At ECAL, we’re working closely with major sports around the world, to help manage important communications around event postponements, cancellations and announcements due to Coronavirus Disease.

Given ECAL’s rich and dynamic capabilities, and ease of management, event owners and publishers are able to deliver important announcements, and event status updates to their audience, at the right time with access to the right information.

What’s the best way to manage these event disruptions? We make the following suggestions and recommendations, to help our publishers manage these important communications in the right way.

Postponing events 
If you are postponing events, we recommend updating (not deleting!) the event as follows:

• Edit the event name to insert “(Postponed)” prominently at the beginning of the event name;
• Insert an emoji ⚠️ in the event name, bringing attention to the changed status of the event;
• Update the event details with your official statement regarding the postponement;
• Add a link in the event details, where users can go to read the complete official statement, and another link to view the latest updates and announcements as they happen;
• Add / retain other useful links to keep users engaged, such as ‘Latest News’, ‘Latest Video’, ‘Facebook’, ‘Twitter’, ‘Online Store’ and so on.

Cancelling events
If you are cancelling events, we recommend updating (not deleting!) the event as follows:

• Edit the event name to insert “(Cancelled)” prominently at the beginning of the event name;
• Insert an emoji ❗️in the event name, bringing attention to the changed status of the event;
• Update the event details with your official statement regarding the cancellation;
• Add a link in the event details, where users can go to read the complete official statement, and another link to view the latest updates and announcements as they happen;
• Add / retain other useful links to keep users engaged, such as ‘Latest News’, ‘Latest Video’, ‘Facebook’, ‘Twitter’, ‘Online Store’ and so on.

Official Announcement as a new event
If you have made the decision to postpone or cancel events, we recommend the following:

• Create a new event in the user calendar, specifically for the “Official Announcement” itself. This is an important event, and your audience needs to know;
• Insert an emoji ⚠️or ❗️in the event name, that mirrors the one you will use for the postponed or cancelled events;
• Add a short term alert, such as 15 mins prior, to bring this event front of screen on the user’s mobile or desktop;
• In the event details, include a brief summary of your official statement;
• Add a link in the event details, where users can go to read the complete official statement, and another link to view the latest updates and announcements as they happen;
• Add other useful links to keep users engaged, such as ‘Latest News’, ‘Latest Video’, ‘Facebook’, ‘Twitter’ and so on.

The ECB’s much anticipated Hundred competition is clearly viewed as an unmissable summer event, with initial sales for the Hundred having ‘surpassed expectations’.

Part of the ECB’s ticketing strategy was to build strong early interest and trigger advanced sales via a Priority Ticket Release window. Fans could register their interest in the tournament via the website, and received access to the priority ticket window.

The ECB also used the official fixture release as a major promotional event, and using ECAL’s dynamic ‘Sync to Calendar’ service, fans were instantly connected – they would receive the fixture straight to calendar, along with important ticket release dates.

Levering it’s large connected calendar audience, as part of a truly integrated marketing approach, the ECB were able to deliver advance notice to fans of the upcoming Priority Ticket Release window, with details on pricing and direct access to purchase. This was a wonderful way to stimulate consumer demand and early sales amongst a high value, qualified, passionate fan base.

Within the first 24 hours of availability, ECB sales had surpassed the six-figure barrier.

ECAL’s state-of-the-art digital calendar service delivers the ECB with a tremendous platform to ‘connect’, ‘engage’ and ‘activate’ its audience around the events they love.

ECAL is proud to be the official calendar marketing service provider of The ECB. Choose your team in The Hundred, and follow your favourite international and domestic cricket here, proudly powered by ECAL.

ECAL’s Sync to Calendar technology is allowing Formula E fans to stay informed and up-to-date with the latest season information via the calendar amid the escalating threat of the COVID-19 epidemic.

ECAL’s ‘digital calendar’ solution ensures fans across the globe enjoy a live and dynamic feed of race events.  Events dynamically update in the calendar, so if there are race events postponed, rescheduled or cancelled, they’ll be the first to know.

ECAL Founder and CEO Patrick Barrett said: “ECAL is the perfect platform to engage fans, particularly with event (date and time) driven information. Events can change for any number of reasons, ECAL provides real-time updates in the calendar and provides publishers with another medium to communicate with their fans.  

