First NWSL Team to Adopt AI-Powered Sponsorship Tech, PlayMaker Software
New York, NY – 2.18.26 – San Diego Wave FC has become the first National Women's Soccer League team to implement an AI-powered sponsorship operating system, the club announced today. Through a multi-year partnership with PlayMaker Software, Wave FC will centralize sponsorship data, automate activation workflows, and leverage artificial intelligence to unlock new revenue opportunities across its growing commercial portfolio.
The move positions San Diego Wave FC at the forefront of sponsorship innovation in women's sports, as the NWSL experiences record growth in partnership investment and media value. PlayMaker Software's AI-powered platform replaces their existing platform with intelligent automation, real-time asset tracking, and predictive analytics that help teams identify underutilized inventory and optimize partner deliverables.
"The NWSL is experiencing unprecedented commercial growth, and our partnership teams need technology that can scale with that momentum," said Hannah Sorkin, Co-Founder & CEO of PlayMaker Software. "San Diego Wave FC recognized that AI isn't just about efficiency, it's about unlocking revenue that's currently hidden in manual processes and fragmented data. They're setting a new operational standard for the league."
San Diego Wave FC's adoption of AI-powered sponsorship management comes as the club manages an expanding partnership portfolio in one of sports' fastest-growing commercial markets. The platform will enable the Wave’s partnership team to automatically track deliverables across dozens of brand relationships, generate real-time performance reports, and surface activation & sales opportunities that might otherwise go unnoticed.
"We evaluated multiple platforms, and PlayMaker stood out for its ease of use, data flexibility, and truly collaborative, client-first approach.," said Alyssa Haynes, Sr. Director, Head of Corporate Partnerships at San Diego Wave FC. "San Diego Wave FC has always been about raising the bar on the pitch, in the community, and in how we run our business. PlayMaker gives us the infrastructure to match that standard.”
The platform's AI features include automated contract extraction, intelligent proposal recommendations based on partner objectives, and AI-powered insights about everything from inventory usage to activation progress. The San Diego Wave will also benefit from automated recap reporting, cross-departmental collaboration tools, and dashboards that provide partners with real-time visibility into their sales & activation performance.
PlayMaker's technology is already in use by other professional teams, like the MLS club Austin FC, where the platform has streamlined operations across corporate partnerships, sponsorship sales, and business intelligence teams.
With this partnership, San Diego Wave FC becomes a proving ground for AI-enabled sponsorship operations in women's soccer, a development that could accelerate technology adoption across the NWSL as teams seek competitive advantages in partnership revenue.
PlayMaker Software is the AI-powered operating system for sports sponsorships. Built for rights-holders and brands, PlayMaker centralizes inventory, activations, contracts, and reporting - unlocking time savings and new revenue opportunities across the partnership lifecycle. PlayMaker is backed by Precursor Ventures, Antler, and Incisive Ventures. Learn more at: www.playmaker-software.com
San Diego Wave Fútbol Club was founded in 2021 and competes in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). The Wave quickly established itself as one of the world’s premier clubs, making history by breaking the NWSL’s single-game attendance record and reaching the playoffs in its inaugural season. The Club has continued to set new milestones, ranking #2 globally in women’s soccer attendance in 2024. Dedicated to excellence on the field and meaningful impact off it, the Wave fosters strong connections within the San Diego community under the leadership of the Leichtman Levine Family. Wave FC plays its home matches at the state-of-the-art Snapdragon Stadium. For more information, visit sandiegowavefc.com.