Bringing game day to distributed groups
Remote and hybrid work changed a lot of things about office culture, but it does not have to kill the fun stuff. Football squares is actually one of the easiest team activities to run virtually because the entire game happens through a shared link. Nobody needs to be in the same room, the same city, or even the same time zone.
Most virtual team-building activities require people to be online at the same time, which is a logistical nightmare for distributed teams. Football squares do not have that problem. People claim squares on their own time over the course of a few days. On game day, everyone watches from wherever they are and checks the grid on their phone.
The game is also completely self-explanatory. You click a square and type your name. There is no app to install, no account to create, and no video call to join. For a full explanation of how the game works, see our How to Play page.
Create your game and set a player password so only your team can access it. Then share the link in whatever channel your team uses: Slack, Teams, Discord, email, or a group chat. Include a brief message explaining what it is, especially if some team members have never played before.
Something like: "I set up a football squares game for the Super Bowl. Click the link, enter the password, and tap any empty square to claim it. Takes 10 seconds. Bragging rights only." That is all people need to know to get started.
The tricky part with remote teams is not the setup. It is keeping people engaged over the days leading up to the game and on game day itself. Here are some things that work:
Post updates as the board fills up. "We are at 60 out of 100 squares claimed. Who is in?" People respond to social proof and urgency. When they see their coworkers participating, they are more likely to join.
After numbers are assigned, share a screenshot of the board and call out anyone who got a historically strong number combination. "Looks like Sarah landed 0-7, the most common Super Bowl digit combo. No pressure, Sarah."
On game day, drop quick updates in the team channel at the end of each quarter. "End of Q1: 7-3. That square belongs to Mike. First winner of the day." This keeps the people who are not actively watching the game involved.
If your team spans multiple time zones, some people might not be able to watch the game live. That is fine. The grid updates automatically and winners are highlighted on the board, so people can check the results whenever they wake up or get online. The game works just as well asynchronously.
For international teammates who are not familiar with American football, the beauty of squares is that they do not need to understand the sport at all. The outcome is based entirely on the last digit of the score, which is pure luck. Everyone has equal odds. You can point them to our guide for non-sports fans if they have questions.
Remote teams can run squares for any sport. NBA games, NHL games, March Madness, or even non-sports events. The format works for anything with a numeric score, and it is a low-effort way to build team culture across distances.