How to Develop an App like ESPN Fantasy Sports?

Have you ever played fantasy games? It’s fascinating right?

Fantasy World: A World, which is far more different than the real world and contains all the things that a person likes. Similarly, a fantasy game app is all about playing the game in the virtual world with your favorite players.

Have you heard about ESPN virtual sports app? An app comprised of different virtual sports that rank as the top best apps in the USA.

Now, think of building a fantasy app that can capture the attention of the people who love to play virtual sports. What if I say, you can win a jackpot, if you develop an app like ESPN virtual sports? Yes, it’s true. You can.

All you need is a defined guideline to develop a Fantasy sports like ESPN. In this blog, the guideline includes current statistics, a brief about fantasy apps, their types, reason for developing a fantasy app, and how to develop it along with its costs.

Know About the Current Stats in Fantasy Sports

Before, we start, here are the current stats. It will head you to all the data that you should know prior to creating a fantasy app.

Thinking why this section is important to read?

Here, you will find what’s going on in the fantasy games market. It will help you to set your unique selling price that can make your app’s forte. So let’s begin.

• • The above stats present the number of businesses within the fantasy gaming service sector in the US.
  • It can be stated that there were 651 businesses in the fantasy sectors in the year 2023 and they have increased from the year 2013 to 2023.
  • The market size of fantasy sports has rapidly grown. It will grow from $25.43 billion in 2023 to $28.41 billion in the year 2024. A compound growth of 11.8% has been estimated to be observed in the market by the end of 2024.

Thinking about the number of players indulged in virtual sports? Here you go.

• The number of virtual game players in the US has increased from 42 million in 2023 to 50.4 million in 2022.
• There were about 12 million players playing ESPN Fantasy Football in 2023.

Do you know that by the year 2031, the forecasted growth of virtual sports app market is USD 89.34 billion? Yes, the stats find it true.

Now compare it with the current businesses and revenue they hold. What if you develop your virtual sports app in the current year?

What is Fantasy Sports App?

Till now, you read about the current stats that provide you with an idea of the present market size in the Fantasy game app. Now, have a look at what is fantasy sport?

Fantasy sports can be defined as online games where the participants act as team managers, for assembling virtual teams that are comprised of real-life athletes from a specific sport.

The virtual teams are being framed to compete against one another based on the actual performance parameters of these athletes in real-world games.

The concept of the virtual sports app is developed to drive the fans to engage more deeply within the sports. These apps provide a platform to the sports lover for strategizing, interacting, and competing with fellow enthusiast members.

With the best gaming apps, the participants can engage them to play virtual games. The commonly played fantasy games apps are basketball, hockey, soccer, and others.

What are the Types of Fantasy Sports App?

Now, you know what a fantasy game app is about, let’s learn their types. With a range of different types, you would be able to frame a clear picture, of what kinds of sports you can include in your fantasy app, to reach your target audience. Here is a list that you can refer to.

1) Daily Fantasy Sports Apps (DFS)

DFS provides users a room to create a team daily and weekly. Here the users can select their team members based on the track of performance of real players.

The DFS apps also offer a condensed version of the traditional season-long leagues. Here the players can also select the players based on the salary cap by earning points in relation to their performance in these games. Players also receive rewards and prizes based on their performance.

2) Social Fantasy Apps

The social fantasy apps emphasize the social aspects of fantasy apps. Here the users can connect with friends and join the private leagues to compete against each other within a more casual and interactive environment. These types of apps contain social networking features on the application through social media platforms. Within the apps, a chatbox is being used to communicate with the teammates.

3) Single-Sport Fantasy App

Single-Sport Fantasy app is focused on specific sports including basketball, football, hockey, soccer, and others. The users can also create fantasy teams which are composed of players from the selected sport.

They can also compete against the other users related to the performance of the players in real life. Here, the users also participate in player drafts, where they can select athletes from the selected sport to form their fantasy teams. To have such apps you can hire android app developers.

