Mobile has extended the game experience far beyond the stadium and game day. The world’s best teams in different sports use mobile applications to continuously engage, entertain, and cater to their fans in ways both new and familiar. Apps for sport fans allow teams to build stronger connections with their fans, give them more team related content, and offer services in more convenient ways.
And the benefits of sport apps don’t end there. From Golden State Warriors to Chicago Bears to Manchester City, see how the world’s top teams leverage mobile to significantly improve the fan experience across the board.
Best Sport Apps in Basketball
Golden State Warriors
One of the world’s most successful sports teams, Golden State Warriors bring the same level of dedication to creating a sports mobile app they bring to basketball court. No wonder — the team is known for delivering top-of-the-line fan experience by implementing new technologies, introducing timely, spot-on ideas, and more.
The Warriors app is a good example of that continuous dedication to fans. Although it already was a winning product, the app was redesigned to become even better. Alongside the essential sport apps features, there’s a solid list of new ones:
- Context-based app experience (user location and game status)
- Audio content
- Interactive box score and team calendar
- Comprehensive notifications about every part of the game
- Easier and more comfortable access to social media platforms
- Improved bluetooth-based notifications with offers at the stadium
- New UI and UX
The Warriors application has become one of the top sports apps for iPhone and Android, scoring 4.8 and 4.7 stars in the App Store and Google Play, respectively, as fans share their love for the app in lengthy comments. On top of that, the application currently holds spot #73 in the App Store’s Sports section.
With the team’s grand plans, and a new home arena looming on the horizon, we can expect the Warriors’ will at least keep their mobile game as strong, and remain at the top of the best sports apps lists.
Milwaukee Bucks
From the very first screens, it’s clear that Milwaukee Bucks truly cherish their fanbase. The screens use the team’s top players in a creative way to provide fans with useful information about the app, so they can enjoy the mobile fan experience in full. And it won’t disappoint.
What makes the Bucks app one of the top sport apps is a combination of essential features, fresh ideas, and that it successfully incorporates the content about Fiserv Forum, the team’s home stadium and top local venue, into the user experience. Whether a fan wants to buy game tickets or view upcoming music events, they won’t get lost — the design is clear, not confusing.
Still, it’s the elaborately designed and comprehensive ticket section that sets the Bucks application apart from other sport apps on our list. Everything’s in one place: users can purchase and swap tickets, upgrade seats, access 2D and 3D seating maps, as well as access guides on amenities, mobile ticketing, and more. If one doesn’t have the time, they can go straight to Live chat. When it comes to all things tickets, this is probably the best mobile sports app in our selection.
There’s a number of other stand out features, including:
- Custom calendar
- Audio content
- Interactive box scores with player stats and play-by-play shot tracking
- Exclusive content
With high user ratings on both platforms, the Bucks app is one of the best sports apps for Android and iPhone.
Football Sport Apps
Chicago Bears
The official app of Chicago bears is jam-packed with useful exciting features for true fans of the team and the sport. The features can be divided into five areas: media, statistics, gamification, communication, as well as essential information.
First, the app provides full game-day coverage with comprehensive media content sections:
- News: instant news, matchups previews, and the blog of the team’s long-standing website editor Larry Mayer
- Videos of press conferences and game analysis
- Photo galleries from each game
Then there are statistics, including depth chart, injury reports, conference and division standings, as well as an abundance of other stats like box score, head-to-head matchup stats, and player statistics.
Social media integration is simple and mostly demands a one-click action to post content to the platform of choice. Meanwhile, sport apps basics include game schedule (for both past and upcoming games) and ticket management.
For those who really love sports and simple fun, the Bears app has a fantasy team to keep track of.
All in all, given it’s appealing and easy-to-navigate design and rave reviews in both app stores, the Chicago Bears fairly earns their spot in our best sports apps list.
New Orleans Saints
When you open the Saints app, the first words that come to mind are “sleek” and “vibrant.” The application is also fast and well-optimised. These aspects alone would have been enough for many to call it one of the best Android and iPhone sport apps, but the Saints have more in store for their fans.
Sure, there are essentials like comprehensive stats, message center (here, it’s worth noting that the app also includes geofencing), news, and media content. Fans can also use the opportunity to immerse themselves into 360-degree videos, get stadium parking information and directions, and receive live team updates. There’s also the Saints Insider podcast and game video streaming available right in the app.
The list doesn’t end there (the Saints stadium map is kinda handy, for example). And despite their app being feature-rich, the Saints and the developers have managed to ensure comfortable navigation. Yes, there could have been fewer times when users need to login to access some of the services, and ads pop up from time to time. Still, these are not big bumps on the road to having a great game-day experience. The Saints indeed have one of the best apps for sport fans.
Apps for Sport Fans of Soccer/Football
Barcelona FC (iPhone Sport Apps Review)
If you remember how the uniform of Barcelona FC looks like, the first thing that will strike you is the app’s visuals. The development team behind the app had successfully transferred Barca’s visual aesthetic to the app; it looks vibrant and downright beautiful. One would immediately register it as the official app of the legendary football/soccer club.
The app is also customisable. If you’re a fan of other Barcelona sports teams (there’s Barca Women, Basketball, Handball, Futsal, and Roller Hockey), the app will deliver all the content related to all your favorite teams to a single place, the app. This is a rare feature for sport apps, but it makes sense, especially if it’s well-designed. Elsewhere, one can see that the concept of unification is the backbone of Barca’s app. Some features link to the official website, but all the essentials are available right in the app.
Fans can use the application to buy tickets and shop for merch, follow stats and schedule, watch videos, view match galleries, and more (for example, one can get access to unique Barca wallpapers and ringtones).
All in all, Barcelona’s mobile product is among the top apps for sports fans of soccer and one of the best iPhone sport apps.
Manchester City (Sports Apps for Android Review)
Currently helmed by the famous Pep Guardiola, Man City is stepping up not only their game, but also the fan experience. Although the application only has bare-bones essentials, nothing here says “incomplete” or “lacking.”
On top of that, the design is highly eye-pleasing. The team’s aesthetic is carried over as expertly as in case with Barca’s official app: the design stands out just like the team’s color, and you understand it’s the club’s official app at the very first glance.
The Man City app is also customisable like Barca’s: users can choose to follow the men’s and women’s team news, as well as the club’s academy news.
The app’s features include:
- Comprehensive News section with different content types covering Man City in-game and outside the game
- Video section
- Schedules and tables
- Buying tickets, merch, and stadium tours.
With all the essential features, high rating on Google Play, and a great visual aesthetic, the official Man City app is one of the best sports apps for Android.
Final Thoughts: What to Include Into Your Sports Mobile App?
As you can see from the sport apps above, creating an engaging app for your fans doesn’t require complex and expensive features or demanding design choices. In some cases, adding essentials and packing them into an appealing and easy-to-navigate UI and UX can satisfy the fans in full.
So, what should comprise your sports mobile app? Here are some tips from the Mobile Roadie team:
- News feed and live game updates
- Push notifications
- Game statistics
- Video section and photo galleries
- Ticket management and merch store integration
- Visually pleasant design that reflects your team’s aesthetic
- Immersive first screen
- Fan wall (social-media like space within the app, available on Mobile Roadie’s platform)
With a feature list now on your hands, you can start making the first steps towards a solid sports mobile app that will please your fans and give a new digital dimension to your team.
Good luck!
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