NBC Sports Washington is expanding its interactive, predictive gaming telecasts to the NFL through a new agreement with the Washington NFL franchise.
These pilot telecasts, entitled Predict the Game, will feature free-to-play contests where fans can win $1,000 cash each quarter along with other prizes. The presentations will be available on NBC Sports Washington Plus, beginning Thursday, Aug. 8, when Washington opens the preseason at the Cleveland Browns at 7:30 p.m. The telecasts will cover Washington’s three other preseason games in August, but there are no current plans to expand the telecasts to the regular season.
The telecasts, which pair the live game with real-time statistics and information delivered via graphic overlay, will be similar to what NBC Sports Washington did with the Washington Wizards during the 2018-2019 NBA season.
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But, the NFL presentation will feature additional user experience features including multiple-choice answer options, on-demand leaderboard and result notification.
"We're thrilled to partner with NBC Sports Washington to bring the first predictive, free-to-play live game telecast to the NFL," said Scott Shepherd, senior vice president for the Washington NFL franchise, in a statement. "This partnership strategically aligns with our organization’s commitment to constant innovation for our fans. We are continuously working to enhance the fan experience and strive to identify new, meaningful ways for our incredible fans to engage with our team."
Viewers can participate in Predict the Game by creating an account or logging in at www.nbcsportswashington.com/predict and they can submit predictions via their mobile or desktop device.
Mark Friedman, director of creative services and advanced technology for NBC Sports Washington, said that in 2018 his network began posting questions and giving away jerseys and tickets to get fans more involved. The feature ended up getting a positive response from viewers.