EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New York Jets will become the first team in the NFL to launch an in-house predictive gaming program starting this season that will allow fans using the team’s mobile app to make real-time predictions on play outcomes.
The “I Called It” game, announced alongside a few other new technologies and gameday perks at the Jets 2017 Gameday Upfront showcase at MetLife Stadium on Tuesday, enables fans to make real-time predictions on the action on the field as they watch live in the stadium or from home.
Fans can make simple predictions, such as whether or not the Jets will score on a particular run, or take it a step further with details such as whether the Jets will punt or attempt a field goal.
They’ll be able to accumulate bonus points throughout the week by interacting with the team or its sponsors, with the goal of landing on a leaderboard of winners and awarded a spate of prizes, such as gift cards or Jets merchandise.
The game was created by a company called Xperiel, which builds technologies to enhance the in-stadium fan experience. Xperiel’s products are based on its proprietary Real World Web (RWW) platform, which builds augmented reality experiences through a team’s mobile app.
It also uses technologies already built into stadiums, such as beacons, as geotriggers that create mixed-reality experiences and unlock game features, which the company has in the past compared to the popular game Pokémon Go.
The Jets expect to roll out more augmented reality experiences throughout the season that will utilize Xperiel’s platform, however a spokesperson declined to elaborate on what those future experience might be. In a statement, Xperiel CEO Alex Hertel said the company is designing additional “customized experiences” for Jets fans visiting MetLife.
Get The Latest Sports Tech News In Your Inbox!
“Digitizing the professional football fan experience is a great example of how traditionally low tech activities are receiving a high-tech makeover,” Hertel said. “Instead of just spectating, fans will have the opportunity to become participants.”
Seth Rabinowitz, SVP of marketing and fan engagement at the New York Jets, said the “I Called It” game and future AR technologies being built into the in-stadium experience this year are meant to take advantage of the fact that fans are already on their phones throughout the game.
“We can’t stop people from using their phones, so we thought: ‘let’s meet halfway,’” he said. “If you want to use your phone, let’s do it in a way that involves the game.”
While the Jets are the first NFL team to partner with Xperiel on such an initiative, teams in other leagues, notably the NBA’s Sacramento Kings, have implemented its platform in the past. The Kings launched their own version of the game, dubbed “Call The Shot,” last season.