The CFL may never be the same after this weekend.
Sportshack is back again, and this time around it has partnered with the CFL. Teams from across Canada (Toronto, Halifax and Vancouver) will be asked to ideate and develop hardware or software solutions to take the sports experience to a whole new level. Each team will have access to real world data from the CFL, including stats database, game footage and website analytics to participating hackers to help prototype developments in the areas of fan engagement, promoting ticket sales and social media. The winner will also get the opportunity to work with the CFL to bring the solution to market.
The winner of Sportshack Weekend will get the opportunity to work with the CFL to bring their solution to market.
“As a player, I recognise the need to work with existing and new partners to make our game more accessible to fans,” said Brian Bulcke, Defensive Lineman, Hamilton Tiger-Cats. “The CFL is so unique because we are at the doorstep of every Canadian community. To take steps in enhancing fan engagement here at home, and giving players a bigger platform outside of our own borders is a really such a positive step forward for us all. I’m really proud to be a part of this league.”
The CFL-Sportshack partnership is just one part of CFL’s digital transformation. Earlier this month it also announced that all of its 103rd Grey Cup Playoff games, including the Grey Cup game, will be live streamed free of charge via YouTube in 150 countries. This marks the first time in North America that a professional major sports league will live stream its playoff games, including its championship game, for free via YouTube.
Sportshack Weekend is created in partnership with the Ryerson Centre for Cloud and Context Aware Computing (RC4), Big Data University, IBM Canada, and We Are Wearables. Along with the chance to work with the CFL, the winning team from the hack will also get a $4,500 cash prize, incubation support from iBoost, and four tickets to the Grey Cup.
Read our coverage of Sportshack Weekend 2014 here.
Image courtesy the CFL.