Industry Insight: How the Pacers Built a Retail Media Network for Sports Fandom - Tech Week 2026 · 19:19

How do you turn a sports franchise into a data-driven media business? In this session, sponsored by Deloitte, industry leaders from the Indiana Pacers, Yieldmo, and Deloitte break down how they built a retail media network for sports fandom—unlocking new revenue streams, expanding beyond local markets, and redefining what it means to be a “fan.” Speakers: Joey Graziano, Indiana Pacers Eric Herd, Yieldmo Li-Shen Lee, Deloitte You’ll learn how teams are: • Moving beyond traditional sponsorship assets • Leveraging first-party data and AI to reach fans anywhere • Creating new monetization opportunities outside the arena • Turning global audiences into revenue-generating ecosystems This conversation is a must-watch for anyone in sports marketing, media, brand partnerships, and fan engagement. 🔑 Key Takeaways • Why traditional sponsorship models are no longer enough • How retail media networks unlock measurable ROI for partners • The power of first-party data and fan identity • Expanding from local markets to global audiences • Monetizing the 99% of fandom happening outside live games 00:00 – Introduction: Building a Retail Media Network 00:36 – Industry Challenges: ROI vs Awareness 01:21 – New Assets: Email, SMS, Push + Ad Tech Expansion 02:03 – Yieldmo Explained: AI + Contextual Targeting 03:18 – The Big Gap: Teams Only Know ~10–20% of Fans 04:17 – Monetizing Fans Outside the Arena 04:38 – Redefining the “Fan” + Concert Business Growth 05:29 – How the Sponsorship Pitch Has Changed 05:36 – Market Expansion vs Local Market Thinking 06:30 – Example: Expanding into New Markets (Buffalo Case) 06:39 – Data at Scale: 250M Profiles, 4,000 Data Points 07:39 – Personalized Fan Targeting & Partnerships 08:04 – League Rules & Cross-Market Challenges 09:24 – Early Results: Adoption Across 40+ Teams 10:37 – AI + Creative Optimization in Real Time 11:48 – The 21 Hours of Untapped Fan Engagement 13:17 – Advice for Teams: Launch Fast, Expand Channels 14:10 – Future: Teams as Media Companies 15:29 – Why First-Party Data Is Everything 16:20 – Biggest Blocker: Lack of Fan Identity Data 16:51 – 18-Month Transformation Strategy 17:38 – Rethinking Fan Surveys & Data Collection 18:56 – Closing Thoughts

May 19, 2026