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Maccabi Tel Aviv Basketball Club Automates 42% of Fan Inquiries

Delivering 24/7 Digital Support to Fans of An Iconic Euroleague Sports Brand

Maccabi Tel Aviv Basketball Club is one of Europe’s most prestigious and decorated sports organizations, with decades of championships and a deeply loyal fanbase. To ensure fans receive support 24/7 — even outside standard operating hours — Maccabi partnered with CommBox to centralize digital communication and deliver an always-on engagement experience.

Today, 42% of incoming inquiries are handled automatically, providing fans with instant service while preserving the club’s unique personality and emotional connection.

42%

Incoming inquiries automatied

+Conversions

of digital sales with self-service ticket purchases

24/7

Customer support across channels 

62%

Inquiries resolved by AI chatbot

2000+

Work hours saved monthly

43%

Improvement in automation efficiency  

50K

Conversations managed monthly

Industry

  • Sports & Entertainment

  • Sports Organization

  • Professional Sports Franchise

Channels & Integrations

  • Digital messaging & Social
  • WhatsApp
  • Web chat

 

Use Cases

  • Purchase tickets and memberships
  • Transfer or download season tickets
  • Receive updates about games and sales
  • Get real-time information

Industry

Retail & eCommerce

Channels & Integrations

SMS, WhatsApp, Facebook messenger, Facebook posts, Instagram, Email, IVR, SAP

Teams

Customer service

Business Size

Small size (1 – 500)

Use Cases

  • Live & automated support 
  • Automated notifications
  • 24/7 self-service
  • Digital forms
  • Integrated business systems
  • Bots on WhatsApp
  • Technician scheduling
  • Bot to Human handover

Challenges

Supporting a Passionate Fanbase at Scale

Following COVID-19 disruptions and ongoing regional instability, fan inquiries surged. Games were postponed, schedules changed, and communication became more frequent and emotionally sensitive.

Support was largely phone-based, creating bottlenecks and limiting availability outside business hours.

Maccabi needed a solution that could:

  • Provide 24/7 support

  • Reduce operational pressure during peak periods

  • Streamline ticket and membership inquiries

Maintain empathy and personalization in every interaction

The Solution

An AI agent That Reflects the Club’s Brand

With CommBox, Maccabi launched Tal Eliyahu, its official, branded AI agent on WhatsApp, as well as other digital channels and email.

Tal Eliyahu is more than an AI agent. Designed with the brand tone and spirit of the club, the AI agent delivers structured, guided journeys that allow fans to quickly self-service and get what they need, such as:

  • Purchase tickets and memberships independently

     

  • Transfer or download season tickets

     

  • Receive updates about games and sales openings

     

  • Access Israeli Cup ticket sales through direct links

     

  • Get real-time information about club activities and players

     

More complex cases — such as complex refunds or cancellations — are seamlessly escalated to human agents with full context.  In addition, fans can choose to request a live representative and open a support case directly through the conversation. Maccabi continuously pushes past the basics to upgrade how fans communicate, adding new layers of AI and automation that just work.

By combining automation with clear escalation paths, Maccabi adopted a controlled, production-ready approach to AI- empowering innovation without sacrificing oversight or fan trust.

Results

Higher efficiency without increasing headcount

Value was felt immediately after going live.

The ability to provide instant responses outside of business hours significantly improved efficiency and fan satisfaction.

Key Outcomes:

  • 42% of inquiries resolved automatically

  • Increased self-service ticket purchases

  • Growth in digital sales conversations

  • Higher efficiency without increasing headcount

  • 24/7 availability during emotionally sensitive periods

The same team of human agents can now manage significantly higher inquiry volumes, while fans receive faster, clearer responses.

Impact

Empathy at Scale

For Maccabi, automation is not just about efficiency — it’s about supporting a passionate community of fans with exceptional customer experience.

Providing 24/7 support reinforces the sense of belonging that defines the club’s relationship with its fans.

What's Next

Modernized, AI-powered Fan Engagment

Maccabi plans to expand its AI capabilities further, bringing its digital representative to life with enhanced personalization, video responses, and deeper CRM integrations.

By starting with a high-impact use case and scaling responsibly, the club continues to modernize fan engagement — confidently and strategically.

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