HighSchoolSports.net

HighSchoolSports.net

Gannett Company, Inc.

Discovery

In 2006, HighSchoolSports.net was a basic utility site that displayed simple sport team schedules. It had attracted occasional revenue from equipment advertisers, and the client’s goal was to build a national network of hyper-local school sites that:

  • provided an expanded range of content for teens, parents and fans for every high school
  • attracted investment from national brand advertisers

HighSchoolSports.net's positioning was "My School. My Team. Our World", and Billups Design was hired to create an integrated UX that would be seen by each school’s fans as uniquely their own. Billups Design realized that the untapped power of the site's database – its "secret sauce" - could be optimized to create an exciting, unmatched UX for high schools and communities across the country.

Design

From 2007 to 2010, Billups Design designed three releases of the site and collaborated with the client's team on each build. The site’s brand position evolved to capture both user passion and the site’s unique hyper-local content, and Billups Design evolved a new brand identity that could communicate authenticity and authority.

Inspired by the traditional chenille varsity letters that have identified prep sports teams for generations, BD designed a logomark for HighSchoolSports.net that would be memorable, flexible, and engaging.

To create a UX that would offer teens, parents and fans dynamic and engaging content, Billups Design designed an expanded site and navigation that included:

  • New Home Page with national content
  • Enhanced School pages
  • Photo and video pages
  • Team Rankings
  • Game Predictions

Delivery

What was the final score?

In the first year of tracking key site analytics:

  • Site traffic increased over 300% with a powerful combination of teens and parents.
  • YOY gains in subsequent years jumped 30% as more and more communities found HighSchoolSports.net to be “at the heart it” for their schools and sports seasons.
  • And advertising revenue increased over 250% with investments from national advertisers like Nike, adidas, Universal Studios, Hampton Inns, Snickers, Gatorade, US Army, Milk, GM, Jeep and more!

Recognition


  • The Communicator Awards 2009.

  • interactive_media_award

    Interactive Media Award 2009.