ABSTRACT
Discussions about automated sports journalism are essentially discussions about the extent to which artificial intelligence (AI) could affect the industry. AI is never going to usurp sports writers who detect the nuance of their interviewee’s gestures, or who bring their years of experience to bear in powerfully capturing the emotion of a sporting occasion. Over coffee and pastries, sports journalists are rubbing shoulders with data scientists, computer coders and academics from across the globe to discuss a brave new world in sports media. The introduction of elements of automation is not about a revolution in sports reporting but about the arrival of a potential supporting function that could take some of the strain off sports desks. As sport remains a central aspect of contemporary popular culture, thus the commercial value of sports journalism, and selected sports journalists, will continue to escalate.
