UEFA Cup-winning manager Bobby Robinson once remarked, “The first 90 minutes are the most important,” referring to football.
Similarly, sports fans are known to dedicate countless hours to watching games on TV every week, maintaining a longstanding tradition. Times are changing, though. It’s not as simple as it once was to watch a game these days, for a variety of reasons such as hectic work schedules and even the different time zones of matches.
However, with the emergence of streaming services, the lives of sports and football fans have been made easier. Over the last few years, there has been a massive increase in the number of smartphone applications that let users watch sports news, replay games they’re interested in, stream videos, and look up data about their favorite sports.
Some parameters were used to narrow down the best sports app in 2024. These include looking out for tools that provide real time scores and statistics for a large range of leagues and sports. Another key parameter is pre-match odds that include moneyline, total, and spread. More people than ever before are betting on sports through reliable betting platforms like Betsson app iOS and will most likely expect to get game odds via the best app for all sports. Meanwhile, you can also consult tipsters like Kate Richardson of MightyTips for winning betting tips and recommendations.
Many fans are also looking for apps that offer sports streaming services, so these applications will rank higher than those that don’t offer the same services.
Is There a Better General Sports App Available Than Either ESPN or The Score?
Of all top sports apps, ESPN is among the most downloaded. It has a comprehensive sports library, provides real-time updates and offers live streaming of every sporting event. This app has a plethora of sports-related features, including live games, results, standings, and more.
The television channel’s content is also available on the app. It is compatible with iOS and Android devices and doesn’t require a paid membership. To enjoy it wherever you are at any time, all you need is an internet connection. So, to answer the question, it will be tough to find a better general sports app than ESPN, but there are several applications that offer similar features as the tool. Some of them are discussed below.
TheScore
TheScore provides latest news, commentary, and scores along with breaking sports information.
Fact: To stay informed about forthcoming games, users can also check the schedule of sporting events. TheScore app stands out for its customizable news feed, real-time score dashboard, live games, group chat feature for friends and fans, and social media sharing options.
It is sometimes regarded as the best app for all sports. Now, the answer to the question: “what’s the best sports app?” could be a shoot and miss. However, it is safe to say that TheScore is a worthy competitor.
CBS
The CBS Sports app offers a much enhanced user experience. When the app loads, your favorite clubs and leagues will be shown in a feed of updates that you can customize. The next tab displays the scores, with dates at the top, breaking news immediately below each date, and a two-column scoreline serving as the main visual element.
Games launch in a window that can be seamlessly closed so there’s no need to swipe or use the back button. Just shut the window and get back to the result board. Want to explore a little further? You can click on the name of any team or player to read news or view the statistics.
iOS Apps to Watch Sports
Do you have a thing for iOS software? These iOS apps are among the best popular sports apps that offer excellent features beyond live game streaming. You can keep up with the news, statistics, and your favorite teams. You also get alerts and updates in real time for your favorite teams. When your preferred team is playing, these apps will notify you. Let’s check them out.
Sky Sports
Major athletic events, including soccer, rugby, golf, hockey and more, are extensively covered by. The app offers news, game scores, highlights, live streaming, and commentary from knowledgeable commentators and experts. For a paid subscription, you can watch Formula 1 races, the English Premier League, international cricket matches, golf, and more.
To receive news and results that are specific to your favorite clubs and leagues and keep you updated on the latest happenings in the world of sports, the app has customizable features that you can fine-tune for a personalized experience. Whether you want to follow NBA basketball, MLB baseball, NHL hockey, Champions League soccer, PGA golf, the EPL, MLS, the FIFA World Cup, and more, this app has got you covered.
You can also watch over a thousand hours of on-demand documentaries and sports highlights. With selected Android smartphones and the iPhone, you can watch offline, live, and while on the go. One of the perks of Sky Sports application is that you can watch video playbacks, outstanding moments, and critical plays from significant sporting events.
Bleacher Report
Users of the Bleacher Report mobile app can testify to the sports updates and latest sports news it provides. This sports app sends users real-time notifications on their preferred games helping them to stay up to date on exciting matchups. You can also get live player data with this tool.
