Industry News

MLSE pledges enhanced fan experience with new partnership

Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) has entered into a deal with Waze, YinzCam and Orbital in an effort to enhance the experience of fans of both the Toronto Maple Leafs NHL ice hockey team and Toronto Raptors NBA basketball franchise.

Both teams are based at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre and the three companies will now work with MLSE to improve the official app for the franchises.

This will include adding exclusive perks and features so that fans can enjoy a connected and digital experience whether watching the game live at the Air Canada Centre or at home on television.

YinzCam will introduce real-time game updates, in-app purchases for official team merchandise, and mobile contests, while Waze will add features that will help fans travel to and from games.

Neem Ba Ha, director of product development at MLSE, said in a statement: “Creating memorable moments for fans, especially with the start of exciting playoff runs for both teams, was the inspiration behind the new features on both apps.

“With YinzCam and Waze, we developed a platform for both Raptors and Maple Leafs fans that will bring them closer to their teams whether they are in the arena or watching the game at home.”

Nick Tomkin, president and founder of Orbital, added: “Often when we’re proposing emerging digital engagement, there is a certain level of uncertainty about diving in and trying something new. Luckily, MLSE was already excited to get started.

“The objective was to create real and meaningful experiences for their fans, and using the Orbital Augmented Reality Platform, MLSE can deploy new augmented experiences to their apps instantly without requiring any additional development or downloads.”

Image: Shaheen Karolia