NORMAL, Ill. – Launching to the public July 1, the official website of Illinois State Athletics GoRedbirds.com, will have a new look, feel and overall organization to improve the user's experience of catching up on the ISU Redbirds. SIDEARM Sports, operated out of Syracuse, New York, will be the new provider of the software and technology that powers the ISU website.
GoRedbirds.com was redesigned and re-built for the sole purpose of making the experience of navigating the Illinois State Athletics website more enjoyable, while improving the way information is received about the Redbirds. The website was designed with fan, student, coach and alumnus perspectives in mind. Key areas with new updates include:
- Adaptive web design, including improved mobile and tablet device usage
- Cleaner and simplified layout
- Improved placement of the hottest areas frequently visited
- New story layout for easy reading, including related headlines at the bottom of every story
- Footer navigation to improve page location
The entire Athletics Department collaborated on the 10-month project, motivated by the mission and goals of ISU Athletics.
"We had a simple goal and that was to improve our digital delivery of information to donors, fans, alumni, students and recruits," Director of Athletics Larry Lyons shared. "We are very excited to start this partnership with SIDEARM Sports as they are on the leading edge of the industry and have exceeded our expectations at every turn."
As the lead on the SIDEARM Sports web design project, Strategic Communications Director Megan Thompson added.
"I couldn't be more pleased with the feedback we have received as a department about the turnout of the new GoRedbirds.com website," Thompson said. "ISU always strives to offer something not easily found anywhere else and I'm confident the new layout and design of the site has met and surpassed that standard by offering a website to users that is not typical for collegiate athletics."
SIDEARM Sports President and CEO Jeff Rubin, is thrilled to add Illinois State to the SIDEARM Sports family.
"SIDEARM Sports is pleased to announce the launch of Illinois State's new website. It is always exciting to welcome another Division I university into our family," said Rubin. "We hope the fans, student-athletes, alumni, staff and supporters of Illinois State enjoy all the features that the site has to offer, including full integration with RedbirdHD.TV, live stats and photo galleries. The site is also fully adaptive, so all can access GoRedbirds.com from any device. We are thrilled to welcome the Redbirds into the SIDEARM Sports family."
Founded in 2001 by current President/CEO Jeff Rubin, SIDEARM (Sports Information Distribution Engine with Archives and Records Management) Sports is the leader in collegiate athletic web-based content management solutions. SIDEARM Sports provides the software and technology that powers the websites, livestats, and video streaming for more 740 colleges, universities and high schools across North America. SIDEARM Sports works with NCAA DI, DII, DIII plus NAIA, NJCAA, NCCAA and CIS programs - no program is too large or too small for the SIDEARM software.
GoRedbirds.com: Your online source for Illinois State Athletics tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
