Not sure if you read the post earlier this month on the 2011 Cricket World Cup and IVR updates, but they have IVR systems set up for getting scores and updates during the tournament.
(If you have read the article, you won’t be surprised to hear that the tournament is still going on. [Cricket is a loooong game.] If you haven’t read it, check it out—A Wicked Googly.)
But why don’t we have IVR updates for March Madness?
The Sweet 16 is set in the NCAA basketball tournament and, as usual, there’s a few surprises—two 11 seeds are in, along with a 10 seed and a 12 seed. One of the 1 seeds is out (sorry, Pitt Panther fans). On the flip side of that, though, the Butler Bulldogs who beat the Panthers were an 8 seed, so good for them, anyway.
But why no IVR updates like they have for the Cricket World Cup? We have everything else—full-time TV coverage, live updates on the Internet, even live streaming video of the games. But no IVR updates. What gives?
Millions of cricket fans are signing into IVR systems to follow the World Cup—they get match alerts, live scores, video alerts, SMS portals, live IVR commentary, SMS ball-by-ball updates and even trivia.
Where’s the love for us college hoops fans?
We can’t take off work every day and sit at home watching the games or spend all day on the Internet while we’re supposed to be working (assuming we’re at a computer all day and our companies give us Internet access).
Even if you’re not watching games all day, it doesn’t look good to have four Internet windows open for eight straight hours—
Your manager: “I just got a call from IT. Were you on ESPN watching basketball the whole day yesterday?”
You: “I don’t have a good answer for that.”
So where’s the IVR? It takes two seconds to check a quick text for score updates. You could call in for scores and IVR commentary during breaks. You could watch highlight videos on your smartphone.
Just think…you could suffer every agonizing minute of your team’s upset loss to the College of St. Francis in the Woods or whatever other 16 seed they were supposed to annihilate.
Because, let’s be honest, that’s what it’s all about. The thrill of victory, the agony of defeat. (Again, sorry Panthers.)
