Bilt CEO Ankur Jain is betting AI and sports fandom can drive local spending—starting with free beers when the home team wins

The sports industry has witnessed unprecedented growth, with team valuations soaring and fanbases becoming increasingly passionate. Online rewards platform Bilt is poised to capitalize on this momentum by introducing a "neighborhood operating system" that leverages AI and personalized rewards to connect sports teams and local businesses, as announced in a Tuesday press release.

Bilt's Neighborhood OS aims to enhance the sports-going experience by offering fans personalized rewards such as restaurant reservations, transportation, watch parties, and exclusive discounts when their favorite team wins. This initiative is part of Bilt's broader strategy to evolve from a rent-rewards platform to an operating system for local commerce, partnering with multiple professional sports teams including the Phoenix Mercury, Suns, Houston Comets, Rockets, Texans, Kings, and Chicago Bears.

A notable collaboration is with Constellation Brands, the parent company behind Corona beer. Under this partnership, fans participating in a team's loyalty program could receive a complimentary round of beer at a local bar if their team emerges victorious. Bilt will handle the sponsorship arrangement, enabling bars to accept payments and fulfill orders without needing access to customers' private data.

The timing is particularly opportune as sports have transcended traditional viewing experiences, fostering a sense of community through in-person gatherings at sports bars and stadium tailgates. According to S&P Global Market Intelligence's 2026 Consumer Insights survey, 74% of Americans watch live sports, with the majority favoring NFL or college football, baseball, basketball, and hockey.

This surge in sports fandom presents significant commercial opportunities beyond ticket sales. The global sports market generated a staggering $463 billion in revenue in 2024 and is expected to reach $610 billion by 2028. Sports-related travel alone contributed $111.2 billion in direct spending in the U.S. in 2025, with 339 million people attending sporting events.

Deloitte's 2026 Global Sports Industry Outlook underscores the transformative potential of AI and evolving ownership models in the sports sector. AI is no longer just a novel concept but a strategic imperative for sports organizations aiming to compete in the evolving landscape. Bilt's Neighborhood OS exemplifies this trend, empowering small businesses to harness AI for enhanced customer engagement and loyalty without the need to overhaul their existing systems.

By integrating AI-powered tools, Bilt enables local businesses to recognize returning customers, tailor offers, and streamline operations, unlocking a $6.6 trillion opportunity in local commerce. This innovative approach not only enriches the sports experience for fans but also fosters economic growth at the neighborhood level.