The technology also allows publishers to update the content and redirect the focus to align with other key objectives of the business.  Take the case of a closed race-circuit or stadium for instance, calendar entries, reminders and links can drive tune-in via live stream, provide localised broadcast information or engage in fan related activities like Formula E’s fanboost“.  

With future scheduled races under threat of cancellation, ECAL’s sync to calendar solution provides Formula E with a timely and reliable solution to keep fans informed.

You can sync the Formula E season here, and stay up-to-date and connected thanks to ECAL.

Home of the world’s fastest electric cars, Formula E has kicked into the new season with ECAL’s world-leading ‘Sync to Calendar’ service, to help engage racing fans across the globe.

The Formula E Championship commenced in 2014, and is currently contested by eleven teams across fourteen rounds on exciting city circuits from London and New York to Diriyah, Berlin, Paris, Rome & Marrakech.

With a complex network of broadcast arrangements across the world and online, the Formula E’s official ‘digital calendar’ solution is designed to engage fans to the right events, in the right place, at the right time. Fans will never miss a moment of their favourite E-Prix, plus Qualifying, Practice, and Post-race highlights, with all the various updates dynamically delivered to the users’ calendar of choice. Event details include localised TV broadcast and streaming details, handy alerts, and direct access to Follow LIve, FANBOOST, News, Store and more, straight from the user calendar.

Formula E is the only event in the world that lets fans play an active role in the race with FANBOOST. FANBOOST lets fans vote for their favourite driver and award them an extra boost of power during the race. ECAL helps drive FANBOOST, delivering timely reminders to fans with one-click access to vote for their favourite driver.

With the season’s first and second rounds completed in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, digital engagement was at an all-time high since the first ever Championship in 2014, thanks to a range of new digital initiatives and the entry of exciting new teams including Porsche and Mercedes-Benz.

ECAL’s ‘Sync to Calendar’ feature is integrated across the Formula E website, with high impact display ads on the home page, along with the Race Calendar and individual Race pages. It is also promoted across other digital channels including Facebook and Twitter pages. The racing teams and Formula E’s major corporate partners also promote the service via their digital channels.

You can sync individual races or the entire Formula E season here, and stay up-to-date and connected thanks to ECAL.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has partnered with ECAL, to launch it’s new ‘Sync to Calendar’ service for all international and domestic cricket competitions including the exciting new The Hundred!

The Hundred summer competition kicks off on 17th July 2020, featuring the world’s very best players. This action packed 100 ball competition consists of eight city-based franchise teams, each of which will field both a men’s and women’s team.

ECB’s official ‘Sync to Calendar’ service, powered by ECAL, allows cricket fans to sync their favourite teams and competitions directly to their personal digital calendar. Select from England Men’s and Women’s National Teams, Vitality Blast, County Championship, Royal London Cup and of course The Hundred. The widget category drop-down allows subscribers to select multiple teams across various competitions in one easy process.

Fans will enjoy a live and dynamic feed of games to suit their profile, with TV broadcast details, and direct access to Tickets, Live Scores, Stats, Latest Video, News, Social Media and more, all from the convenience of the calendar.

ECAL’s ‘Sync to Calendar’ feature is integrated across the ECB website, with high impact display ads on the home page, and buttons on the Fixture pages. It’s also promoted across various other digital channels including the ECB mobile app, official facebook and twitter pages.

Choose your team in The Hundred, and follow your favourite international and domestic cricket here, proudly powered by ECAL.

FC Barcelona, one of the world’s most popular sports organisations, has chosen ECAL to provide its official ‘sync to calendar’ service to it’s many millions of fans across the globe.

More than just a champion Football team, Barça’s 144,000 strong membership base supports multiple professional teams across five sports, including Football, Futsal, Hockey, Basketball and Handball. All competing in the famous blue and garnet colours.

As part of Barça’s official ‘digital calendar’ solution, fans will enjoy a live and dynamic feed of games, across all teams and competitions delivered straight to their digital calendar of choice, rich with game information and direct access to tickets, merchandise, match centre, latest videos, social media and more.

ECAL’s ‘Sync to Calendar’ feature is integrated across the Barça website, with high impact display ads on the home page, and promoted across various channels including the Club’s official facebook and twitter pages.

