CHARLOTTE, N.C. (February 17, 2026) – Fastbreak AI, the leading AI-driven sports operations software company, today announced that Serge Babenko has joined the company as Vice President of Partnerships for Sports Tourism. Babenko will lead partnership expansion across Fastbreak Pulse and Fastbreak Travel, working with sports commissions, destination marketing organizations (DMOs), event operators and hospitality partners to support destination-focused growth.
Babenko is a highly respected leader in the sports tourism and event technology space and a co-founder of EventConnect, a leading platform connecting youth sports events, hotels and destinations. As Executive Vice President and co-founder of the company, he helped shape EventConnect’s growth strategy, built national partnerships with major hotel brands including Marriott, Hilton, IHG, Hyatt and Wyndham, and worked directly with tournament directors and rights holders across North America. During his tenure, the company scaled from concept to more than 50 employees and supported more than 250,000 hotel room nights annually.
“Fastbreak is building the system of record for sports tourism and event-driven economic impact,” Babenko said. “Fastbreak Pulse addresses a real need for destinations and event operators to better understand visitor behavior, economic outcomes and partner value. I’m excited to help expand existing partnerships, form new ones, and bring stronger data and insight to the sports tourism ecosystem.”
Babenko will focus on expanding Pulse’s sports tourism partnerships while advising the continued growth of Fastbreak Travel. He brings longstanding relationships with sports tourism leaders, event operators and destination partners, and will introduce them to a platform that Fastbreak customers say is years ahead of existing solutions.
“Serge is a true pioneer in sports travel and tourism,” Fastbreak AI Co-Founder and CEO John Stewart said. “He knows this space better than anyone and has built strong relationships with the people who make it work. We already have the platform in place with Pulse to measure the local impact of sports tourism. Serge's experience scaling events and guiding destinations on economic impact will rapidly accelerate adoption.
Pulse has established itself as a trusted platform for sports tourism insights, economic impact measurement and partner activation, while Fastbreak Travel has expanded its role as a key infrastructure for destination-driven event operations.
About Fastbreak AI
From professional leagues to amateur sports organizations and youth tournament operators, Fastbreak software streamlines scheduling and operations to increase revenue, efficiency and improve the experience for everyone involved in sport. Founded in 2022, Fastbreak is a private company headquartered in Charlotte, NC with customers around the world. Learn more at www.fastbreak.ai.
