Here’s How Atlanta Sports Teams Are Using Tech To Rethink The Fan Experience

Kim Rometo, Chief Innovation Officer and Chief Technology Officer for the Atlanta Hawks, knows she is competing against a formidable opponent: The couch. 

Fans today have a lot of options when it comes to watching their favorite teams. So as streaming options grow, Rometo said sports venues have to improve every aspect of the fan experience. 

“When you think about [competing] with a nice cushy sofa and a big screen TV, what draws people in is the game, the experience, and the community. What we’ve seen post-COVID is that people want to be in community with one another,” Rometo said. 

But that means leaning on new tech to keep people engaged and to make sure they have a seamless experience buying tickets, getting through security, and ordering food.

How technology is changing the sports and esports fan experience was the big topic as Rometo and fellow Atlanta sports industry stars took the stage at the Georgia Technology Summit early this month. During a panel discussion called “Atlanta’s High-Performing Teams,” moderator Mohammed Massaquoi, Managing Director at VESSOL and former NFL player, dug into how technology is changing how we go to games. And their answers are helpful for any person thinking about customer experience…even if your business isn’t about filling a 90,000-seat venue night after night.

So, what is top of mind for the innovation teams at the Atlanta Braves, the Hawks, FanDuel, and Skillshot? It’s worth watching the Technology Association of Georgia’s recording of the session to learn how Atlanta’s top teams are leveraging AI in their workflows and how they think about hiring technologists to improve every aspect of the fan experience. You’ll definitely learn something that will change the way you think about stadiums 

Watch The Full Discussion Here:

Speakers: 

Todd Harris, CEO at Skillshot, 

Karl Pierburg, CTO at Mercedes Benz Stadium 

Kim Rometo, Chief Innovation Officer and Chief Technology Officer for the Atlanta Hawks 

Billy Turchin, SVP of Product at FanDuel

Scott Waid, Head of Technology for the Atlanta Braves 

Mohammed Massaquoi, Managing Director at VESSOL (moderator)