Helsinki-based Sofanatics built a platform for fans to better engage with each other during sports events, but shut down last week citing they weren’t able to build a sustainable business behind their platform. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned from Disney movies about rag-tag sports teams that are getting shut down, is that there’s always a chance for a comeback. A group of Sofanatics users decided the company isn’t over yet, and over 300 fans have banded together on Facebook to mount a comeback plan.
We were alerted to this movement by Tim Hoggarth, a graphic designer who has donated some of his time to create graphics and an advertisement to help better get the world out about the movement.
“We’ve all made friends during games and the fact that we’re all from different area’s of the world makes it even better, we’re all united by one love, which is sport and even more so, football,” explains Hoggarth. “We are trying to get the website back in any way possible, whether it be through sponsorship or donations until the guys from Sofanatics can work out some sort of advertising deal that would keep the site running.”
You feel sorry for these fans because it’s obvious from reading the Facebook page that Sofanatics was really a good thing in so many people’s lives. If you don’t live near your favorite team, it’s tough to connect to the real-time excitement and bonding that Sofanatics provided for its users.
It’s dificult to determine right now if anything is going to come out of the movement, as right now the group is still eyeing potential options and emailing nearly every large company in the sports and tech scene asking for some sort of sponsorship.
But it’s obvious that Sofanatics was doing something right if the community is willing to spend their free time to email corporations and try to get it back. And man, I hope they’re successful. It would be fun to see something come out of this movement.