Fans across the globe can follow their favourite Barça team, with multiple language options including Spanish, Catalan and over 30 other languages available.

You can follow your favourite Barça team here, and stay up-to-date and connected thanks to ECAL.

The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), Russia’s famed international ice hockey league, has chosen ECAL to provide its official ‘sync to calendar’ communications and marketing service.

This feature is sponsored by the league’s major ‘Championship Partner’, Russian mobile phone operator MegaFon. With the entire user journey produced in Russian, including all game information and feature links, the feature is designed to drive tune-in to live KHL games on MegaFon TV – a popular high-speed TV streaming subscription service.

Fans can choose to receive all games across the league, or just games of their favourite teams. ECAL’s ‘Sync to Calendar’ feature is integrated across the official KHL website, with high impact banner ‘mastheads’ on the schedule page, and promoted across various channels including the League’s official facebook and twitter pages.

KHL, an International professional ice hockey league based in Russia, comprises of 24 teams from Belarus, China, Finland, Latvia, Kazakhstan. The competition is widely considered to be the premier professional ice hockey league across Europe and Asia, and second in stature behind the National Hockey League (NHL).

You can follow your favourite KHL team throughout the 2019/20 season here, and stay up-to-date and connected thanks to ECAL.

The Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional (Spanish Football League) has chosen ECAL to provide its official ‘sync to calendar’ service to football fans across the globe.

LaLiga, Spanish Football’s premier division is Europe’s number one league, a competition producing the continent’s top-rated clubs, the most Champions League, Europa League and FIFA World Cup titles, and highest number of Ballon d’Or winners.

As part of LaLiga’s official ‘digital calendar’ solution,  fans will enjoy a live and dynamic feed of games, delivered straight to their digital calendar of choice, rich with features to drive sales, tune-in and engagement.

Fans can choose to sync match schedules for their favourite team(s) across the League’s three divisions.

ECAL’s ‘Sync to Calendar’ feature is integrated across the LaLiga website, with high impact display ads on the home page, and promoted across various channels including the League’s official facebook and twitter pages.

You can follow your favourite LaLiga team throughout the 2019/20 season here, and stay up-to-date and connected thanks to ECAL.

The Football Association (The FA) has released its Barclays Women’s Super League and Championship fixtures for the 2019/20 Season, powered by ECAL.

Fans of the two-tiered competition receive a live and dynamic feed of game details, delivered straight to their digital calendar of choice. Soccer lovers will never miss a moment with match entries automatically updated if matches are rescheduled, and direct access to Tickets, Video, News and more, all just a click away.

The 2019/20 Season follows the extremely successful 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Over 11 million Britons watched the Three Lionesses loss to eventual winners, the United States.

The Women’s Championship season kicks off on 18th August, with the Women’s Super League a fortnight later on 7th September.

You can follow your favourite FAWSL team throughout the 2019/20 Season with ECAL, sync your team fixture here.

English Football League (EFL), the world’s original league football competition, has chosen ECAL to provide it’s official ‘sync to calendar’ service for member teams across all divisions.

With 72 member clubs, the Sky Bet EFL is comprised of three divisions – the Sky Bet Championship, Sky Bet League One and Sky Bet League Two. Each Club on the EFL Digital platform will benefit from ECAL’s ground-breaking calendar communications, marketing and data platform.

Football fans will benefit from a live and dynamic feed of games, delivered straight to their digital calendar of choice, rich with features.

Fans can choose to receive ‘First Team Fixtures’, ‘Under 23 Fixtures’, ‘Under 18 Fixtures’ and ‘Women’s Fixtures’. Clubs are also using ECAL to produce other valuable content, such as ‘Ticket On-Sale Dates’ and ‘Club Events’.

ECAL will work to drive the benefits of both the team and the league, with a focus on ticket sales, Club merchandise and subscriptions to iFollow, the EFL Digital’s own live streaming service.

ECAL’s ‘Sync to Calendar’ feature is integrated across the team websites on the EFL Digital network.

Major sports in the UK, particularly football, is well served by the ECAL, with the EFL, Premier League, The FA, and FAWSL all relying on the world’s leading calendar communications, marketing and data technology.

You can search for your favourite EFL team here and ‘Sync to Calendar’, courtesy of ECAL.