Michael Jordan’s Competitive Ethos Shapes Sportradar and DraftKings Technology and Fan Engagement Plans

At SBC Summit Lisbon, Sportradar AG CEO Carsten Koerl and DraftKings CEO Jason Robins detailed efforts to adapt to fractured fan behavior by drawing on Michael Jordan‘s approach to competition and dominance. Koerl described a shift away from linear sports consumption toward mixed environments that blend live events, data, social media and wagering.

“Nothing is linear anymore. We must expect that sports live in a mixed environment. But there is now an opportunity to commercialise every element, data point, broadcast, bet and now merchandise as an experience,” Koerl said. “We are now developing technologies for a high-speed sector, that is being powered by AI.”

Fans shift across platforms, creating both fragmentation and openings for broader commercialization. Robins tied this directly to Jordan’s influence on his leadership.

“We all kind of wish we were Michael. We wish we were out there winning championships,” Robins reflected. That drive informs DraftKings’ central project: consolidating multiple products into one Super App.

“The idea of the Super App was we’re going to take all these different products that we have, which a lot of which were living in different apps before, and bring them all into one single app,” Robins says.

Jordan spoke about why his relationships with DraftKings and Sportradar feel authentic to him. He applies the same standard to his NASCAR investment, which stems from family outings and seeks to extend reach beyond core fans via Sportradar and DraftKings tools.

Trust surfaced repeatedly. Jordan noted fans now “follow every statistic, every movement and every betting market” but said his own focus stayed on the court: “I just play the game. I can’t worry about what people are betting on. I can’t worry about what the stats are.” Koerl and Robins face the task of expanding participation while maintaining safe environments.

Technology and Commercialisation in Non-Linear Environments

The discussion centered on AI-driven tools and unified platforms to capture every interaction. Koerl positioned these capabilities as essential for turning fractured attention into commercial experiences across broadcast, data, bets and merchandise.

Authenticity as a Constraint on Expansion

Jordan’s participation underscored that relationships must remain genuine to carry weight with audiences. The panel framed trust and safety as non-negotiable amid greater visibility into statistics and betting activity, limiting how far commercialisation can extend without eroding fan confidence.

Reporting: SBC News

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