PolyPicks: Creating Engagement
Beyond the Game

GRC 361: Marketing & Sales

January 2026 - June 2026

Sales, Marketing Strategy, Campaigns

PolyPicks scratch card game board next to a 'How to Play' instruction card

What if we gamified the live sports viewing experience?

Inspired by the recent trend in sports betting among college students, PolyPicks is a real-time scratch-card experience designed to bring students to stay and engage at Cal Poly athletic games.

Created by our team of six for GRC 361: Marketing & Sales, PolyPicks was developed as part of a semester-long project in which we took on a real-world print client and developed a product from concept to marketing strategy to combat an issue in the athletics community.

The Science Behind it

According to the Cleveland Clinic, the anticipation of potential wins trigger dopamine releases, creating temporary euphoric states. This encourages the player to stay the entirety of the game, waiting for a play that might complete their scratch card.

The Problem

We asked 50 Cal Poly students from various grade levels about their experiences with Cal Poly Athletics.

70% of respondents have only attended 0-1 Cal Poly game

45% of respondents leave athletic games after or during halftime

“At what point do you typically leave the game?”

Pie chart of survey responses on when students typically leave Cal Poly athletic games

Solution

About

Poly Picks turns live sports into a real-time scratch-card experience inspired by sports betting, but designed for in-venue fan engagement.

How

  1. Fans receive a unique pamphlet when they enter the stadium
  2. During the game, they scratch off corresponding events that happen in real time. Ex. touchdown scored, strikeout, 3-pointer, etc.
  3. If they scratch off 5 in a row, column, or diagonal, they fill out the QR code and upload a photo of the card to win a prize
Mockup of the PolyPicks scratch card, open to show the game board and instructions

Execution

Print Production

We originally started the project as a pamphlet, but decided to condense it into a 5.5 x 8.5 in one page card stock (not shown) to cut costs. Sponsorships would be placed on the back.

Estimated production cost: $1.00/card for 1000 units

Finished size: 5.5 × 8.5 in
Stock: 100 lb cover
Color: CMYK 4/4
Bleed: 0.125 in
Printing: Variable data
Finishing: Silver scratch-off coating

Marketing Campaign: Game-day countdown

Social Media
Posting short form video content on official Cal Poly IG & TT accounts 3 weeks before event

Flyers
Flyers in high traffic Cal Poly buildings 2 weeks before event

Email
Acts as a reminder during the week of the event and reinforces the available prizes

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