One college has genius approach to fan engagement and revenue

In the new EA Sports College Football 26 game, you can take an unheralded team, build up a dynasty, and bring them a national championship. One of the most popular ways to play dynasty mode is to take a low-level division one team and make them a powerhouse. One small school has recognized this and decided to capitalize on it. The University of Delaware is offering fans a chance to win prizes for winning it all as the Blue Hens.

Delaware is offering prizes to win the College Football Playoff National Championship as the Blue Hens

The creative genius of this marketing stunt is not just to bring higher brand awareness or even fan engagement. Though both of those will be part of it, the real kickback for Delaware is that by playing as the Blue Hens, you will be helping them generate revenue.

EA Sports is utilizing a revenue-sharing program in which, as fans play as specific teams, those teams will get a percentage of the income to use for their sports. Thus, Delaware is hoping that offering prizes to gamers will help their overall revenue share.

It's also a fun challenge as the Blue Hens are ranked 130th out of 136 teams recently by Phil Steele. Taking a team from literally the bottom to the top is a challenge that may be worth more than even the swag offered by the Blue Hens.

The grand prize is a VIP Gameday experience at The Tub (the nickname for their stadium), which includes on-field and club access with a coach's gear prize pack. This prize pack may only really excite actual Blue Hens fans, but don't be surprised to see fans from around the country try to win it.

It also won't be surprising if other schools offer similar opportunities for gamers to help generate engagement and revenue for their NCAA programs. This is a fun way to do it, and Delaware is smart to use the popular game to generate buzz.