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%	+ 651%	+ 2052%	Watch Now
increase in click-through rate	increase in clicks from the calendar	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

The official EFL ‘digital calendar’ service is the only way to keep up-to-date with a busy schedule, including all league fixtures and Cup ties. Don’t miss a moment this season. Sync your favourite teams schedule here.

The Premier League is set to make its return after suspending its season due to the coronavirus pandemic, confirming the fixture schedule for the first three match rounds of the resumed 2019/20 season.

The League kicks back into action on Wednesday 17th June, Aston Villa hosting Sheffield United under lights at Villa Park and Manchester City tackling Arsenal at Etihad Stadium. Like with most live sports that are returning, there will be no fans.

Liverpool requires just two more wins to wrap up the title upon the season resumption whilst the at the bottom of the table Norwich City is four points behind everyone else and six points from escaping the relegation zone.

Premier League subscribers were instantly updated with all the latest fixtures straight to their calendar, and will continue to be updated as the fixture evolves. How good is that?!

It’s going to be a massive re-start! Don’t miss it when the Premier League returns, sync your teams schedule here.

So Binge, a website that delivers everything you need to binge and more is using ECAL’s Sync to Calendar technology to engage music, tv and movie trivia buffs via its Chatbot.

Throughout June, Tuesday night is Quiz Night, with participants testing their knowledge on a range of subjects including Taylor Swift, Noughties Music and the MARVEL cinematic universe.

The versatility of ECAL’s Sync to Calendar technology is showcased with So Binge, with the button integrated into its facebook messenger chat bot.

With the help of ECAL, fans won’t miss a moment of virtual quiz night, with the So Binge digital calendar providing up-to-date details on the trivia subject, instructions to participate, with handy alerts and direct access to join in, all from the convenience of your personal calendar.

Think you know your movies, tv and music? Jump online and chat with the So Binge bot or sync the Virtual Quiz Night schedule here.

After two months of uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the AFL has released the next four rounds (Rounds 2 to 5) of the Premiership season, with a focus on starting with a bang in a treat for players, fans and broadcasters across the game.

The AFL season bounces back into action on Thursday 11th June, with Collingwood hosting reigning premiers Richmond under lights at the MCG.

The match will be followed on Friday between modern day rivals Hawthorn and Geelong before the Adelaide Crows and Port Power clash in the Showdown.

Luckily, AFL Club ECAL subscribers have been instantly updated with all the latest fixtures straight to their calendar, and will continue to be updated as the fixture evolves. How good is that?!

It’s going to be big! Don’t miss it when footy returns, sync the full AFL Fixture to your calendar here or from your teams fixture page.

After two months of uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the next two rounds (Rnds 3 and 4) of the NRL season have been announced, with a focus on starting with a bang in a treat for players, fans and broadcasters across the game.

The NRL season kicks back into gear on Thursday 28th May, with the Broncos to host the Eels at a venue in Queensland (to be announced).

The clash will be followed on Friday by an all-Queensland derby between the Cowboys and Titans before Latrell Mitchell and his Rabbitohs line up against the Sydney Roosters in a match almost two months in the making.

Luckily, NRL ECAL subscribers have been instantly updated with all the latest fixtures straight to their calendar, and will continue to be updated as the fixture evolves. How good is that?!

It’s going to be big! Don’t miss it when sporting rivalry returns, sync the NRL Fixture to your calendar here from the official NRL website.

After a hugely successful first edition of the EA SPORTS FIFA 20 tournament, a new group of Premier League footballers and special guests will be putting their skills to the test in the second ePremier League Invitational tournament.

This week’s tournament (Tuesday May 5th – Saturday May 9th) will follow the same format, with the winners of four first-round ties joining the other 12 clubs in the last 16. Each match-up is streamed live on the Premier League website and social platforms, including YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.

With the help of ECAL, Football and E-sports fans won’t miss a moment of the action, with the Premier League digital calendar providing up-to-date details of the match-ups throughout the knockout phases and finals, with handy alerts, details and direct access to watch live, all from the convenience of your personal calendar.

E-Sports fan? Sync the ePL Invitational schedule here.

STACK SPORTS (SPORTSTG) PARTNER WITH ECAL
Sports fixtures delivered, straight to the digital calendar 

Stack Sports (SportsTG), the leading provider of digital solutions to national, state, grassroots and professional sporting organisations across Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom has today announced an exciting partnership with ECAL, the leading calendar communications and marketing software business.

ECAL’s dynamic ‘sync to calendar’ functionality will deliver the latest sports fixture information, straight to the personal digital calendar of users, to keep them up-to-date and connected. This solution will become a standard feature on the Stack Sports competition management platform.

