Cornwall, Ontario – Saving money is always a good thing and Shannon Ferguson and Kris McCarthy know it. They also know that sports fans make up a large part of the consumer market and that sponsors of professional sports team need a new way to track their return on investment.
Enter, FanSaves: a free marketplace app that offers fans of professional sports teams great deals and discounts from sponsors of their favourite teams.
“It’s easy” explains Ferguson “you can now go into a restaurant or store [that sponsors a local team], pull out your phone, scan the unique code, show your cashier or server and save money”.
Until recently, the duo worked as the marketing team for the now-defunct Cornwall Nationals and were responsible for the hockey team’s extensive marketing throughout the city. The co-founders created the app, which combines their passion for sports and marketing, and it’s a game changer.
“We ran into the same dilemma all the time when we were out selling sponsorships for the Nationals. Businesses needed a way to track their ROI and nothing existed so FanSaves was born” explained McCarthy.
Added Ferguson “Coupons are becoming a thing of the past and we thought that since everyone always has their phone on them an app was the perfect solution”.
The app works by allowing sports teams to increase the value of their sales packages and retain sponsorships by giving their sponsors a way to track their return on investment. The fan wins because they receive deals and discounts simply by downloading the app for free and selecting their favourite teams.
The pair is currently overcoming adversity as they deal with the loss of the Nationals but they are confident that they will forge ahead, with plans to scale into Ottawa and Toronto this upcoming spring.
McCarthy and Ferguson both won Canada 150 Service Awards this past summer and FanSaves was green-lit by the Cornwall Innovation Centre in October.
“So many people believe in our business and the potential to become a global tool in the sports industry is right at our fingertips. We can’t wait to grow into bigger markets” said Ferguson.
The app is available for download on the Playstore and the App Store with discounts and deals currently available in both Cornwall, Ontario and Watertown, New York. To find out more about FanSaves you can visit www.fansaves.com. They are also on Facebook and Instagram as FanSaves.