The Cleveland Cavaliers have a few questions they hope fans will be able to answer.
Cavs Pick ‘Em, a predictive gaming feature of the team’s official mobile app, will challenge fans to predict that night’s leading scorers and rebounders, total points scored, and other statistical categories. Free to play through the app, fans 18 and older can compete for prizes including a $1,000 jackpot each game.
Part of the Cavs’ GameDay+ experience on the mobile app, Cavs Pick ‘Em will be available for most Cavaliers home games starting with Monday’s contest against the Los Angeles Lakers and former Cleveland star LeBron James.
According to Crain’s Cleveland Business, the release of GameDay+ is part of the team’s mission to engage fans during the pandemic. Attendance at Rocket Mortgage Field House has been limited to 10% of capacity, 1,944, due to state-mandated restrictions.
“We can’t bring a significant amount of fans, 19,000 fans, into our building and engage them,” said Shelly Cayette, the Cavaliers’ senior vice president of global partnerships. “So now more than ever, this Pick ‘Em platform, by launching it now, really allows us to connect with our fans in a way that we would not be able to solely because of the pandemic.”
Questions will be posted for fans to answer prior to the tip-off of each game, and other questions will be posted during the first and second halves. An in-game interactive scoreboard will allow fans to keep track of their picks.
The app could be used for sports betting if Ohio’s Senate acts on a bill already approved by the state’s House of Representatives to legalize sports gambling. According to Crain’s, the delay in Ohio’s Senate is over whether the state’s casino commission or lottery commission will oversee sports gambling.
Through GameDay+, fans also can bid on Cavs’ merchandise, memorabilia, and experiences, with all proceeds donated to charities via the Cavaliers Community Foundation.