4) Multiple-League-Based Games App

This kind of apps is helpful in engaging audience, who want to play diversified games at one platform.

In a multiple-league-based game app, the users of the app participate in multiple leagues that also include players from different kinds of sports. Also, the user has the flexibility and versatility to engage with a wide range of users simultaneously. CBS Sports fantasy apps and sleepers can be the best examples of this type of app.

5) Sports Betting Apps

These are the betting-focused apps, where the users place wagers on diversified aspects of sports while engaging in fantasy games.

The participants are also allowed to place bets on the other field, based on teamwork and performance. Such types of apps also provide diversified formats for the users to compete in betting against different users. Following the Legal and compliance framework related to online gambling is important here.

6) Season-long Fantasy Apps

The fantasy games that can be stretched over multiple months and weeks are referred to as season-long sports.

Here the players create a team and make adjustments with the players based on their unavailability and performance. Season-long apps also allow the players to compete against each other in private or public sports tournaments and leagues. One of the popular examples of such apps is ESPN Fantasy games.

7) Live Draft Apps

Live draft apps are being designed to create real-time draft sessions that also allow the users to assemble their fantasy teams via synchronous drafting procedures.

These kinds of apps also offer features for improving the drafting experience including customizable drafts, search filters, and draft settings. Draft apps are also available on multiple platforms including Android and iOS. Users can also find customizable options that allow them users to adopt different fantasy game options. You can develop a fantasy app considering the type of app that you want to make along with your targeted audience.

How Do Fantasy Apps Work?

After learning about different types of fantasy apps, you can build a soccer mobile app and any of the virtual sports apps based on the market demand.

Although, you too need to learn how this fantasy works. Here are the detailed steps regarding the working of virtual sports apps to develop your fantasy app.

Step 1. Profile Creation and Authentication

This is one of the first steps in creating an app; here user creates a profile and then does authentication by generating an OTP.

While creating the profile, the user also provides basic information including email address, name, and password.

Such apps are also created with the numerous ongoing and upcoming matches. Once the profile is created, the users can manage their profile and diversified accounts.

Step 2. Know the Type of Fantasy App

The second step is to learn about the type of fantasy app, by understanding its relevancy with the type of game in which the user is interested. Here the user judge the app, by its interface and recognize its type by analyzing the kind of service the app is offering.

At this phase, the user discovers the app and understands its features. Hence, the businesses should learn the type of customer persona they are targeting. As if the user will find the app of no use, they will uninstall it in this step.

Step 3. Match Selection and Building a Team

In this step, the user selects the match and builds their own team. The user can create the team by analyzing the real-time performance of the actual player.

Also, a team can be formed based on the requirements of the sports and also based on the policies as well as guidelines of the sports that the user has selected to play.

Step 4. Manage the Team

Here the user can manage their team accordingly. They can also modify the participants and the players based on their choice. The virtual players can be selected in whichever team as per the choice of the user.

Users are also allowed to manage their teams based on the lineups, and other diversified features. Also, online users can also join any type of tournament based on their choice and demand.

Step 5. Check Live Updates

While managing the team of players, the user can check the live and current updates. It can help the user to identify, what kind of players are logged in with the user in the same app. Moreover, it will also provide the user an access to check the live performance of the real players in their matches.

Checking the live updates will improve user’s playing accuracy. It will help the user to discover the best players in online games and also provide them an access to connect with the players effectively.

Step 6. Earn Credit Points and Rewards

In this phase, the online player can also earn credit points and can win rewards based on their performance and match wins.

Here the points earned will be transferred to the user’s account as rewards. Also, the user earns points based on statistics performance based on the fantasy team players in real life. Some of the fantasy apps also offer bragging options including rewards and prizes.

Above-mentioned steps are useful for the user to download any fantasy game and to start playing. However, to start a fantasy app, you need to learn the reasons and a lot more for developing a fantasy app.

Why Develop a Fantasy Games App?

