How To Develop A Sports App Like theScore?

Gone are the days when sports were only played and watched live at the playground. Whether it’s cricket, tennis, or any other sport, fans used to book their seats in advance to watch their favorite matches in person.

As time passed by and we entered into the generation driven by tech, the sports industry has adapted itself with new ways to engage fans. Many businesses have realized the fact that love for sports is not going to stop anytime soon. Consequently, they have already started investing in mobile app development knowing that it’s one of the best ways to connect people with their favorite sports, players, teams, and anything in between. 

What’s more, sports are soaring high with more than 50 million people participating from the US annually. Fantasy apps like theScore, CBS Sports, ESPN, Dream11, and many more offer attractive features and real-time updates attracting significant users. And that’s why this is the right time to develop such an app. 

Should you be confused about how to begin, then this blog post will help you understand all the basics of developing a sports app like theScore. 

theScore: Overview

theScore is a top sports media app in North America, with 4-5 million active users who check it over 100 times a month. It provides live scores, stats, and news, competing strongly against ESPN. 

Designed for mobile first, theScore stands out with its user-friendly app, built by a team of 80 skilled developers. Users can personalize their experience by adding “Favourites” for leagues, teams, and players, and can adjust their news feed based on their interests. The app also offers real-time alerts for breaking news, betting info, and game updates, keeping users informed instantly.

With its newly rolled out free-to-use, easy-to-play game, theScore Fantasy Sports is accessible to everyone with Messenger. It’s a great way to get connected with your friends in a fun and exciting way.

Also Read: How to Build a Sports Betting App: A Roadmap You Need in 2024

What Are The Benefits Of Using Fantasy Sports Apps?

For Businesses

1. Build a Brand Image

A mobile app is a great way to build an effective brand image and act as a marketing platform. It’s an effective way to communicate and popularize your business on a global level. For your sports business, a sports app can help you achieve these goals.

2. Better Customer Services

Investing in a mobile app for your sports business becomes necessary as a business owner. Because you want to grow both your services and customer base. These two are connected: when you offer better customer service, users are more likely to return, leading to more customers. A mobile app is the best way to offer fast and efficient customer service.

3. Keeps Fans Hooked

If you’re a sports association or franchise, there’s an important reason to invest in a mobile app: your fans. A sports app can help fans stay linked with their favorite team or franchise. Not only can they get live updates and news, but they can also enjoy exclusive videos from behind the scenes.

4. Analyzing of Data

Data is essential for any sports business, and a sports app can help you gather and analyze it, especially if you’re a club or franchise. With a mobile app, you can understand which content appeals most to different age groups, helping you tailor your offerings effectively.

5. Provide Tailored Content

Every sport has a rich history filled with interesting facts and statistics that people love to learn about. With a mobile app, you can share not only information about your sports business but also about the sport itself. Your sports app can provide users with accurate and fascinating details they’re curious about.

6. Advertisement Earnings

Businesses monetize their fantasy sports apps by using targeted ads based on user data, preferences, and behavior. This strategy helps them reach a specific audience and increase revenue while enhancing user experience with relevant ads. The ads are seamlessly integrated into the app, benefiting developers, advertisers, and users. For iPhone apps, ad strategies may differ, and businesses can hire iPhone app developers for seamless integration.

For Users

1. Real-time Action

Fantasy sports apps keep users engaged with live updates on player performances, allowing them to monitor their fantasy team’s progress and make strategic decisions live. On game days, the excitement motivates users to maximize points and earn rewards, providing an immersive and interactive experience for fans.

2. Financial Rewards

Fantasy sports apps offer the chance to win cash or prizes based on team performance. This not only attracts users but keeps them engaged, as they strategize to improve their team’s results. The potential for rewards boosts competition and maintains user interest in the app.

3. Community Development

Fantasy sports apps help users connect with friends, family, and fellow fans through leagues and competitions. These interactions build strong communities around shared interests. Features like strategic decision-making and events further enhance user connections, creating a vibrant and supportive community within the app.

4. Skills Development

Fantasy sports apps offer an engaging experience that helps users develop skills like analyzing player performance, making informed decisions, and selecting team members. For example, in fantasy cricket apps, users can improve their thinking and sports knowledge, enhancing their overall understanding of the game.

Key Features to Develop A Sports App Like theScore

1. e-Tickets

Many fans miss out on live events because they don’t want to go out and buy tickets in person. Offering e-tickets through apps can make it easier for them to attend and help increase revenue while keeping customers engaged.

2. Calendar Integration

Apps can help users add reminders to their calendars (with their permission), making it easier to remember and watch live events. This can boost viewership and keep users engaged with the app.

3. Wearable Connectivity

With more people using smart devices, users want to connect their sports activities, whether playing or watching, with wearables. Sports apps can make this connection simple and efficient.

4. Geofencing

Geofencing can help boost engagement and viewership for live events in your app. However, it’s important to get users’ permission first and avoid sending too many notifications. Otherwise, users might get annoyed and even uninstall the app.

5. Video and Audio

Nowadays, people prefer video and audio over text. Your app should offer a rich collection of high-quality on-demand content, like live commentary, podcasts, and recorded events.

6. Live Streaming 

Live streaming popular events is a must-have feature for every sports app. Users expect it, and it’s hard to imagine building an app without it.

7. Fantasy Leagues

Including a Fantasy League feature in your app can greatly boost its popularity and engagement. However, you’ll need to include essential functions like team organization, contests, and live streaming to make it work.

8. Push Notifications

Push notifications for real-time events and reminders are an easy way to keep users engaged. However, it’s important to leave them with a manageable amount of alerts. Users should be able to choose which notifications they want to receive.

