NAB Show 2025: Sports media takes center stage with focus on AI, esports and streaming

The 2025 NAB Show is set to become the hub for sports media, broadcasting and fan engagement, offering a platform for industry leaders to discuss the latest advancements. Held April 5-9 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the event will highlight the intersection of technology and sports entertainment, featuring keynotes, panels and hands-on activations.

Sports Summit and industry conversations

A focal point of this year’s event is the newly launched Sports Summit: The Future of Sports Rights and Fan Engagement, a three-day series running April 6-8. This program will explore the evolving landscape of sports production, athlete-driven content, name, image and likeness (NIL) opportunities, and direct-to-fan business models.

The Summit kicks off with Gotham Chopra, co-founder of Religion of Sports, discussing how storytelling shapes audience connections. Other sessions will cover the role of original content in increasing viewership, innovations in live sports production, and the future of sports media rights negotiations.

Attendees will also hear from major sports executives and media figures, including:

• Portia Archer, CEO of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), who will discuss the rapid rise of women’s sports and strategies for sustained growth.
• Stephen A. Smith, one of the most recognized voices in sports media, leading the NAB Show Welcome Session.
• Nick Khan and Paul “Triple H” Levesque, who will outline WWE’s future plans, including global expansion and integrating new technologies into sports entertainment.
• NFL’s Jason McCourty and Tracy Perlman, who will explore how on-air talent is used to build audience loyalty and engagement.

Technology and new offerings on display

The NAB Show exhibit floor will feature interactive activations, including AI-powered content creation tools and immersive sports experiences. Highlights include:

• Microsoft’s AI-powered sports transformation demos, showcasing automated content generation and fan-focused experiences.
• AWS and NVIDIA’s Live Esports Racing Challenge, where attendees can race on a Formula 1 simulator and analyze performance using AI insights.
• Amazon Nova Racing Experience, which allows users to design and race AI-generated F1 tracks in a real-time simulation.

Industry leaders, broadcasters and technology innovators will converge in Las Vegas to discuss the evolving role of AI, streaming and content production in shaping the future of sports.

“NAB Show is bringing together the best in the business to explore the opportunities driving the next era of sports media,” said Karen Chupka, executive vice president and managing director of NAB Global Connections and Events.

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