Ahead of the 2020/21 season, we have iFollow advertising space available.
But one thing we can’t escape as we go through that process of preparing is that an as yet unknown number of fixtures will be played behind closed doors, with fans excluded from attending as Covid-19 safety considerations remain paramount.
A possible return to socially distanced attendance for supporters has been discussed for October (no confirmation has yet been received) and, with that in mind, the EFL are currently finalising their plans for the iFollow streaming service, which will bring Carlisle games to your PCs, laptops or personal devices on a pay-per-view basis.
The enhanced live match day broadcast features bring with them an excellent opportunity for club sponsors and partners to show their support in a unique way, to what is expected to be a high volume of fans and families who will be tuned it to watch the Blues.
“Meetings have been held regularly by clubs in all three divisions of the EFL as they work towards a solution for the streaming of games live for the 2020/21 season, and in particular for the period where fans won’t be in our stadiums,” media officer Andy Hall said.
“We will have details for game-by-game match passes, and other subscription offers which will accompany the relaunch of the iFollow service for the coming campaign, very soon.
“The match day streaming service is expected to include a pre-match build-up segment, with previous match highlights and interviews, and team graphics as soon as the team sheets have been confirmed.
“The game will be broadcast in its entirety, with league tables and current standings shown shortly after the final whistle.
“As with previous seasons, club partner BBC Radio Cumbria will provide an audio feed of their commentary to accompany the match footage.”
These new opportunities include branded slates and tiles which will appear prominently pre and post-match, with slots for businesses, companies or individuals to position their logo [the slates will be visible in five-minute broadcast slots and during the team news segment of the show] and, in a fantastic development, there’s an opening for a club partner to run a 15 to 30 second video advert which will appear loud and proud during six commercial breaks.
Club partner / sponsor branding can also be scheduled to appear four times each half – as part of a 30 second rotation – prominently at the top of the screen, adjacent to the current score and time segment.
“I think we’ve seen over recent years the important part that New Media and Digital Media are playing in sport, and that’s no different for us here a Carlisle United,” Hall continued. “Our social media reach has been close to half a million unique users per month throughout lockdown, and that’s significant for a club at this level.
“That high level of interest will be evident for our iFollow service, particularly through the behind closed doors period, and the unique and excellent advertising opportunities are there for us to use, utilise and maximise.
“If any companies or businesses would like to be part of this opportunity, please do get in touch, and we can share the information on the opportunities we have available.”
Please email media@carlisleunited.co.uk if you would like to advertise with us on iFollow, either with your logo or a 30-second video, and we will advise on what is best for you, and how we can get your branding and services displayed on a product which is expected to reach an exceptionally high level of traffic.
Alternatively call 0330 094 5930 (option 0) and ask for the media department.
