Customer Stories: EFL boost engagement by 400% with match scores and video highlights!

Sports Oct 07, 2022

Customer Stories - EFL boost engagement by 400% with match scores and video highlights!

Challenge

Increase EFL fan engagement via the calendar with valuable new content offerings.

Solution

Deliver final match scores and video highlights post-match directly in to the user calendar.

1. Introduction

The EFL (English Football League) was formed in 1888 and is widely known as the world’s original league football competition. As such, the EFL has often been considered the first template for football leagues all over the world.

The EFL is the largest single body of professional clubs in European football and is responsible for administering and regulating the EFL, the Carabao Cup, the Papa John’s Trophy, and the reserve and youth football.

2. Objectives

Deliver valuable new content outside of match times
Satisfy strong fan desire to engage with video content
Make it timely, relevant and compelling for fans
Make it easy to manage (automated)

3. Strategy

Deliver an automated service for final match scores and video highlights post-match, delivered at the right time, in the right place, direct to fans with one-click access to watch highlights.

4. Solution

Subscribers will receive an ICYMI (in case you missed it!) entry in their calendar the morning after a match, with the final scores and direct access to highlights, whenever their favourite team wins or draws. The match scores are contained in the event title, with a brief match description and a strong ‘Watch Now!’ ‘call to action’ link, with direct access to the relevant match highlights.

Entries only placed in calendar when their favourite team wins or draws
Entries appear in the calendar the 24 hours after kickoff, with an alert at 5 minutes prior to prompt response.

5. Outcomes

400% increase in click-through rate;
651% increase in clicks from the calendar;
2052% increase in total engagement when compared to the same period one year prior;
‘Watch Now’ (highlights) is the most clicked link across the EFL Digital Platform (73% of total clicks).

* Two month sample size. 1/8/2021 – 1/10/2021 and 1/8/2022 – 1/10/2022

Testimonials

“We welcome around 750,000 visits to our Bins, waste and recycling section on our website annually. Implementing ECAL’s ‘Sync to Calendar’ service, has not only significantly reduced the average website visit, but residents can now receive dynamic bin collection reminders in-calendar. When collection days change, as do the entries and reminders in our users calendar. We are proud to be the first council in the UK to provide this innovative service for our residents and are thrilled to see this as just the start of a great journey and synergy with ECAL”.

Tariq Gangari

Senior UI Designer

Fixture release day is a key moment in the Premier League’s calendar. It signals the start of our new season and provides an opportunity for us to onboard new fans. ECAL’s platform provides a powerful communication channel for us to deliver against our key objectives – driving tune-in and referrals for our clubs and broadcast licensees.”

Chris Archer

Head of Digital Operations

“Fixture release day is a highly anticipated event in the EFL calendar. ECAL's excellent support, from technical to strategic, allowed us to focus on maximising reach and delivering a timely and engaged service to our fanbase.”

Matt Hudspeth-Lamb

Senior Data, Research and Insight Manager

“The build up to big days like the fixture release day can sometimes be stressful hoping that everything runs smooth and the fans get the best customer experience. Needless to say, this release day was the smoothest and most successful yet seeing our subscribers increase by over 50%. We are very thankful to have ECAL onboard providing a great service to us and our fans. The simplicity of the platform is extremely easy to use and their team is on hand for any help that is required.

Liam Sisterson

Email Marketing and CRM Executive @ Newcastle United

“We couldn’t be any happier with the help, support, and advice from the team at ECAL, who went above and beyond to ensure that one of the biggest events in our calendar – Fixture Release Day – was as successful as possible. The guidance stretched from technical to marketing, which was of great use to the club, and we look forward to developing our channel on the platform further.”

Billy Taylor

Director of Strategic Operations & Communications @ Millwall FC