This specialized sports app allows users to get real-time information on many leagues and competitions, including the The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA basketball) National Basketball Association, Major League Soccer, WNBA basketball, NFL football, La Liga soccer, and more.
The Champions League, Bundesliga, and tournaments from the World Wrestling Entertainment, are also covered in this app. Bleacher Report has bookmark features for sports enthusiasts to read comprehensive information about their favorite athletes or team. This app also provides rankings and game predictions.
Android Apps to Watch Sports
Sports enthusiasts always want to know the updates on scores and follow highlights of the leagues and matches they follow, whether it’s the Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A, or even UFC tournaments. These Google Play apps can help avid fans elevate their streaming experience as they chug a beer or bond with friends.
DirecTV
Sports prominence has long been the programming focus of DirecTV. DirecTV is one of the best sports apps for android. Its TV bundle includes many channels dedicated to sports content, including live broadcasts of games and other high-profile athletic events.
Their mobile app provides the exact same functionality as the TV show. Due to its nearly complete ownership of the sports rights, DirecTV offers a large variety of content, including a high definition video streaming experience. DirectTV is exclusive to Android smartphones and requires a subscription in order to access and use its content.
UFC Sports
UFC Sports is one of the most widely recognized applications for combat sports, especially the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The UFC Sports app features original content including major combat shows, documentaries, and interviews.
You also get to scan through every fighter’s full profile. UFC Sports app is in partnership with Cage Warriors, Ares FC, FIGHT PASS Invitational, among other international combat athletic associations. With UFC Sports’ massive library, you can keep up with UFC events, solo bouts, news updates, real-time game scores, and even unique behind-the-scenes footage.
This tool, regarded as one of the best sports apps for android by many, can be accessed on computers, tablets, smartphones, and smart TVs. However, due to the pay-per-view revenue model, you only have to pay when you want to watch a match.
Leading App for Watching Live Sports
These apps are the top sports app for streaming sporting events ranging from soccer, Moto GP, tennis, football, Formula 1, basketball and the PGA tour. Not only that, they have customizable features that should suit your taste.
Marca
Marca is one of the most famous, revered and utilized sports platforms in the world that generates traffic daily. Marca’s mobile application was recently updated which allows you to stay up to speed on all sports-related news and events in addition to the PC version.
It contains news, blogs, images, videos, and other material types. Additionally, it provides coverage of a variety of sports, including tennis, basketball, Formula 1, Moto GP, and soccer. In order to ensure that you don’t miss anything, you may personalize the application with the colors of your preferred team. One important perk is that you may sync the match schedule with the calendar on your phone to never miss a game.
Sofa Score
Sofa Score is one of the greatest sports applications available right now. It offers real-time coverage and updates for more than 20 sports. It provides player ratings and real-time updates. This sports application offers access to Premier League and all other top league fixtures.
It synchronizes with smartwatches and there is a chat and messaging feature to interact with other sports fans. It is one of the free sports apps for android that features sports quizzes to test your sports knowledge.
It has an offensive momentum feature which includes a graph that shows the match dynamics and each team’s potential to win which is symbolized by pressure points. There’s also a feature that allows you to view the team’s season statistics.
Honorable Mentions
In the words of American sports commentator, Vin Scully “Good is not good enough, when better is expected.”
As a die-hard sports fan, whether you follow international soccer, hockey, basketball, tennis, Formula 1, baseball, or UFC bouts, you are always looking for the best apps from the myriad of options out there. The following list contains some of the best sports apps for your android and iOS devices.
- Live Score (Tennis, basketball, soccer, and hockey only)
- NBC Sports (NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB and many more).
- 365Scores (Football, basketball, tennis, and baseball and over 2000 more).
- Yahoo Sports (football, basketball, hockey, baseball, and many more)
- FOX Sports (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL)
- BBC Sports (World leagues and tournaments)
- FlashScore Sports App (Over 38 global sports and 6000 competitions)
Final Thoughts
Sports applications are becoming increasingly indispensable. However, you are strongly advised to only install any of these apps from the official app store of your operating system-which is the Play Store for Android users and the App Store for iOS users, to prevent data breaches from illicit apps.
With the applications detailed above, you can experience your favorite sports in real time from the convenience of your home and keep up with the latest breaking sports news wherever you are.