NYCFC and Tinder are giving fans a chance to do an old-fashioned rightward swipe: by meeting other singles in person. The club is giving away 50 tickets to New York City area Tinder users for Fan Appreciation Day at its final home game on Sunday.
The first 50 Tinder users to arrive at an as-yet-undisclosed location on Thursday will be given free individual tickets by NYCFC and corporate partner Tinder. NYCFC players will be on site to distribute tickets and, apparently, tally some assists for fans. The social media accounts for NYCFC and Tinder will post details about the meeting place and time.
Tinder, the popular dating app, joined up with City Football Group back in April on a multi-year partnership with NYCFC and Manchester City’s men’s and women’s clubs in England. In New York, events have included the regular “Chalk Talk” series with club speakers appearing at the NYCFC House and also “After Dark” social meetups.
NYCFC sponsored a VIP Tinder date for a fan at a match in late April. The sweepstakes winner was an ABC News producer, Alexa Valiente, who chronicled her date on the Good Morning America website.
I went on my first @Tinder date in front of a stadium full of strangers at a @NYCFC game and this is what happened:https://t.co/3HYMube3no (via @GMA)
pic.twitter.com/8iPYZeSRVe
— Alexa Valiente (@AlexaCaliente) May 1, 2018
SportTechie Takeaway
This is certainly a unique sponsorship activation—clever and quirky enough to garner publicity. The concept is not truly original, however, as the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks and MLS’s DC United have held similar events in recent years. NYCFC clinched a playoff spot back in September, rendering the final regular season match inconsequential for the standings. However, there might still be a chance for second soccer dates at Yankee Stadium during the MLS Playoffs.