Sports has never been so popular as it is today – team valuations are soaring, fan loyalty is exceptional, and the growth of funds in the industry is also unprecedented. Now, the online rewards platform Bilt hopes to make watching sports events more than just about what happens in the stands.
According to a press release issued by the company on Tuesday, Bilt is expanding its so-called “community operating system” to enable teams and local businesses to connect with fans through personalized rewards, loyalty programs, and AI.
This expansion is another step for Bilt to surpass its initial stage as a “rent reward” platform and transform into a local business operating system. Under this proposed system, local restaurants and small businesses can use Bilt’s platform to pair up with sports teams and attract local customers through personalized rewards. The company stated that cooperation has already been established with several professional sports teams, including the Phoenix Mercury, Phoenix Suns, Houston Comets, Houston Rockets, Houston Texans, Sacramento Kings, and Chicago Bears.
Bilt, the founder and CEO, said to Fortune: "We see this as an extension of the match day into the community." He mentioned that the team can provide fans with pre-match restaurant reservations, transportation to the stadium, and viewing parties organized by local businesses, along with exclusive discounts and other benefits.
Jain also indicates that Bilt is incorporating sponsors into this system. He described an arrangement with Constellation Brands: Fans who participate in the team loyalty program, if their supported team wins, can get a round of Corona beer for free at local bars. Jain explained that sponsors do not need to access individual customers' private information and can directly contribute to this discount through Bilt and the bar's sales terminal system.
Now is the perfect time.
In modern society, professional sports have long transcended the television screen to become a bond among communities: fans gather in sports bars, follow parties at the stadiums, and share a sense of belonging together.
According to the 2026 Consumer Insights Survey released by S& P Global Market Intelligence in July, approximately 74% of Americans watch live sports events. Among these fans, 53% watch NFL or college football, 36% watch baseball or basketball, and 20% watch hockey.
A large fan base means greater commercial opportunities, and these opportunities can extend beyond ticket sales. Sports teams have already created monetization opportunities for their audiences through merchandise, sponsorship, membership, and experiences outside of match days.
In a study in 2024, Houlihan Lokey estimated that the global sports market generated $463 billion in revenue that year, and this figure is expected to grow to $610 billion by 2028. According to the Sports Events and Tourism Association's "2026 Industry Status Report," sports-related tourism alone resulted in direct expenditures of $111.2 billion in the United States in 2025, with 33.9 million people traveling to watch sporting events.
Deloitte stated in "2026 Global Sports Industry Outlook" that AI and the constantly changing ownership models, together with sports, media, and entertainment, have become the main forces shaping the industry; the report describes this industry as "covering leagues, teams, associations, major events, media partners, investors, etc." Deloitte emphasizes the importance of sports venues as commercial destinations throughout the year.
The report states: “AI has surpassed its role as a novelty. For many sports organizations, it is becoming a whole new set of competition strategies. As we move into 2026 and beyond, sports organizations that wish to compete should not overlook AI.”
Leveraging AI services for small businesses
According to Bilt, the launch of the new platform will also affect small businesses. Jain states that AI is the core component that makes this system function, especially suitable for small businesses that find it difficult to manage multiple software platforms.
Bilt's 'Neighborhood OS' is the core of the new system, which rewards users for consuming at local businesses; a platform driven by AI helps local enterprises attract customers, build loyalty, and achieve growth, without replacing their existing systems – Bilt claims that this system aims to unlock $6.6 trillion in opportunities within 'local commerce'. Bilt indicates that approximately $6.6 trillion in annual retail and food service spending in the United States occurs in offline scenarios.
According to company data, AI Agents of Bilt has completed over 2 million real-world operations in more than 29,000 enterprises, and in the past 30 days, 91% of these operations could be completed without any human intervention. Jain gives an example: a restaurant can use the system of Bilt to identify repeat customers, recognize their previous orders, offer special discounts, and integrate the existing software into a single application.
Jain said, "For me, many tech companies view AI in the sense of digitizing everything, taking away jobs, and moving life online. But our belief is that the biggest beneficiaries of AI will be small businesses, because they can now use AI to help them manage their fragmented operations."
