AXS DRIVE 2026:
Executive Digest
The following document is a curated collection of dispatches from SBJ’s 2026 AXS DRIVE event in Indianapolis. This gathering of sports business leaders focused heavily on the mechanics of revenue generation, ticketing strategies, and the integration of artificial intelligence.
For college athletics executives staring down a rapidly evolving economic landscape, these insights from the professional ranks—spanning real estate ownership, the “atomization” of ticketing, and the critical importance of data hygiene—provide a strategic blueprint for capturing and monetizing fan attention.
The Real Estate Myth: Keeping the Equity In-House
The Atlanta Braves generated a staggering $97M in mixed-use development revenue at The Battery in 2025—a 45% increase from $67M in 2024. According to Braves Development Company President/CEO Mike Plant and Braves President/CEO Derek Schiller, the complex has become a blueprint, with over 400 sports organizations visiting to study the model.
Crucially, the franchise has eliminated third-party developers and brokers over the last six to seven years. Schiller challenged the conventional wisdom that outside developers possess a “secret sauce,” noting that partners ultimately want to deal directly with the team. Plant warned that bringing in a developer means taking on their debt and liability while giving away your own equity.
Read Source Article →Key Takeaways
- The Value of In-House Control: “We always thought that we needed a developer… What we learned is they don’t [have a secret sauce]. What we’ve learned is people want to deal with the team.” — Derek Schiller
- Protecting Equity: “If you can handle that [risk and debt] inside, all you’re doing is giving away money [by hiring a developer].” — Mike Plant
- Territorial Protection: The Braves remain staunchly opposed to an expansion team in Nashville, aggressively defending their geographic footprint.
Building the Foundation for AI & Fan Acquisition
The Islanders’ Acquisition Engine
New York Islanders President of Business Operations Kelly Cheeseman and KAGR CEO Jessica Gelman outlined a data-driven strategy that yielded a 50% increase in new fan growth and a 125% YoY boost in half-season ticket sales. The success stemmed from streamlining their tech stack and executing deep regional research.
The team utilized an interactive third-jersey design contest (netting ~81K submissions) to capture robust data, enabling targeted outreach to specific demographics like Hispanic, Southeast Asian, and Chinese populations. Cultural promotions, such as a Salvadoran Heritage Night, further enriched this data pool, which is now being used to train future AI models alongside concertgoer data from UBS Arena.
Read Source Article →Data Hygiene as the Prerequisite for AI
A panel featuring Dallas Mavericks SVP Kyle Burkhardt, StellarAlgo SVP Lee Schmold, and Mets VP of Data & Analytics Craig Swaisgood tackled the transition to open distribution ticketing. The goal: allow fans to buy tickets anywhere while teams maintain inventory and pricing visibility.
Swaisgood highlighted the Mets’ loyalty program as a model for linking ticket sales with concessions and retail to build a 360-degree fan profile. However, Burkhardt warned that effective AI implementation is impossible without foundational data hygiene. Schmold stressed the need for organizational alignment: “Name an owner of your AI strategy. That is the most important thing.”
Read Source Article →The Atomization of Ticketing & The AI Secondary Market
The AI Purchasing Agent
AI purchasing agents are actively altering the secondary ticket market. RightsHelper CCO Josh Rose demonstrated this by locating a ticket with a single click while mid-flight. MLS VP Mike Quarino noted this enhances the fan experience but diminishes team control over distribution.
When asked if LLM giants (OpenAI, Meta) will demand a cut of ticketing inventory, Rose noted that primary ticketing companies are already announcing integrated partnerships with these platforms.
Read Source Article →While premium and ultra-premium seating remains a “rocket ship,” industry leaders are sounding the alarm about neglecting the bottom of the funnel. Colts Chief Commercial Officer Roger VanDerSnick warned, “If we stop thinking about entry-level pricing and about how we bring in new fans… there’s real, real danger we’ll lose that.”
The definition of “premium” is also evolving beyond just the seat to encompass the entire end-to-end experience (parking, hospitality, engagement). The solution to balancing these needs is the “atomization of ticketing.” As AXS CRO Vito Iaia explained, while stadiums used to have seven or eight price levels, open distribution, dynamic pricing, and broker deals mean a single event might now have hundreds or thousands of distinct price points.
Read Source Article →Stop Asking for Marriage on the First Date
A recurring theme at AXS DRIVE was the necessity of treating a ticket sale as the beginning of a relationship, not the endpoint. Panelists emphasized moving beyond a simple transactional view to understand true customer lifetime value.
Desert Champions CMO Philippe Dore and AXS SVP Whitney French noted that a fan who attends regularly, opens emails, and brings friends holds more long-term potential than a high-spending buyer who never actually shows up. To foster this, teams must stop the immediate upsell. Pitching a full-season package to a first-time, single-game buyer skips too many steps in relationship building.
Instead, teams are focusing on real-time operational data and experiential value. French highlighted that real-time data is most valuable operationally—such as pinging a fan with an upgrade when they approach a gate. Furthermore, teams like the Charlotte Hornets are ensuring the experience matches the price point, combatting concession complaints by introducing a $2 “Hugo’s Hive” menu to ensure fans aren’t priced out of returning.
Read Source Article →