CFL officially launches network of websites
NEW CFL SEASON, NEW CFL DIGITAL NETWORK, NEW CFL.ca
CFL officially launches network of revamped league and team websites
TORONTO - (July 6, 2009) - The Canadian Football League has launched its brand new network of revamped league and team websites.
"Our new digital network, featuring a new CFL.ca and new team sites, is one of the things we're doing to deliver more to the most important people in our league: our fans," said Mark Cohon, Commissioner of the Canadian Football League.
"The CFL.ca Network is where everyone who loves the CFL can get more of what they want: more access, more highlights, more stories, more live scores and statistics, all on a network of sites that are brighter, cleaner, and more integrated than ever before."
Fans visiting the CFL Network will discover:
?A new big screen video player and new photo gallery, both part of a more streamlined, less cluttered design.
?Social links empowering fans to take CFL.ca and team content to their online social networks, contribute their own content, and comment on the big stories of the day.
?A re-designed "CFL Live Play" game tracker featuring plays, stats and field position in real time, as well as a live CFL.ca homepage scoreboard with up-to-the-minute scores.
?Extended game highlight packages that show you the key series in the game, not just the scoring plays.
?Feature length interviews with CFL players, coaches and GMs designed to show you what drives our biggest personalities.
?News and blogs from writers, fans and even players from across the CFL.
?Improved navigation on every single page, providing easy access to everything you need to get the most out of this season: quick links to ticket sales, the latest merchandise from CFLShop and team shops, details on CFL Retro, including fan voting for the Most Outstanding Player of the Sixties, and the latest on the 97th Grey Cup and Festival in Calgary.
The CFL Network includes CFL.ca, LCF.ca, BCLions.com, Esks.com, Riderville.com, Bluebombers.com, Ticats.ca, Argonauts.ca, and both the English and French language versions of MontrealAlouettes.com. The Calgary Stampeders are participating on a limited basis, in the commercial component of the project.
The network is projected to register between 70 and 90 million page views each year, and 750,000 to one million unique visitors each month during the season.
"We were thrilled with the mandate to design and build this network of sites for the CFL," said David Watkins, MRX's Vice President, Business Development.
"This was a huge project for MRX and we intend to work with the league and its teams to keep the network growing in terms of audience and features. Our mutual goal was to encourage fans to explore the CFL network content more deeply, visit more frequently, and stay longer when they visit. In sports, fan engagement is everything."
"Our partners at MRX and Associates have done a superb job of working with our league and teams to come up with a design that really delivers the best of both worlds," said Rob Assimakopoulos, the CFL's Senior Vice-President of Marketing and Commercial Assets.
"Our fans will encounter far less clutter, while our new and existing partners can access larger, more prominent advertising positions. While we know the site will evolve over time, and we're bound to encounter a few bumps along the way, there is no doubt the network will provide increased value for our fans and our partners."
UpTrend Media, Canada's leading independent online advertising representation network, is the sales agent for the CFL Network.
"We want CFL.ca to be as authentic and as accessible as our league, so our content team has a simple mantra: give our fans more of what they want, and more of what they can't get anywhere else," said Matt Maychak, the CFL's Vice-President of Communications.
"If you want more than a sound byte, so you can really get to know your favourite team's head coach or starting quarterback, or if you want a five minute highlight package, instead of just six plays, CFL.ca and the CFL Network is the place for you to visit, every day."
Cohon said the new CFL Network is a major step forward for the league.
"The launch of the network is a testament to the leadership provided by our Board of Governors, which is committed to moving our game and our business forward, and the co-operation among our teams, which are striving to share great ideas and best practices more than ever before," Cohon said.
But despite the excitement surrounding what's happening in the CFL online, the main event obviously remains the action on the field.
Week Two of the 2009 regular season features the home openers for the Montreal Alouettes, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, British Columbia Lions and Toronto Argonauts. It kicks off Thursday night, when the Edmonton Eskimos visit Montreal, followed by a Friday night double-header featuring the Calgary Stampeders at Winnipeg and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at British Columbia, and capped by a Saturday afternoon match-up with the Saskatchewan Roughriders visiting Toronto.