To make your concepts clear regarding fantasy apps, their related stats, types, and usage is the beginning of your journey. Now, you need to have a look at reasons to build a fantasy games app like ESPN.

(i) Growing Demand

Do you think, with the growing demand for apps, makes it difficult for you to develop a fantasy app? No, it’s not! Instead, it presents an opportunity for you to lead the market. The demand for fantasy game apps is continuously increasing. The fantasy apps have a significant surge within the popularity of the apps.

Millions of users are participating in fantasy leagues across different sports. Also, the demand for virtual sports platforms can continue to rise, which also presents an opportunity for app developers. With increasing market demand, the fantasy app businesses can increase their reach towards the target users.

(ii) Monetization Opportunities

Building an app can also create monetization opportunities that also comprise advertising, in-app purchases, subscription fees, advertising, sponsorship, and partnerships with sports colleagues.

The right monetization strategy can assist you in generating high revenue from the app by adding a considerable entry fee, in-app purchase model, and also by adding multiple platform support.

(iii) Improves the Brand Rapport

The app creation can also help in improving the developer’s brand credibility and reputation within the competitive market.

Through making an app you can approach your target audience that will automatically enhance your brand’s overall performance. A well-designed and well-executed app can also assist you in establishing yourself as a developer and a leader in the industry.

(iv) To Gather Data Insights

For gathering the data, the fantasy app can result in generating a wealth of user data. It gathers information relating to user preferences, engagement metrics, and behavior patterns.

Also, the developers can use such kind of data and can take valuable insights from it, for enhancing the user preferences, improving the features of the apps, and also to target specific user segments.

What are the top 5 popular apps in Fantasy Games industry?

Developing a virtual gaming app is not rocket science; here is a list of the popular Fantasy apps that are leading the market. These app development companies also hire Android app developers along with iOS app developers based on the app development requirements.

1. ESPN Fantasy Sports App

ESPN Fantasy Sports app is related to comprehensive sports that engage various customers, including leagues and sports. This app also offers a diversified variety of sports games through its platform.

Also, the app offers a wide range of fantasy games for users including fantasy baseball, basketball, hockey, soccer, and others. You can create an app like ESPN Fantasy Sports, through well-defined guidelines and with the help of app development experts.

2. CBS Fantasy Sports App

This app includes a wide variety of games including hockey, soccer, baseball, basketball, cricket, and many others. Such games are built to manage as well as to create fantasy teams that are based on real-world athletes.

You can also draft the best players from across the NFL and can also receive the points which are based on such players each week which is a specialty of the app. Also, the app offers rewards and prices to the winning team in the virtual sports.

3. Thrive Fantasy

Thrive Fantasy is one of the popular fantasy game apps in the USA, and it is a legal betting app. It is a unique fantasy sports and e-sports platform, which also offers a fresh take on the traditional fantasy app.

This app delivers a great opportunity for its players to opt for betting parameters by focusing on prop betting. Here the betters used to select a line-up for players relying on the specific statistical outcomes.

4. DraftKings Fantasy Sports

DraftKings Fantasy Sports app is a famous app for fantasy football. This app includes thousands of team drafting, public contests, unlimited lineups, and support for more sports including hockey, baseball, and basketball. It also offers users a multiple sports book service with an online casino feature.

Within the app, the users are allowed to join free pools and can place bets on the teams. The app is also at the top of the list with FanDuel, for its effective design quality; hence it is one of the favorite apps among users.

5. Yahoo! Fantasy Football

Yahoo! Fantasy Football app was launched in the year 2008. It holds the interest of their active playing audience. The app has its availability on the Android and iOS platforms. The app is a DFS-type app, which allows only one fantasy game of football.

This platform also offers diversified modes comprises of keepers league, survival football, and standard drafts. Also, recently the app has been updated with its new design algorithm to engage its audience successfully.

Also Read How to build an app like Cricbuzz?

