A Decade of Fan Engagement: From Smartphone Light Shows to a Full Platform

Innovation in College Football Fan Engagement

College sports are back, and every year at this time, we get excited thinking back about how far we have come. About 10 years ago, CUE launched something entirely new into the world of sports: the smartphone light show. What started as a way to light up stadiums with fans’ phones quickly became a defining part of the college football and basketball game day experiences, transforming spectators into active participants.

Trusted by NCAA Teams

Today, we are proud to partner with over 100 NCAA programs, including powerhouses such as Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Auburn, BYU, and Florida State, as well as dozens of conferences and universities nationwide. That reach represents more than just scale; it represents trust. For a decade, schools, conferences, and sponsors have relied on CUE to engage fans, elevate live productions, and build stronger connections that last well beyond the event.

From Light Shows to a Full Fan Engagement Platform

While it all began with stadium light shows, our platform has since grown into nearly 20 interactive mobile-first products designed for fan engagement and sponsorship activation. From quick-play games, fan cams, polls, trivia, and AR filters to new ways of integrating sponsor messaging, every tool is built to create value. For brands, this means moving beyond static signage to activate content that fans choose to interact with, driving measurable ROI through online and in-store traffic, first-party data collection, and repeatable campaigns.

The Future of NCAA Sponsorship Activations

The evolution of fan engagement technology is not slowing down, and neither are we. As we head into another college football season, we are grateful for the trust of our NCAA partners and excited to continue building experiences that prove engagement is not just part of game day, but the future of it.

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