9. Team Management

Sports apps make it easy to manage a team, whether you’re a player, coach, or team owner, all from one digital platform.

10. Payment Gateways

For an e-commerce sports app, a payment gateway is essential. It ensures users can buy or sell sports equipment smoothly. Your app should support various payment methods, like debit and credit cards, to make transactions easy and hassle-free.

11. Offline Streaming

Streaming sports apps are popular because fans love watching sports on their smartphones. Adding an offline feature lets users download highlights and live shows to watch later, making it easier for them to enjoy sports when their schedules allow.

12. News Feed and Chat Experience

A smooth, glitch-free news feed keeps users engaged and prevents losing customers. Ensure your feed works well and integrates a chatbot with features like GIFs and stickers for a better experience. Natural language chatbots, like ChatGPT, are also popular and attract a large audience. 

Steps to Develop a Sports App like theScore

1. Finding a Unique Niche In The Fantasy Sports Market

Before you start developing, it’s important to understand the current fantasy sports trends, challenges, and the overall market. Check out existing apps, spot user trends, and decide your focus. Are you targeting a specific sport or a wider audience? Knowing your ideal user will guide your features and marketing.

2. Creating the Perfect Fantasy Sports Player

Next, decide who your app is for casual players or gaming enthusiasts. Understanding your target audience will help with design and marketing. Also, look at what users dislike about current apps. By fixing these issues and providing a better experience, you can build a loyal user base.

3. Building Key Features for Your App

Although every app has its own USP, a strong base is still necessary. Focus on key features like user registration, managing leagues, drafting players, real-time scores, and player stats. Then, think about what makes your app special. Will you offer advanced analytics, cool social features, or custom leagues? Also, decide how you’ll make money—like offering a free version with in-app purchases or premium subscriptions.

4. Selecting The Right Tech Stack

Since most users are on mobile, start with a mobile-first approach. Use frameworks like React Native or Flutter for a smooth experience on different devices. 

For the back end, consider Node.js or Python. Pick a reliable database like MongoDB or PostgreSQL to handle user data and stats. Also, add push notifications to send real-time updates, trade alerts, and important messages to users.

5. Designing a Simple Yet Attractive User Interface

As a user, what is the first thing you will get hooked on after opening an app? Probably, it’s design! Right? Well, a great design is crucial for attracting users to your mobile app. Make sure your sports app has an easy-to-use interface so everyone can navigate it without problems. For the best results, hire experienced fantasy app developers and designers who have worked on apps like ESPN to ensure high-quality design and functionality.

6. Developing The Minimum Viable Product

Don’t try to get all things built in one go! Start with the essential features like generating leagues, adding players, managing rosters, and scoring. Use an agile approach to break development into smaller, manageable steps. This way, you can quickly test, improve, and add features based on user feedback.

7. Testing And Quality Assurance

Thorough testing is essential. Test your app on various devices and operating systems to ensure it works well and is safe. Involve potential users in the testing process to get feedback on usability and find any issues specific to fantasy sports. Use their input to improve the design and features, creating a polished and enjoyable experience.

8. Launching Your Fantasy Sports App Strategically

To have a successful app launch, plan carefully. Start by using relevant keywords and attractive visuals in your app listing to help people find it in app stores. Try a soft launch in a specific area or with beta testers before a global release. This helps you make final adjustments and improvements before reaching a wider audience.

9. Acquiring Users and Retaining Them

After launching your app, focus on attracting and keeping users. Run targeted marketing campaigns for your ideal fantasy sports players using social media, sports influencers, and content marketing. Keep current users engaged with push notifications for game updates, loyalty programs for active users, and exclusive content like expert analysis.

10. Consistent Improvement Based On User Feedback

The journey doesn’t end after launching your app. Keep an eye on how users behave, analyze app data, and collect feedback through surveys and reviews. Use this information to find ways to improve, add new features, and enhance existing ones. By continuously updating your app based on user feedback, you can create a successful fantasy sports app that stands out from the crowd.

Cost to Build an App Like theScore

The average cost of developing a mobile app for your sports business ranges somewhere between $25K to $50K. And it can increase depending on the type of mobile application you want to build. These expenses vary from one app to another depending on multiple factors such as: 

• Complexity of the app
• UI/UX design
• Features and functionalities
• Tech stack used
• App size
• Location of the development team
• Development platforms

If you’re seeking to outsource your app development project at affordable pricing, then you should get in touch with a professional mobile app development company. 

How Can DianApps Be Your Preferred Choice for Sports App Development?

Developing a fantasy app is a hefty task, which requires most of your attention to the latest trends, technologies, data security, and robust infrastructure. DianApps can be your trusted partner to help you realize your idea turns into reality. Being one of the leading sports app development companies, we have a team of developers with vast experience in web and mobile development across various industry domains.

Our team not only designs attractive and innovative apps but also fulfills the motive to captivate users. In order to effectively manage projects and ensure bug-free, timely deliveries, we always adhere to agile procedures. So, you can rest assured that the fantasy app built by us will meet the highest quality standards and user satisfaction. 

Conclusion

Fantasy sports apps are growing fast due to their easy access and engaging features. They offer various games and attract a wide range of people, making them a smart investment for businesses. These apps are very popular with sports fans worldwide, offering everything from season-long contests to daily leagues.

Now is a great time to invest in fantasy sports app development services because of the high demand and potential for user engagement. At DianApps, we have the expertise to bring your ideas to reality. If you’re looking for top fantasy app development, let’s connect and create something unique together.