*By Max Godnick*
Questioning coaches' decisions is an integral part of any football fan's life ー we all *know* we could do better. Now, a new football league is giving us a shot, by crowd sourcing the play-calling in live football games.
"Your Call Football" lets viewers choose their favorite of three pre-selected plays uploaded to an app by a figure-head coach on the sideline of a real game in progress. The league employs players who are trying to land a roster spot on NFL teams, and the coaches are NFL alumnae.
"A lot of guys have been in camps, a lot of guys just need a little development and a few more reps, and we've given them that," said Merril Hoge, the former NFL running back and ESPN analyst who is the head coach of the new league's Team Power.
The YCF league is trying to balance a high-quality on-field product with the interactivity of having fans direct the game.
"We're definitely about quality football and marrying that with, what do the fans want," said Julie Meringer, the president of Your Call Football.
The league is bankrolled entirely by George Colony, the CEO of technology research firm Forrester. Players are paid on par with what NFL rookies make in training camp.
Meringer is one of three women among the league's senior executives, including YCF's chief legal officer and its head of marketing. "We know how to get stuff done and we're proud about that," she said.
YCF's first three-game season ends Thursday night in Vero Beach, Fla., when Team Power plays Team Grit, the only other team in the league.
Meringer said the company explored using its patented technology for other sports, but most mainstream sports are too fast-paced and don't rely enough on real-time coaching. She said baseball offers an opportunity, but she's more interested in how fan interactivity can be incorporated into entertainment programming.
"You already see a lot of reality TV shows trying to use Twitter and other things to weigh in, but it's not real time," she said, adding the company would be looking for other ways to use its play-calling technology.
"There's definitely a licensing angle here, which I think will help with the future of sports and the next generation who are cord cutters, watching multiple screens, not necessarily going to venues to engage in sports," Meringer said.
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/your-call-football-lets-fans-choose-the-plays).
This June marks the 25th anniversary of the infamous 1997 "Bite Fight”, the iconic boxing rematch between Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield when Tyson shockingly bit a piece of his opponent’s ear off. As a macabre tribute to the incident, the boxing legend’s line of cannabis products, Tyson 2.0, has released “Mike Bites", edibles in the shape of an ear complete with a bite mark. Tyson, the chief brand officer and co-founder, along with CEO Adam Wilks joined Cheddar News to talk about the unique gummies. "I just think this is just me owning what I did. I'm owning my responsibility. I've done that. That was pretty bad at the time, but I turned it over to make it pretty good," the former heavyweight champion said.
U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Famer and former Olympian Nancy Kerrigan spoke to Cheddar News about joining Ice Dreams, a national skating tour that connects legends of the sport with its next generation. Kerrigan spoke of the lessons she learned from the sport and how grateful she is for the opportunity to give something back. “I mean skating has taught me some of the greatest things in in my life," she said. "You know, you fall down, things get hard, but you get back up and you keep on trying. And if you're performing and doing something you love, I think you would actually do even better.”
Stephen Smith, Founder and CEO of Kitman Labs, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where he explains how his company's intelligence platform is engineering change in how athletes and sports teams prepare for games.
Sportswear giant Adidas is giving student-athletes the opportunity to become partners as affiliate brand ambassadors to help grow their networks as professional athletes. Attorney Darren Heitner, the founder of Heitner Legal, joined Cheddar News to talk about the legalities of the process. "It is absolutely a game-changer because we see a major brand make a big splash, nine months into name image and likeness rights for college athletes," he said. "While it is a paid brand affiliate type of partnership, it will open the door for 50,000-plus athletes across the country to start making some money, even if it's just through other people clicking their links and making purchases."
State and county taxpayers will be asked to commit a record $850 million in public funds toward construction of the Buffalo Bills’ new stadium as part of a 30-year lease agreement.
Saint Peter's University - a small school in New Jersey school - has skyrocketed to the center of the sports world in a 'Cinderella' story for the record books. The ultimate underdog of the men's March Madness tournament is just the third 15-seed to reach the Sweet 16, after beating Murray State and college basketball powerhouse Kentucky. Throughout the university's historic run, Saint Pete's has reportedly been earning what amounts to millions of dollars in publicity. Amanda Christovich, reporter for Front Office Sports, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
ESPN College Gameday LaPhonso Ellis joins Cheddar Bets to break down the NCAA Tournament so far, and who will make noise all the way down to New Orleans.
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BetMGM Host Olivia Harlan Dekker joins Cheddar Bets to talk about lessons learned from this year's NCAA Tournament and to share which teams have the best value going forward.
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