NEWTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Your Call Football (YCF), the gaming technology startup behind the innovative, fan controlled, live play-calling game, announced the hiring of former NFL head coach Mike Sherman. Sherman’s illustrious career includes being the head coach and general manager of the Green Bay Packers and the head coach at Texas A&M. Sherman will be responsible for hiring additional coaching staff, developing a roster of quality professional football players, executing training camp and practices and coaching one of the two YCF professional football teams.
YCF will completely change how fans enjoy football by giving them control of a live, broadcasted game. Fans who download the YCF app will control the action on the field by voting on a selection of plays chosen by coaches like Sherman and, then watching as those plays are executed, live on the field by YCF professional players. Fans will accumulate points based on their play-calling skills, and compete with other fans to prove who is a more skilled play-caller. In addition to bragging rights, fans will compete for cash prizes provided by YCF.
“We are thrilled to have someone like Mike Sherman involved with YCF, someone with experience at the highest levels of the game, and the knowledge of what it takes to develop, build and maintain a quality football program,” said Julie Meringer, president of Your Call, Inc. “Mike has embraced the innovation that is YCF, and is the ideal coach to lead this revolution in the fan experience – one that puts fans right in the game, and in sync with the coaching staff.”
Sherman is best known for coaching the Green Bay Packers from 2000-05, when he compiled a 57-39 regular-season record. Mike also served as head coach of Texas A&M from 2008-11, leading the Aggies to the Big 12 regular-season championship. During a four-decade career, Sherman also has been an offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks, Houston Texans and Miami Dolphins in the NFL; and has coached at UCLA, Pittsburgh and Holy Cross in college; and most recently was head coach of Nauset Regional High School in Eastham, Mass.
“There’s nothing quite like being in the game on gameday; implementing strategy, calling plays and ultimately seeing who comes out on top – but, until now, that’s been reserved only for us coaches,” Sherman said. “This is going to completely change the dynamic for fans. YCF gives fans the chance to get into the driver’s seat, calling the play and determining outcomes. I’m excited to interact with them, to see which play they call, and get it executed on the field.”
The app, which will be available for download on iOS and Android devices in the spring, will offer:
- Innovative, Live, Broadcasted Sports Content. Unique and interactive programming, with a maximum two-hour game length, will make football more appealing to millennial and tech-savvy audiences.
- Audience Engagement. Fans will participate from anywhere -- at home, a bar, or the stadium. YCF will offer live games with interactive competition that are DVR-proof and drive audience participation.
- Social Gaming. A real-time competitive gaming experience, complete with multiple contests for the fans to earn points based on their play-calling skill and compete with friends.
- Quality Football. Two full teams will match up on a weekly basis, bringing professional players and coaches together for competitive football.
As a special advanced look at the future of fan-driven football prior to YCF’s launch next spring, fans will be able to demo the platform for the first time in November at Fenway Park as part of a sponsorship of “Fenway Gridiron Series 2017.”
About Your Call Inc.
Based in Newton, Mass., Your Call Inc. puts fans in control of live games, transforming spectator sports into interactive, social and competitive experiences, a concept originated by industry luminary George F. Colony in 2013. Privately held, the company’s leadership team is comprised of executives from the technology, digital and sports industries. Your Call Inc.’s proprietary, patented technology will deliver a fan-controlled, live sports experience, Your Call Football, in 2018. For more information, visit www.yourcallfootball.com.
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