The National Football League (NFL) has teamed up with mobile multiplayer competition platform Skillz to crowdsource a future mobile esport.
The two will launch a global game developer challenge, giving developers a chance to create an NFL-themed mobile game, which will be powered by the Skillz esports platform and receive joint marketing support from both the NFL and Skillz.
The developer challenge will launch in the second quarter of 2021 and will be open to all genres except for 11 v 11 simulated games as a result of the NFL’s contract with EA Sports’ Madden NFL franchise.
Rachel Hoagland, VP of Gaming and Esports at the NFL, stated: “Mobile gaming continues to be an important platform to reach and engage new and existing fans. Our agreement with Skillz provides access to a trusted platform and a highly engaged player base, making Skillz an ideal partner long term.”
Through the agreement, the NFL is targeting the next generation of football fans by reshaping the ‘future of electronic sports competition’, and driving the convergence of traditional and digital sports.
“The NFL is an iconic brand that is synonymous with American sports, and Skillz is thrilled to help power their esports competitions on mobile,” added Andrew Paradise, CEO and Founder of Skillz.
