Why SportsFirst Only
SportsFirst is built differently: we work on one industry only sports. For 10+ years, we’ve helped sports startups, teams, and federations launch products that survive real-world pressure like live scoring, game-day traffic spikes, and complex sports data integrations. That focus means you don’t pay for a partner to “learn sports” on your project. You get faster decisions, fewer mistakes, and technology that fits sports workflows from day one.
Our Client & Partner
Why Sports Only
Sports startups
We're 90+ people focused entirely on sports technology. No healthcare, no fintech, no e-commerce. Just sports. That sports-only focus is our moat: it means faster delivery, fewer mistakes, and solutions that actually fit sports workflows. You don't pay for us to learn your domain on your dime.
This page explains why we chose sports-only and why it matters for you.
The Problem With Generic Agencies
Most development agencies serve 10+ industries. They'll take your sports app project, but they don't live in sports. That means:
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Learning on your dime: Your project becomes their first fantasy platform or first pro team integration. You pay for their ramp-up.
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No pre-built sports integrations: They haven't integrated SportsData. io, Hudl, or SportsCode 100 times. Every integration is a first-time build.
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Generic vocabulary: They speak "user journey" and "dashboard." They don't speak bracket formats, seeding algorithms, or game-day operations.
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Thin case studies: They might have one sports project. You want a partner who's shipped 100+ sports products.
Case studies
The Sports-Only Advantage
Deep Integration Experience
We've integrated SportsData. io, Sportradar, Hudl, SportsCode, and similar platforms across 100+ projects. We know the APIs, the quirks, and the fallbacks. Your engineers don't spend weeks learning sports data feeds. Ours already know them.
Domain Vocabulary
We understand bracket formats, seeding algorithms, athlete data pipelines, and broadcast requirements. We know the difference between a Swiss-system tournament and a double-elimination bracket. We know what breaks on game day. That vocabulary reduces miscommunication and rework.
Proof in the Field
NFL teams, USA Rugby, and Stack Sports trust us with their technology. Our GamePlan app contributed to the Ravens' Super Bowl victory. We've supported 20+ sports startups from MVP to market. We're not aspiring to be sports experts. We've already shipped the work.
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Technical risk assessment
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Budget estimate
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Clear sprint plan
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Investor outreach plan
What You Get When You Choose Sports-Only
According to CB Insights, 35% of startups fail because there's no market need, and 20% get outcompeted. For sports startups specifically, the failure modes are even more targeted:
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Faster delivery
No ramp-up on sports data or sports workflows. We start sprinting from day one.
02
Fewer rework cycles
We don't miss sports-specific requirements (real-time scoring, compliance, game-day spikes) because we've seen them before.
03
Solutions that fit
Your app isn't a generic product retrofitted for sports. It's designed for sports from the start.
04
A partner who speaks your language
Whether you're a founder, a pro team CPO, or a federation tech lead, we get your context. We're not translating from "generic app" to "sports app." We're already there.
Who We Serve
We serve the full spectrum of sports: startups, pro teams, federations, and product companies. If you're building for sports, we're built for you.
Sports startups: Tech Mapping Workshop and MVP Labfor fast clarity and proof-of-concept.
Federations and leagues: Federation technology for registration, compliance, and multi-stakeholder platforms.
Enterprise and scale: Enterprise sports technology for digital transformation and large-scale platforms.
Who It’s For?
Founders
building their first AI-enabled sports product.
Startups
needing domain-tuned AI without the overhead.
Incubators & Accelerators
supporting early sports tech innovation.
Federations & Clubs
exploring in-house AI innovation labs.
Ready to Launch?
Book your free 45-minute Tech Mapping session
Key Use Cases in Sports AI
Contract &
Clause Auditing
Contract & Clause Auditing automates validation of player agreements in seconds. Instantly detect missing clauses, compliance gaps, and risks—helping legal teams and clubs ensure accuracy, transparency, and faster contract approvals.
Highlight
Generation
Highlight Generation automates video analysis to detect goals, assists, and key actions—instantly creating accurate, shareable highlight clips.
Scouting
Intelligence
Scouting Intelligence transforms structured and unstructured reports into actionable performance models, enhancing player evaluation and talent discovery.
Document
Summarization
Document Summarization reads lengthy PDFs in milliseconds, extracting key insights and summaries to help teams review reports faster and make informed decisions.
Image-Based
Analysis
Image-Based Analysis automatically tags sports images by athlete, brand, jersey, or position, enabling faster media organization and data-driven visual insights.
Content Layer
for Fans
Content Layer for Fans auto-generates engaging trivia, summaries, and predictions, delivering personalized, real-time content experiences across platforms.
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