Challenge: As an international event, the site required exacting standards of accessibility for those with disabilities and older browsers and poor internet connections. Everything needed approvals from many different key stakeholders such as the Ontario government, Canadian Olympic Committee, and various sports body agencies.
Execution: Phase one began in 2013 with the Mascot Contest, students submitted their ideas for the mascot for the PanAm Games via Facebook. Out of 6 final entries a porcupine named Pachii was selected as the winner.
The second phase was what was known was the “Pre-Games” site. This site was launched one year before the event and contained continuously updated information about the games, tickets, venues, etc. This version of site was used to help generate hype about the games.
The last phase was the “Games Time” version of the site that was live during the two weeks of the event. This site included live event results, increased focus on ticket sales, merchandising, and cultural events in and around the city of Toronto.