{"resourceId":"northwest-missouri-bearcat-athletics-fanword-ai-graphics-no-policy-2026-10-07","versions":[{"version":"external-19bc0ab0d3a4fdb75fa5357e1895f8bfd9eb0744e2e8c88d0bcecaf359471f7e","resource":{"id":"northwest-missouri-bearcat-athletics-fanword-ai-graphics-no-policy-2026-10-07","title":"Northwest Missouri State Athletics uses FanWord for most recaps in under a minute, alongside AI graphics errors and no written AI policy","organization":"Northwest Missouri State University Athletics / Northwest Missourian","sector":"NCAA Division II athletics communications and marketing (MIAA)","geography":"United States (Maryville, Missouri)","publishedAt":"October 7, 2026","publicationDate":"2026-10-07","eventDate":null,"sourceName":"Northwest Missourian","sourceLabel":"Student newspaper reporting","sourceUrl":"https://www.nwmissourinews.com/sports/article_a9ab70cb-0f6d-4648-aded-27e20243bd90.html","evidenceClass":"independent-reporting","outcomeClass":"mixed","topics":["knowledge-work","governance-procurement","operating-model","accessibility-workforce"],"finding":"The Northwest Missourian reports AD Andy Peterson bought a three-year FanWord plan last year; Assistant AD Colin McDonough uses it for most game recaps. He writes one or two paragraphs, plugs in NCAA stats, FanWord generates the recap (under one minute versus hours previously) and an XML file, and he double-checks names and statistics. Coaches use generative AI for graphics and recruit messages; an official football infographic showed a player with six fingers and a booster group graphic showed a six-toed paw. Neither Athletics nor University Marketing has a written AI policy; marketing staff note AI errors on dates and brand misuse.","sledRelevance":"Why now: published Oct 7, 2026, not archived, and it is a Division II operational account that surfaces quality failures and a governance gap (no written policy) rather than only Division I backlash. Interpretation: smaller departments adopt AI for capacity reasons before governance catches up.","evidence":"Student newspaper article quoting AD, assistant AD for media relations, a head coach and the digital content manager. Time savings are self-reported; no error rates, cost or audit data.","architectureImplications":"Vendor drafting fed by NCAA stats exports producing XML for the athletics site; generic image generators used ad hoc outside the vendor workflow.","governanceImplications":"No written AI policy in athletics or marketing; brand/logo control and visual-accuracy review are informal.","securityPrivacyImplications":"Low data sensitivity for public stats, but uncontrolled generative tools risk brand and likeness misuse.","caveats":"Single student-newspaper account; self-reported efficiency; anecdotal error examples; no cost disclosed.","streamIds":["college-athletics"],"roles":{"sales":"Sales framing: Division II departments buy AI drafting for capacity, not innovation. McDonough's workflow shows recaps in under a minute with human checks, but the same department lacks any written AI policy and has published visibly flawed AI graphics. A bounded offer is an AI-use policy and brand-review package for a small athletics shop. Do not claim the vendor tool prevents errors; the visible failures came from unmanaged generative graphics, and savings are anecdotal.","engineering":"Engineering framing: the recap path is a structured stats-to-text pipeline with XML output and a human verification step; the risk sits in unmanaged image tools. Engineers should define approved tools, a review step for generated visuals, and logging of which outputs were AI-assisted. Proof means sampling published recaps against box scores and auditing a month of graphics for anatomical, logo and date errors.","delivery":"Delivery framing: write the policy the department lacks. Delivery should name an athletics communications owner, define approved uses (recaps, bios, graphics, recruit messages), require name/stat checks and visual review before posting, and coordinate logo rules with University Marketing. Interpretation: acceptance should be measurable, such as zero uncorrected visual errors on official accounts per quarter and a documented check on every AI-assisted recap."},"roleDetails":{"sales":{"customerProblem":"A thinly staffed Division II department needs fast recaps and graphics but has no AI policy and has posted flawed AI images.","stakeholders":["Director of athletics","Assistant AD for media relations","Head coaches","University marketing and communication","Student media"],"discoveryQuestions":["Which content types are AI-assisted today?","Who reviews generated graphics before posting?","Is there a written AI and brand-use policy?","How is AI assistance disclosed?"],"valueHypothesis":"A short policy and review workflow can keep recap time savings while reducing public visual and brand errors.","potentialEngagement":"A four-week AI-use policy and content-review workflow for one athletics department and its marketing partner.","unsupportedClaims":["Measured accuracy of FanWord recaps","Quantified cost savings","Vendor tools preventing graphic errors"]},"engineering":{"fit":"Small athletics shops with NCAA stats exports and a CMS accepting XML.","architectureIntegration":"Stats export plus staff-written lead into vendor drafting, XML output to site; separate image generation tools.","prerequisites":["Stats export access","Approved tool list","Brand asset rules"],"constraints":["Single-staff review capacity","No written policy","Generic image tools outside vendor controls"],"security":"Restrict official-account posting rights; prohibit uploading athlete likenesses to unapproved tools.","proofOfValue":["Sample recaps reconciled to box scores","Monthly graphics audit for visual errors","Timed recap production on matched games"]},"delivery":{"work":"Draft and operate an athletics AI-use policy with review checkpoints for text and graphics.","dependencies":["Athletics media relations","University marketing","Coaching staff buy-in"],"ownership":"Assistant AD for media relations with university marketing for brand rules.","skillsAdoption":"Train coaches and student staff on approved tools and visual review.","governanceCheckpoints":["Policy approval by AD","Pre-post visual review","Quarterly audit of AI-assisted content"],"acceptanceCriteria":["Proposed: written policy adopted within one month","Proposed: zero uncorrected visual errors on official accounts per quarter","Proposed: 100% of AI recaps carry a recorded name/stat check"],"risks":["Brand damage from flawed images","Over-reliance by single staffer","Policy ignored by coaches"]}},"retrievedAt":"2026-10-09T22:14:46-05:00","enrichedAt":"2026-10-09T22:16:46-05:00","enrichmentBasis":"retrieved source","accessibilityWorkforceImplications":"AI fills capacity after a marketing departure; marketing staff warn against AI becoming a crutch for student skills.","procurementImplications":"Multi-year vendor plan bought at AD level; generic AI tools used without procurement review.","operatingModelImplications":"Coaches produce their own AI graphics outside the communications workflow.","sourceVerification":{"responseId":"curl-nwmissourinews-bearcat-ai-20261009T2214","openedUrl":"https://www.nwmissourinews.com/sports/article_a9ab70cb-0f6d-4648-aded-27e20243bd90.html","referenceExcerpt":"FanWord plugs in stats and names of players and generates the recaps in under one minute","promptVersion":"sled-research-v4.0","model":null,"basis":"agent-reported inspection"}}}]}