I am constantly impressed with how the NFL continues to lead the professional sporting world in usability and media/content integration. I’m a huge fantasy football participant, as well as an avid NFL fan. At this point of the season, I won’t tell you what (boot ‘n spurs) team I happen to pull for.
The name of the game in Fantasy Football is tracking and analyzing stats and matchups. It really isn’t all random. For years, I’ve used NFL.com exclusively to track and analyze for my Fantasy Football leagues. They consistently deliver what the NFL fan or fantasy football enthusiast looks for. So, in the past, NFL.com already had two key components in delivering a great experience via usability: (1) passionate readership and (2) great content.
Enter media popularity and availability on the web. Over the last 2 years, NFL.com has integrated game highlights video and NFL Network (their TV channel) analysis video to become to #1 purveyor of football on the Web. Period. That’s good right?! They’re NFL.com! They should be #1. They really had “the corner of the market” on what they offered.
NFL.com introduces a total re-design of NFL.com in-game interface
Upon my first visit to NFL.com, I was shell-shocked that they had re-designed the part of the website that I thought was perfect in almost every way. It gave users everything they could want. Let me say, I seriously applaud the NFL.com Web design, development and strategy team for the massive undertaking of this project.
The highlights of the new approach:
1. Brings related parts of the site together into one usable interface.
Previously, you had a separate menu item for “Scores,” “Game Previews” and “Video,” which located them in totally separate places, requiring you to find your item of interest with each click.
2. Integrates 4 sub-menus intuitively.
I’m always impressed when you have more than 3 layers of menu and you pull it off successfully. It’s like accessing four different sections of the site without leaving the sub-page you first came to.
3. Tailored their focus toward their most passionate fans.
This is the part I love most. I don’t know what type of focus groups they had or what surveys they conducted, but let me tell you this: They did their homework. They analyzed what parts of the site were “wanted” most by fans and fantasy football participants and optimized every detail of the site with them.
4. Provides in-demand content during an NFL game.
No more standard drive charts. NFL.com introduces 2D charts that show multiple drives and distinguish pass plays from rush plays.
When a big play happens, you get an immediate alert on screen. They also provide an on-screen link to the video highlights for that game. You don’t have to go to the media hub page to get highlights.
5. Provides great post-game analysis of each game.
Following each game, you get content like “The game was over when…”, a player of the game and stat of the game piece, as well as a meter showing how memorable or forgettable the game was. You can experience the game after the game in about 45 seconds. World-class.
NFL.com should be applauded for their progressive enhancements in the usability of their website. When you’re already the best at what you do, and you still take another step to make your offering better, that speaks volumes to the legitimacy and quality of your people.
