We are all passionate about sports, especially if you are person who reads and engages on our site. After all “fan” is derived from “fanatic” isn’t it? So we used to satisfy our cravings…or rantings…by hanging out at the local bar, or listening to sports radio or then by hitting chat rooms. Then along came social media, and the ability to post or get feedback in real time with thousands or with friends…and of course there have been blogs as well, where the unfiltered chatter and opinion lasted for longer than just a few seconds.
However most of that chatter, even with a real-time platform like twitter, happened in a somewhat static environment. You had a second screen true, but that second screen was not part of the engagement, it was akin to talking on the phone while watching a game or a TV show. You lose focus on one at the expense of the other.
All of that seems to be evolving now, into an atmosphere where real time scoring and the topic of the day or the week or the second is tied to the action. Teams and broadcasters have started to include such features for fans as enhancements, to mixed success. However one or two ventures in the mobile space have looked to take the real time scoring combined with unfettered chat, in public or private rooms, and deliver it direct to your iPhone or iPad for free.
The one which we have looked at and tried recently is called PlayUp, which launched in the United States a few weeks ago after having similar mobile platforms working in places like India and England for a few years.
The app is simple and clean. You download it and get access to any live sporting event anywhere in the world in seconds, along with the ability to invite any of your friends from your address book in to talk, rant, bemoan, comment about the common event you have interest in. The great aspects are that the app is free, the scoring for any event is live, and the ability to bring friends in takes seconds. It is also great for Premier League fans who live in the States, or baseball or hockey fans abroad to follow along with friends from anywhere they can use an Apple mobile device (other will probably be coming, along with additional features that have been teased…video and games maybe?). If you don’t want to chat just with friends in private, you can also look to public rooms where common battles can be played out amongst large groups.
In short, it is a simple idea that marries the needs of what sports fans today look for…live numbers, interaction with friends and colleagues and a simple free mobile application that you can bring to the game, to the bar, to the big screen at the party, and not lose touch with the action or the buzz. Although it is being pushed as a first version, it is a version that already has lots of merits and addresses the fan where he follows sports today, on line and in real time wherever that is. Fanaticism just got a little more streamlined
The mobile app can be checked out here.
