Being a sports fan is a way of life. Whether you like baseball or basketball, football or soccer, there is more to “sports viewing” than simply watching a few games. In addition to staying on top of your favorite’s games, you also need to keep an eye on your team’s biggest rival and top teams in the division as well as all the sporting news.
Staying on top of it all can take some effort. There are games to watch, commentary to listen to, and editorials to read if you are going to be in the know — but there is an easier way, if you have the right tools. From apps to devices and new technology offerings that straddle the divide between the two, there are lots of ways to take your sports viewing to the next level.
The Right Apps
From breaking news to live streaming, when it comes to sports, there is an app for that – whatever your need. Smartphone and tablet apps provide a way to interact with your favorite sport that is easy to use and customize. You can choose a solid general sports app, like the ESPN one. You can use it to follow specific teams as well as breaking news for that sport. Connect it with your ESPN television subscription and you can even use it to watch live games. The Bleacher Report and theScore are also great options, especially if you enjoy following several different teams. However, if you prefer to devote your attentions to a single sport or team, there are dedicated apps that can help you stay on top of the action.
The Right Device
Apps are only part of the picture, when you choose the right device. Many apps work on a variety of devices, but some require faster processing speeds to do what they do best. Take the Apple iPhone 8 for example, its A11 chip lets it do things many other phones cannot – like augment reality. “One app that will take advantage of additional augmented reality capabilities is Major League Baseball’s MLB At Bat,” explains CNBC. “Baseball game attendees will be able to use the iPhone’s camera to ‘look’ at player stats in real time by simply viewing the athlete on the device’s screen.” Plus, when you choose an iPhone, you can easily connect your phone to your television. This way, when you can watch with other people, you can let them in on the cool features in your new smartphone.
New Social Tools
Augmented reality also has some additional social benefits. “The promise of social is essentially for specific use cases of people who can’t enjoy sports together in person to share those experiences virtually,” says LiveLike CEO Andre Lorenceau. He explained that such features are real advantages for people like busy parents who need to be home with children, military personnel who are deployed, friends who live far away, or parents with children who are away at school. Lorenceau continued by emphasizing the benefits of when social meets sports in the same app. “It makes all of the other stuff we’ve built in there — the suite system, the highlights, replays, etcetera — be twice as useful because they become ammunition for a conversation.”
When watching sports is important to you, you owe it to yourself to get the right device, download the right apps, and connect with fellow fans. Take the time to set up your own mobile sports viewing experience. You will love it!
Pinstripe Magazine Staff
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