The global pandemic and the shutdown of large gatherings have been challenging for many businesses, including the sports industry. It has forced sports leagues and teams to find different ways to engage with their fans and keep the excitement alive.

Award Pool helps with all aspects of esports, from managing competitions, ticket sales, awarding and managing winners. However, many organizations aren’t gaming enthusiasts or don’t have the staff on hand to manage a tournament. They are looking for a simpler way to engage with their audience.

Award Pool’s most recent roll-out, The Sponsor Challenges, answers this demand.

“With Sponsor Challenges, organizations can create compelling challenges for increased engagement and gamify the user experience. You can create unique unlockable rewards using millions of action combinations, including social media actions, tournaments, sign-ups and more,” says Reuven Cohen, Founder of Award Pool.

The sports industry already knows the great success social actions can have with getting fans engaged. Think about Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Twitch. The fan base is there, interacting and sharing their passions. The Award Pool Sponsorchallenge gives those organizations complete control over how they wish to engage with customers.

Award Pool’s range of action combinations, integrations and features help you build a wide variety of campaigns, all within a widget you can host on your website. Users access the widget and get started on branded challenges and tournaments.

Integrate the widget with all the gaming platforms, streaming services, and social apps you use every day.

Some examples of social media challenges include:

Host an esports tournament on Award Pool
Invite ten friends to join a tournament
Sign-up for a company newsletter
Donate to a specific charity
Share, repost or like a tweet
Watch a particular video on YouTube or Twitch

Award Pool is already working with clients looking for new ways to engage with their audiences and help their not for profit organizations.

PRJKT VET Veterans Day Bowl

Award Pool is happy to be involved with the PRJKT VET Veterans Day Bowl. Various studies show that lack of access to mental health services contributes to high suicide rates in Veterans. PRJKT (Project) VET is a Disabled Veteran/Minority-Owned organization focused on helping American Veterans.

One of the many events PRJKT VET takes pride in getting involved with is the annual Army-Navy Veterans Bowl, a football game held in December to honour Veterans. Unfortunately, this year, the event is cancelled due to the pandemic. PRJKT VET contacted Award Pool to see about taking that connection online and offering a safe and welcoming place for Veterans to improve mental health and quality of life through esports.

The Veterans Bowl Sponsor challenge includes:

• Fortnite Competition for Veterans
• Call of Duty Competition for Veterans
• Madden Competition for Veterans
• Invite ten friends to join a tournament
• Donate to PRJKT VET and help support Veterans mental health

Hockey Cares Canada

The Hockey Cares project promotes real-reconciliation through a positive cultural exchange, building lasting relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. Hockey Cares is a project of True North Aid, with the mission of connecting youth through a shared love of hockey. Typically, an annual exchange program between the northern community of Attawapiskat and the Southern Ontario community of Oakville occurs. During this exchange, the youth can learn from their new friends, play hockey, and experience a new culture.

Unfortunately, this year, the exchange had to be cancelled. Award Pool offered to help see if we could find a way to connect the youth using our online platform.

The Hockey Cares Sponsor Challenge includes:

• Donation to Hockey Cares
• Invite five friends to join the tournament
• Watch a video about Hockey Cares
• Visit the Hockey Cares website
• Fortnite Competition for the hockey players

The sports industry, organizations, brands and charities alike know they need to find new ways to connect. Getting fans engaged through social media actions and the Award Pool Sponsor challenge will not only keep the excitement alive during these challenging times but will benefit organizations moving forward.