Mobile application developer gets deal for 80 footie clubs

We’ve often commented on how the community aspect of sports clubs makes them the perfect target for mobile. Your mobile device can keep you closer to your community than any other digital channel. As further proof of that, today we have news that mobile content and app company Bright AI has been chosen to create mobile services for eighty football clubs across England and Wales.

Who is Bright AI?

Bright AI is functionally an advertising and marketing company. It tailor-makes mobile applications and mobile games for brands that want to get on the mobile channel. It also provides a channel for selling mobile content, with its Boximo platform. It has been involved in football for a while now, creating various football themed mobile games and other content for 20 or so clubs. This deal brings the number of clubs it works with to 100.

What’s the footie deal?

The Football League is the oldest league competition in world football - it’s been around since the late 18th century, and was only surpassed when the Premier League formed in the 1990s. It’s still a big deal. The league features over 70 teams from England and Wales. Well, part of the Football League governing body is called Football League International (FLI) which manages, amongst other things, it’s website and other digital assets.

The FLI has announced that Bright AI will be developing mobile content and applications for eighty clubs associated with the Football Leage (including some not currently playing in the league). It will be creating football themed games, content and applications for clubs including the Bolton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers. While Bright AI is platform-neutral, it is getting the iPhone app out first. So iPhone owners can expect to see their teams apps pretty sharpish. Mobile browser versions, as well as Android and Blackberry apps, will be coming out in the next few months.

Bright AIs MD, David Lane said “football fans love to demonstrate their club allegiances and branded mobile content provides a great way for supporters to personalise their phones and show their support. The deal with FLi clearly demonstrates the appetite for branded mobile content and by using the Boximo platform, clubs of any size can easily sell content direct to fans from their existing websites.”

What we think?

I can’t help but think that a big part of the reason Bright AI was chosen for this deal was because it has a content sales channel all ready to go. Mobile content can be a big seller when it comes to hardcore sports fans. Video clips of matches, or even an entire match, can be sold. Due to the nature of league play, there are constant content updates required for a football club - and mobile is simply the best way to get them out to the fans.