Tickets are available through CFL.ca and team websites. Every CFL game, including the 97th Grey Cup game this November in Calgary, can be seen on TSN.
http://www.cfl.ca/
NEW CFL SEASON, NEW CFL DIGITAL NETWORK, NEW CFL.ca
CFL officially launches network of revamped league and team websites
TORONTO - (July 6, 2009) - The Canadian Football League has launched its brand new network of revamped league and team websites.
"Our new digital network, featuring a new CFL.ca and new team sites, is one of the things we're doing to deliver more to the most important people in our league: our fans," said Mark Cohon, Commissioner of the Canadian Football League.
"The CFL.ca Network is where everyone who loves the CFL can get more of what they want: more access, more highlights, more stories, more live scores and statistics, all on a network of sites that are brighter, cleaner, and more integrated than ever before."
Fans visiting the CFL Network will discover:
?A new big screen video player and new photo gallery, both part of a more streamlined, less cluttered design.
?Social links empowering fans to take CFL.ca and team content to their online social networks, contribute their own content, and comment on the big stories of the day.
?A re-designed "CFL Live Play" game tracker featuring plays, stats and field position in real time, as well as a live CFL.ca homepage scoreboard with up-to-the-minute scores.
?Extended game highlight packages that show you the key series in the game, not just the scoring plays.
?Feature length interviews with CFL players, coaches and GMs designed to show you what drives our biggest personalities.
?News and blogs from writers, fans and even players from across the CFL.
?Improved navigation on every single page, providing easy access to everything you need to get the most out of this season: quick links to ticket sales, the latest merchandise from CFLShop and team shops, details on CFL Retro, including fan voting for the Most Outstanding Player of the Sixties, and the latest on the 97th Grey Cup and Festival in Calgary.
The CFL Network includes CFL.ca, LCF.ca, BCLions.com, Esks.com, Riderville.com, Bluebombers.com, Ticats.ca, Argonauts.ca, and both the English and French language versions of MontrealAlouettes.com. The Calgary Stampeders are participating on a limited basis, in the commercial component of the project.
The network is projected to register between 70 and 90 million page views each year, and 750,000 to one million unique visitors each month during the season.
"We were thrilled with the mandate to design and build this network of sites for the CFL," said David Watkins, MRX's Vice President, Business Development.
"This was a huge project for MRX and we intend to work with the league and its teams to keep the network growing in terms of audience and features. Our mutual goal was to encourage fans to explore the CFL network content more deeply, visit more frequently, and stay longer when they visit. In sports, fan engagement is everything."
"Our partners at MRX and Associates have done a superb job of working with our league and teams to come up with a design that really delivers the best of both worlds," said Rob Assimakopoulos, the CFL's Senior Vice-President of Marketing and Commercial Assets.
"Our fans will encounter far less clutter, while our new and existing partners can access larger, more prominent advertising positions. While we know the site will evolve over time, and we're bound to encounter a few bumps along the way, there is no doubt the network will provide increased value for our fans and our partners."
UpTrend Media, Canada's leading independent online advertising representation network, is the sales agent for the CFL Network.
"We want CFL.ca to be as authentic and as accessible as our league, so our content team has a simple mantra: give our fans more of what they want, and more of what they can't get anywhere else," said Matt Maychak, the CFL's Vice-President of Communications.
"If you want more than a sound byte, so you can really get to know your favourite team's head coach or starting quarterback, or if you want a five minute highlight package, instead of just six plays, CFL.ca and the CFL Network is the place for you to visit, every day."
Cohon said the new CFL Network is a major step forward for the league.
"The launch of the network is a testament to the leadership provided by our Board of Governors, which is committed to moving our game and our business forward, and the co-operation among our teams, which are striving to share great ideas and best practices more than ever before," Cohon said.
But despite the excitement surrounding what's happening in the CFL online, the main event obviously remains the action on the field.
Week Two of the 2009 regular season features the home openers for the Montreal Alouettes, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, British Columbia Lions and Toronto Argonauts. It kicks off Thursday night, when the Edmonton Eskimos visit Montreal, followed by a Friday night double-header featuring the Calgary Stampeders at Winnipeg and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at British Columbia, and capped by a Saturday afternoon match-up with the Saskatchewan Roughriders visiting Toronto.
Tickets are available through CFL.ca and team websites. Every CFL game, including the 97th Grey Cup game this November in Calgary, can be seen on TSN.
http://www.cfl.ca/