Anthony Richardson, Director of Digital for Stack Sports), said: “ECAL’s offering compliments the existing features of our products and solutions. Stack Sports continues to evolve our business and product set and we are excited to have partnered with ECAL whose offering will now benefit Stacks customers.”

Patrick Barrett, CEO/Founder of ECAL said: “We are thrilled to partner with Stack Sports, and bring ECAL’s smart calendar technology to the lives of its extensive user community. During these unprecedented times, as competitions begin to reschedule fixtures, accurate and dynamic communications will play an important role in successful competition management. The Stack user community, with the help of ECAL, will be well placed to know exactly what’s on, when and where, so they can better manage life.”

Stack Sports have been providing high quality technology solutions in the Australian market since 2001 along with working in other key markets including the United Kingdom and New Zealand. Stack partners with a large number of National Sporting Organisations including the AFL, Basketball Australia, Touch Football Australia, Hockey Australia, Basketball New Zealand, New Zealand Rugby League, Rugby Football League, and Basketball England.

The technology Stack Sports provides assists in administering everything from national programme registrations to school holiday programs, week to week competitions to digital website solutions, and club sales and revenue-generating eCommerce platforms. Stack Sports will continue to partner with sporting organisations and other bodies to be the leading provider of sports digital ecosystems across the world.

ECAL is a world-leading calendar communications and marketing software business. It’s smart, dynamic ‘Sync to Calendar’ technology is used by 300+ major sports, ticketing, media organisations incl. Premier League, NBA, ICC, LaLiga, Formula E, AFL, NRL, Ticketek, Fox Sports and others, servicing 8M+ users. With over 70% of adults relying on their digital calendar to manage life, effective calendar communications are an essential weapon in the marketing toolkit for events-based business.

For more information and interviews, please contact:

Cameron O’Riordan
Director of Sales & Marketing
Stack Sports – APAC/EMEA
Phone: +61 (0) 475 415 801
cameron.oriordan@stacksports.com

Patrick Barrett
Founder / CEO
ECAL
Phone: +61 (0)411 650 445
patrick@ecal.com

Aston Villa is inviting fans to tune in to the inaugural ePremier League Invitational tournament.

Premier League players from all 20 clubs will put their FIFA skills to the test as they face off against each other, representing their club in a knockout eSports tournament.

With the help of ECAL, Villa fans won’t miss a moment of the action. In Round 1, watch midfielder John McGinn go head-to-head against Brighton & Hove Albion’s French striker Neal Maupay.

Enjoy up-to-date details of the match-ups throughout the knockout phases, with handy alerts, details and direct access to watch live, all from the convenience of your personal calendar.

Villa fan? Sync the ePL Invitational schedule here.

Formula E, the greatest electric street racing series on Earth has gone virtual! In the face of the COVID-19 crisis, the ABB Formula E Race at Home Challenge has been launched – in a fundraising partnership with UNICEF.

This nine week eSports competition will see the world’s greatest Formula E drivers mix it with some of the world’s fastest gamers and influencers. The top gamer wins a real-life track session on a Formula E circuit on a real race weekend.

Donations from the competition will be directed towards UNICEF for urgent PPE gear for health workers, and to help set-up home learning schemes for children out of school.

it’s an exciting and super-engaging format, with each raceday set for Saturday over nine straight weeks. In the lead-up to raceday, the fastest 18 drivers over the course will qualify. They will be joined by top gamers, renowned motorsports players and influencers to battle it out. A ‘Race Royale’ format will see the last placed driver eliminated each lap, until there are just 10 drivers who remain, leaving a single lap sprint to the finish.

The Race at Home Challenge will be available to view live globally on Formula E’s YouTube channel, Facebook page, Facebook Gaming site, Twitch and via @FIAFormulaE on Twitter.

Love your racing, gaming or just keen to follow the action, you can sync the AAB Formula E Race at Home Challenge Series to your digital calendar, thanks to ECAL here.

Notre Dame is inviting fans to relive the famous 1992 Snow Ball victory against Penn State in the first instalment of the College’s ‘Watch Parties’.

With all Winter and Spring sporting championships on hold across America for the foreseeable future, Notre Dame will broadcast its classic matches every Saturday night to its sport-starved fans.

With the help of ECAL, fans can sync ‘Watch Party’ events, with match-up details, social engagement activities (incl. online chat, trivia & fan polls), timely reminders and one-click access to watch on the Fighting Irish YouTube channel, all from the convenience of the calendar.

Join Notre Dame fans this Saturday and every Saturday night here.