Top Features to include in your Fantasy App

You have read about the popular apps and the reason behind creating one. Haven’t you found it amazing that a fantasy app can contain so many things in one place, that are too one click away?

It is all possible due to the app’s features. Different kinds of apps contain several distinct features, and it all depends on the app’s development functionality. Would you like to know about the top features of a fantasy app?

Yes, Right? Here you go, all the amazing basic and advanced features that are used to make a fantasy sports app.

Let’s discuss basic features first for a user and the admin panel; we will look into advanced features, a bit later.

Basic Features

Based on the above table, it can be stated that the basic features differs based on the usability of the app. Apart from the above features, there can be mentioned features in an app.

• Customized Avatars: With an effective UI/UX interface, the app can contain customizable avatars for the users. It will also be feasible to manage for the admin to recognize the user.
• In-app messaging: The app can contain an in-app messaging feature sufficient for the user to interact with their co-players.
• Historical statistics: Here, the user can draft the history of their past performance. Effective to gather a detail regarding how they should build a strategy for their new game.
• New League Updates: Provide new league updates every now and then. It can assist the user to invest in the new player league that can increase the retention rate of the fantasy app business.
• An access to offline game: Make the app enough accessible to operate without an internet that can increase the time a user spent on the fantasy app.

Advance Features

Here are some of the advanced features that you can consider while developing a fantasy sports app:

• Customizable scrolling rules: Here you can provide users an interface to scroll for their leagues by providing them more control over the fantasy experience. This feature helps the user to reach the platform that provides a simplified way to play fantasy sports games.
• Legal Compliance: Fantasy sports also involve real money so the app should comply with legal regulations. Also do ensure that the app also adheres to the gambling laws along with the data protection regulations.
• Mobile Compatibility: The app should contain the feature of mobile compatibility, as many people use their mobile phones as their primary device. Hence the app should contain the feature of compatibility on different devices.
• AI-Driven Insights: You can develop a Fantasy app by leveraging artificial intelligence to provide users with personal-driven insights. Also, fantasy apps can be developed in order to promote user engagement as well as satisfaction by serving the client’s needs.
• Comprehensive Admin dashboard: The dashboard of the app should be comprehensive and efficient for management and monitoring of the customer’s activity.

Also, the admins should contain real-time insights that can assist you in analyzing the current customer’s demand.

How to Develop a Fantasy Sports App?

With the above information, you might have got a brief detail regarding the fantasy sports app, the reasons behind building it, and the top features related to the fantasy sports app.

Now, it’s time to have a fantasy sports app development guide to understand the process of developing the fantasy sports app. Here is the stepwise procedure of how to create a fantasy sports app.

1. Perform Market Research

Before developing the fantasy app, you should perform market research. This market research can assist you in understanding the wide market, the competitor’s offerings, and market demand. You can also do research of the competitor’s app to discover the unique functionalities for your app.

2. Select a valid and reliable app development platform

Once the app market research is done, you need to select a valid and reliable platform that can assist you with a comprehensive guide to fantasy sports app development.

Try to select a team that has expertise in mobile app development, backend development, and user experience design. A mobile app development company can assist you with all the required processes for making a fantasy sports app.

3. Choose a suitable wireframe and prototyping platform

Invest in selecting an efficient prototyping and wireframe for improving the user experience and navigation of your app. A mobile app wireframe can be defined as a two-dimensional structure of the front design. Check the designs of your competitors and check feedbacks of the users who are already using such kind of platforms. This can assist you in developing a wireframe. Select the type of features you want your user to be interested in.

4. Work on backend

After developing a wireframe, you need to build the backend of your app. In the process of deciding the backend frameworks, identify the type of tech stack available in the current era.

Discuss and implement a suitable database solution for developing your fantasy app. The database solution can be selecting the type of languages including HTML, JavaScript, python, or any other language suitable for your app.

