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Project Overview
FOX SPORTS Australia has re-launched its popular free mobile site with a new design tailored for iPhones and Android devices. Use of JavaScript, CSS3 and HTML5 redefines the cutting edge, turning theory into live interface with 'app-like' interactions in the mobile browser. The fact that the average user session is now over 9 minutes is testament to the success of this approach. UBs and PIs increased 60% in first month of launch, making this the number 1 mobile sports destination in Australia and giving existing customers a new platform to access FOX SPORTS news, fixtures and results.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Kristy Manson - Account Manager
Lui Iuliano - CTO
Volodymyr Vladimirov - Mobile Application Engineeer
Project Brief
The new FOX SPORTS m-site needed to offer several enhancements for iPhone and Android device users, including:
- Refresh rate of under one minute
- More comprehensive live stats
- More information about FOX SPORTS’ TV coverage of the biggest and best sports events
- Improved story and match page layouts
- Line-ups for matches and detailed team and player stats for AFL, NRL and Super Rugby
- Simple and easy to use “one click” Fantasy and tipping updates and live Fantasy scores for NRL and Super Rugby
- Fixtures and results by team for NRL, AFL and Super Rugby
- Social Stream of FOX SPORTS Twitter feeds
FOX SPORTS required a rich mobile site that catered for the widest range of smartphones, negating the need to build new applications on every platform.
Project Innovation / Need
FOX SPORTS is primarily an information service, with emerging entertainment and community functionality.
The browser usually presents the better platform for information services on mobile, lending cost efficiency, expediency, reach and mobile SEO beyond that possible in applications. Customers prefer web for information so strategically web was first choice, but could we also deliver something as interactive and as desirable as an app?
We agreed to innovate with the maturing capabilities of the Android and Safari browsers. We used JavaScript, CSS3 and HTML5 to create new features; including a carousel and an accordion layout representing true world class innovation on mobile.
The task was to do it on a controlled way; delivering innovation that performs and delivering it to capable devices only. Our platform provides the ideal environment, allowing us to deliver different solutions to different device groups with our internal, but independent, testing team assuring quality during the project.
An Android Wrapper application was also developed so users can access and download it from Marketplace, as well as a Blackberry Playbook app.
User Experience
The primary use case was consumption of scores and news; a lot of scores and news. With over 100 feeds this was a complex integration with scores updated every 6 seconds.
The resulting user experience developed a heroic carousel at the top of the site which asynchronously loads and displays scores. Below that, an accordion design allows page sections to collapse, to provide a level of customisation to the user and access to more content that is usual on a single mobile web page.
JavaScript was the main enabler for these new layout features, with CSS3 and HTML5 facilitating in other areas of the site. Careful testing and iteration was important to achieve the required performance for these new solutions.
Project Marketing
FOX SPORTS managed the marketing of the new mobile site, primarily driving users from FOX SPORTS 1,2 and 3 channels, through on air promotion. In every aspect this was a pure case of 'audience migration to mobile technology'; in terms of goals, marketing and outcomes with many of the on air audience now fully engaged in this multi-platform service and spending a remarkable average of 9 minutes on the mobile site.
Best Audience Migration to Mobile Technology
This category recognises migration of an audience from a traditional media to a mobile platform.
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