OpenAI teams with Mets for ChatGPT activation at Citi Field

OpenAI is making its Major League Baseball (MLB) debut by partnering with the New York Mets to host a special ChatGPT activation night at Citi Field. Every fan in attendance will receive a unique ChatGPT-branded pin. By tapping the pin with their phones, attendees can access a menu of preloaded Mets-themed prompts, questions about the 1986 Mets, Pete Alonso and more, directly through the ChatGPT interface.

The activation includes more than just the pin. Throughout the ballpark, “ChatGPT Photo Booths” will allow fans to create custom portraits using AI, blending the excitement of live sports with interactive technology. This experience aims to enhance fan engagement, making attendees feel like active participants rather than passive viewers.

For the Mets, this initiative is not a one-time gimmick; it is a long-term commitment. Team leadership describes it as a pilot program, “Step 1 in a multi-phase relationship” with OpenAI. The underlying goal is to explore new ways of engaging the audience, using AI as a bridge between the club, its history and its fans. This experiment in co-creation will draw inspiration from Mets lore and fan interests for prompts and portrait outputs.

From OpenAI’s perspective, this collaboration marks a significant step forward in sports marketing and experiential branding. It transforms ChatGPT from a general-purpose AI assistant into a branded, event-linked tool that encourages active participation. This MLB debut creates a new touchpoint, combining data, brand awareness and user engagement into a single activation.

The collaboration demanded rapid development. Executives from both organisations reportedly worked through ideation, proof-of-concept and activation within two to three months to align the launch with the Mets’ season homestand closure. Although ChatGPT has not yet been officially designated as a sponsor, both parties see substantial commercial potential, ranging from merchandising opportunities to future integrations and broader activations.

However, challenges remain. The initial novelty must translate into sustained interest from the audience. Will fans engage beyond mere curiosity? Additionally, the activation must prioritise privacy, data governance and user trust, especially when combining real-time fan actions and AI outputs. Ultimately, success will hinge on the follow-through: expanding use cases beyond just pins and portraits.

If this experiment proves successful, it opens up a whole new realm of marketing possibilities. In the future, teams might co-brand AI assistants, launch custom prompts tied to game narratives, or utilise fan behaviour data to enhance storytelling. OpenAI’s entry into MLB serves not only as a branding initiative but also as a testing ground and the Mets could become a model for future AI-powered fan experiences in sports.