within the sports economy.
And they are increasingly capable of building independent communities.
Thravos is designed specifically to support this transition by functioning as a participation driven sports marketplace.
Engagement infrastructure determines the next wave of sports profits
As AI transforms operations, membership models reshape fan relationships, and athlete economics expand beyond endorsements, one reality becomes clear.
Infrastructure determines economic leverage.
Organizations that control engagement ecosystems control revenue flows.
Athletes who control their communities control their own economic futures.
Thravos integrates athlete engagement, fan participation, and monetization into a single sports focused platform.
Athletes can host competitions, run subscription communities, share training content, and build direct relationships with fans.
Agents, managers, and partners continue to play important roles in expanding athlete opportunities and structuring deals.
Thravos strengthens that ecosystem by providing transparent engagement metrics that support smarter negotiations and fairer valuations.
Why the next era of sports growth will be athlete driven
PwC’s sports outlook points to a future where sports organizations operate more efficiently, fans engage more consistently, and athletes participate more deeply in the economic value they create.
Artificial intelligence will make teams smarter.
Membership models will create recurring revenue streams.
Athletes will increasingly function as entrepreneurs and community builders.
In that environment, platforms that empower athlete owned engagement ecosystems will become foundational infrastructure.
Thravos is built precisely for this shift.
It transforms athletes from participants in the sports economy into architects of it.
And as the sports industry moves toward a faster, leaner, smarter future, Thravos stands at the center of the next generation of sports technology.
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Disclaimer: This post may include forward-looking statements based on current expectations, plans, or projections. Actual results may differ due to various factors beyond our control. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research and use independent judgment when interpreting the information provided. All content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice.