Genius Sports and CFL debuts new interactive fan experiences

Genius Sports and the Canadian Football League have launched the CFL GameZone hub and an interactive CFL Preseason Futures game ahead of the new season.
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Genius Sports and the Canadian Football League (CFL) have launched the CFL GameZone hub and an interactive CFL Preseason Futures game ahead of the new season.

Created to build ‘rich, meaningful connections’ with fans of the league, CFL GameZone and CFL Preseason Futures are just initial products of the official data, marketing, and fan engagement partnership between Genius Sports and the CFL, which was established to ‘revolutionize the league’s entire digital offering’.

“It’s exciting to see our new partnership coming to life with the creation and launch of new products that will engage and energize fans,” commented Tyler Mazereeuw, Chief Revenue and Marketing Officer for the CFL.

“This is just the beginning. By tailoring offerings to individual tastes, interests, and passions, we can serve CFL fans better than ever before, and attract a new wave of fans to the CFL.”

The CFL GameZone will be a central hub for fans to engage with exclusive league products and contests and will feature free-to-play games such as CFL Fantasy, the new CFL Preseason Futures predictor, and CFL Pick ‘Em.

Presented by BetRegal, CFL Preseason Futures will allow fans to predict multiple season-long outcomes such as the number of regular season wins for a team and the number of touchdown passes a quarterback will throw. The game is available for play in both English and French until June 19.

CFL GameZone and CFL Preseason Futures are just the initial product launches in the league’s ‘new era’ of fan engagement. 

Throughout the 2022 season, Genius Sports and the CFL will also release a new polling tool, an official trivia challenge, an All-Star voting mechanism, and new games to ‘enhance’ the regular season, CFL Playoffs, and the 109th Grey Cup.

Dynamic betting widgets, including live scores, odds, and offers will also help activate the CFL’s BetRegal partnership, while Genius Sports’ data-driven ticketing service will run personalized campaigns for CFL teams. 

Josh Linforth, Managing Director of Media & Engagement at Genius Sports, added: “In December 2021, when the CFL and Genius Sports first announced our partnership, we shared our commitment to revolutionize the entire CFL digital infrastructure through a range of highly innovative, immersive and personalized fan products.

“As a first step in realizing this vision, we’re delighted to launch the bespoke free-to-play tools that gamify the fan experience while capturing valuable insights and unique information that help the CFL to better understand and engage their audience.”