LOCK just launched their new app for every single sports fan. LOCK Co-Founder and COO Todd Heyden spoke to the Sports Techie community blog about their sports tech launch today and how they simplify the gaming experience without sacrificing the real-time nature of sports with their instant sports predictions against friends app. LOCK enables friends to instantly square off in controversial sports predictions against one another in the NFL, NBA and NCAA Football and Basketball. Their goal is to take the complexity out of fantasy sports, while making it more social. The simplistic and engaging sports app is now available through the Apple App Store.
LOCK App
LOCK delivers a daily stream of controversial predictions that encourage good hearted disagreement amongst friends. LOCK eliminates the need to become inundated with information that traditional fantasy sports require to be successful. Instead, the app provides a simple way to engage in sports challenges against friends, without the time commitment. The app keeps track of every single challenge that has taken place between friends.
“Before today, fantasy sports was the only engaging opportunity for real-time sports fans,” says Heyden. “Fantasy Sports hasn’t changed much in the last 20 years yet sports fans consume and engage in a completely different fashion today. Our mission is to not only re-wire fantasy but create a brand new space unto itself.”
Users are able follow through on those friendly bets made with buddies, work colleagues and social media friends by transforming mobile devices into a real-time sports magnet. A Facebook account is required to log-in. LOCK will highlight any of your Facebook friends using the app. A network of friends is created and ready to compete with real-time player stats and highlights to help you keep track of your prediction.
The goal of Lock is to remove the time-suck, the overwhelming complexities and the web-based model that preceded their innovative product. By introducing a simple, social ecosystem, that lives solely on mobile, they have created an opportunity for every sports fan to engage in a lightweight way against their friends. LOCK doesn’t leave you in the middle of a dismal fantasy season.
SportsBiz
They are a well-funded startup out of Chicago. The seed funding round is currently oversubscribed at $500K. Their previous startup, Sporrior, had 1,200 beta users on a web based platform. The switch to a mobile platform in addition to adding several developers and community managers has this company poised to grow their user base quickly.
Their target customers are all casual and fanatical fans and every fan in between. The current plan is to grow with word of mouth and via the direct network effect. A celebrity athlete with 10 million followers is onboard and will be announced shortly. Todd spoke about how the applications, “Simplicity, compelling design and instant action delivers an engaging experience for every fan. “
Brian Wong (Kiip) and Dan Kurani (Thumb), both prominent tech visionaries, have advised Lock throughout development. The company utilizes STATS LLC, the world’s leading sports technology, data and content company to power the live data feed. STATS LLC provides LOCK users a trusted source of accurate and real-time statistics for every challenge.
LOCK plans to includes golf majors, MMA and soccer such as the Premier League by 2015 if not sooner. I asked him if an Android app was forthcoming and he said it might if there is demand for it. The exit strategy we discussed was the idea of a forward thinking company like Yahoo who has plenty of cash and is in the buying mode with mobile companies calling them in the future to talk sports business.
Lock Key Features:
•The app is completely free
•Make unlimited predictions on sporting events
•Find friends who disagree with your predictions
•Instantly engage in challenges against friends
•Watch predictions score in real-time
•Receive push notifications on your challenges
•Talk trash to friends
•Keep track of all results
•Instantly share results on social media
•Text challenges to friends
•Designed specifically for iOS 7
LOCK’s additional features:
Real-Time Scoring: LOCK automatically updates scoring for each challenge. The app shows exactly how much is riding on each challenge and with each respective friend.
Real-Time Notifications: LOCK sends out push notifications pertaining to players that you have chosen; close games, big plays, stat updates. Never miss important updates again.
Trash Talk: Disagree with all of your friends? LOCK enables friends to trash talk during the action.
Comprehensive Ledger: LOCK is designed to keep track of every challenge that has taken place between friends. There is a level of detail that is unparalleled in the space. There is no hiding from results.
About LOCK:
LOCK, through its simplicity and design, delivers the most engaging sports experience to every type of sports fan. The application provides opportunities to instantly engage in lightweight sports predictions against friends. LOCK’s mission is to provide sports fans, no matter the sport or dedication level, an app that allows for an engaging experience without the time commitment or complexities.
Email: [email protected]
Learn more: http://www.sportslock.com
Twitter Handle: @LockSportsApp
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SportsLock
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/Sportslock
Sports Techie, Use the new LOCK app to bet on a specific player or team’s performance from your smartphone with a teammate, loved one or friend. Make picks, challenge friends and track all predictions with LOCK. Competing against your friends in any all sports everyday is now available in the palm of your hand.
LOCK offers notifications to keep you aware of big events during a game and shows you the current score. The push notifications happen in real-time so if you wagered with a fellow Sports Techie community member that Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson was going to outscore running back Marshawn Lynch against the New York Giants in MetLife Stadium on Sunday, you’ll receive alerts with instantaneous data filled updates to jack you up as it happens.
LOCK sports technology allows you to instantly engage in sport predictions against your friends, track the results and check out stats all for free, enjoy and Happy Holidays.
I will see ya when I see ya, THE Sports Techie @THESportsTechie – http://twitter.com/THESportsTechie
Sports Techie Social Media Networks
Sports Techie Skype: sportstechie
Sports Techie Twitter: @SportsTechieNET: http://twitter.com/SportsTechieNET
Sports Techie Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/SportsTechie
Sports Techie YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/sportstechie
Sports Techie Google+: http://gplus.to/SportsTechie
Sports Techie Google+ Community: https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/103708211458464405078
Sports Techie (Robert Roble) Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+RobertRoble/posts
Sports Techie LinkedIn Group: http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Sports-Techie-2958439
Sports Techie Instagram: http://instagram.com/sportstechie
Sports Techie Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/SportsTechie/
Sports Techie Moby Picture: http://www.mobypicture.com/user/sportstechieNET
Sports Techie Myspace (Bob Roble): http://www.myspace.com/549000677