In a trend similar to other industries, the sports industry is digitizing at a very fast pace. This is enabling the creation of a bunch of innovative technological products and services, which are changing the way we experience everything from betting to training. However, one can definitely say that it is one of the most challenging industries to enter. In this post, we will try to cover some of the basics and help you get started on how to build an app that’ll make a big impact in the sports industry.

Sports! Our passion, our obsession. We love when the white ball swings in the air and whizzes past a batsman’s nose. Or when a well-made plan comes together and a striker slams the ball into the back of the net or when a long pass finds its target. It brings out extreme emotions of joy and disappointment, happiness and sadness.

But what if this passion for sports could become a part of your daily life? Something constructive? Something creative? Something that would keep us hooked on even while we are away from our television sets or not at a stadium?

Sports apps. A huge market, a potential gold mine, a booming industry which has the capability to change lives and make lives better.

This will be the topic of this blog post. 

How to develop a sports app? What are the necessary steps for creating an innovative product in the industry of sports apps development?

In this blog post, we will go through the entire process from scratch. We’ll give you some tips and tricks to make your app a success.

So, without further ado, let’s get the ball rolling!

Why Sports Apps?

Why, indeed! Sports apps are taking the world by storm. The industry is expanding at an incredibly fast pace and there’s no sign of it slowing down.

Sports apps are diverse and numerous, ranging from the most basic ones to highly sophisticated software that would put even the most advanced of gaming consoles to shame!

This means that the possibilities are virtually endless. There is no end to what you can create and there are no barriers.

From a business point of view, sports apps are also very lucrative. The market is constantly growing and there’s always a demand for something new.

Here are some key statistics: 

• Sports app net revenue is expected to reach $520 million by 2023 on the App Store, and $151 million by 2023 on Google Play (Sensor Tower).
• Users spend as much 50 minutes per day on sports apps (Think with Google).
• On sport content consumption, “an average of 69 percent of sports fans worldwide” prefer to use mobile apps and similar emerging tech(Statista)

Because of these extremely enticing numbers, businesses are constantly looking for ways to tap into this market. 

How to Create Sport Apps

Idea Generation

The first step, before you get started on anything else, is to generate ideas. This can be done in two ways: either by yourself or in collaboration with your team.

Either way, it is always better to start brainstorming as early as possible. The more ideas you come up with, the better.

This will give you an opportunity to expand your horizons and explore different possibilities instead of getting stuck on one topic or concept.

You might start by thinking of a problem that you want your app to solve or an issue it should address. For instance: how can fans watch live sports online?

Tips to help you generate ideas for your sport app:

• Think about what you spend the most time doing and how an app could make this activity more productive and enjoyable.
• Think about what you would change in a sports app if you had the opportunity to do it yourself.
• Think about problems that might arise while watching a live sports event and how an app could solve them.

Once you have generated some ideas, it’s time to start narrowing them down and shortlist the best ones.

Validate Your Idea

To help you validate your idea, make a list of inferences and assumptions about it.

• What skills or resources would you need to successfully create your app? Do you have these or are you able to get them?
• How many people would benefit from using your app on a regular basis? Would they pay for it?
• How would your app be different from what is already available on the market? What can you offer that others cannot or do not?
• What are the main pain points that your app would solve? How does it do this? Is there a better way to address these issues?
• Is your app scalable? Can you easily add more features or make improvements over time without disrupting the user experience?

The answers to these questions will help you determine the potential success of your app and whether it would be able to stand out in such a competitive market.

Understand features that make a sports app pop!

Once you have a clear idea of what your app should do, the next step is to find out how to make it innovative.

Here are some crucial features that can help you achieve this goal:

• Personalization is an extremely powerful tool when it comes to driving engagement and attracting customers. The ability to directly interact with your apps makes them much more engaging for users, which is an important factor when it comes to increasing your market share.
• Tracking: The ability to track and monitor different activities, like: workouts, matches or training sessions, can be extremely beneficial for both sports fans and professionals.
• Social media integration is a great way to involve users in the overall experience while simultaneously increasing your brand awareness.
• The integration of live chat, audio or video streaming services will make your app much more interactive and engaging. Push notifications can be a great way to keep your users informed about the latest updates, changes or improvements that have been made to the app.
• Offline access is a huge advantage in any modern app because it gives users the opportunity to use your products even when they don’t have access to WiFi or mobile data.
• Cross platform support is extremely important nowadays because people use different devices on a daily basis, so they should be able to access your app no matter the device they are using.
• A great way to generate revenue is by allowing users to make in-app purchases, like subscribing to premium features or purchasing items that can help them advance through the game.
• A lot of people are visual learners, so some good app design and UX/UI will work wonders for your product.
• A user friendly interface and quick load times are crucial when it comes to increasing the conversion rate of your app.
• Augmented reality and virtual reality can make your app stand out even more because you are offering something unique, fun and entertaining.

A large variety of features will be beneficial for both users and your business, so you should aim to include the most important ones. 

At this juncture it is crucial we remind you that the app is made for users, so you should make sure it is easy to use, intuitive and appealing – feedback from your customers can be extremely helpful in this regard.

App development

The process of developing an app is not an easy one, this is even more true for sport apps.

Your best bet would be to hire an agency or team of developers for your app who have proven expertise. 

This what to look out for in a prospective team:

• Proven experience in the field of app development – a history of successful projects and satisfied customers.
• An agile approach to app development.
• The ability to keep up with the latest trends and technologies in order to improve your products even more.
• A great portfolio that showcases their previous work.
• A constantly updated blog and social media channels where they share valuable insights and industry related news with the community.
• A transparent pricing policy and a fair cost for their work.

Take your time and do some research, there is no point in rushing this step.

Once you have found a team that meets all your requirements, it’s time to start discussing the project and defining its requirements.

Remember that this is not an easy task and it will require a lot of patience, so be prepared to compromise in some aspects if you want to see the results you are looking for.

The process of developing an app can vary depending on your requirements, but there is a general outline that covers most cases:

• The first thing you need to do is define the project’s scope and requirements. This can be done with the help of your team, so you should ask for their assistance.
• After that you need to choose your platform, which will be used for development, so Android or iOS are the most commonly used.
• If the scope and requirements are defined next you need to define a deadline for the project and all its milestones.
• A wireframe for your product would be created, which includes all the main features of your app and the flow between them.
• Once the wireframe is ready your team will start developing a prototype of your app, which is basically an MVP.
• Following the completion of the prototype, it will be tested against various KPIs, on a few different devices and with a lot of real users. After this you will have the chance to update your product accordingly.
• Finally the app can be launched, marketed, and other post app release efforts initiated.

The process of developing an innovative sports app is a complicated one, but not impossible to achieve if you work with experienced professionals. They have the experience to create exactly what you are looking for, so don’t hesitate to reach out if you want your app idea to become a reality.