5. Test and Launch the app

Another key step within the app development is app testing and launching the app. Once the app is ready, test it based on the target audience of your fantasy app. Your app developers can fix the bugs, before launching your app. For launching the fantasy mobile app, you should concert with the professional app developers.

6. Maintenance & Support

At this, you should maintain the app with the current updates. Moreover, do provide support assistance to the user for improving their gaming speed and accuracy. Mobile app maintenance and support service can lead to you in the competitive market and can make you a market leader.

This step is also useful to remain update with the new technologies in the market and then insert them in your app accordingly.

7. Promote the app

This is the last phase of developing a fantasy mobile app. You can take the help of marketing agencies and different marketing platforms to promote the app. It can assist you in improving the customer base for your fantasy app. The step can take place, once the mobile app is live for successfully promoting and effectively reaching your target audience.

How Much Does It Cost to Develop a Fantasy Sports App like ESPN?

Bothered about the cost to build a fantasy sports app like ESPN Fantasy Sports? Not Anymore.

Cost to build a fantasy sports app, is much less than your expectations. Here is a detailed table to guide you with the cost. The range for the app development can be $20,000 to $60,000.

The above table provides a step-wise procedure regarding time and the steps to be followed along with the cost that will be incurred on each step.

Although, the time & cost to develop an app depends on various factors but overall It will take approx. 29-53 weeks for developing a fantasy app & cost you between the above given range.

What are The Monetization Strategies For Your Fantasy Sports App?

You can build your app and can also have monetary benefits with the one. Amazing right? Now, you must be thinking about how your app can provide you with revenue. Here is the monetization strategies to create a fantasy sports app like ESPN Fantasy Sports.

Let’s get to know some app monetization strategies, Shall we?

1. Advertisement: This is the most common way to monetize your app. Here you can run ads on your app and can also earn money, which can be based on the number of clicks that ads can have. Also, you can use ads in your app; you can use the interstitial ads or the rewarded videos.
2. Add Subscription Fees: Here you can offer premium subscription plans, with exclusive features using advanced analytics, custom leagues, and access to expert advice. This can also help you to know your customers better.
3. Premium Features: Through adding the premium features, you can provide your users an option to create more teams, and to have a wide socializing network. It is a significant procedure for you to generate revenue in simple steps.
4. Sponsorships and Partnerships: Perform partnerships with the sports brands, leagues, and actual teams. Also, you can offer branded content, sponsored leagues and promotions within the app in exchange for any monetary compensation from the brand.
5. Affiliate Marketing: In affiliate marketing, you can promote sports merchandise, related products, and tickets. You can also have paid content on your app, to engage a large customer base. It can help you to attract the premium customers who can pay more for your in-app premium services.

Why Nimble AppGenie is the best for developing your app?

Fantasy apps have become popular in the past few years, due to increasing interest of the people in online gaming. With a detailed guide for how to build a fantasy sports app, you can take an initiative of building an app.

Do you think developing a fantasy app is a difficult task? No, all you need is the right team of experts that can have your back.

Nimble AppGenie is a fantasy sports app development company, to aid you in creating a fantasy app like ESPN. With us, you can have a well-defined process of creating an app. We can help you with market research and develop an app enriching with all the specified features based on your needs.

Contact us to know more.

Conclusion

Based on the above information, it can be said that fantasy apps are online games, where the players act as managers and manage their teams effectively.

The current stats related to the fantasy app development reported that the market size of these apps has increased to USD 89.34 billion. This represents the scope of growth for the current fantasy apps.

There are different types of fantasy apps that one can consider, before making an app. The types include DFS, single-sport fantasy apps, multiple league-based game apps, and sports betting apps. Learning the working of a fantasy app and help you to identify the points that you should consider while making app. Reasons have highlighted the points that are essential for drafting the unique points that can encourage you to develop an app.

With the popular apps, you must have got the exact idea, of what kind of app you can develop. The process that you can adopt for developing an app should start with conducting market research. Thus, it can be stated that it is an easy process with a reasonable range to develop your fantasy app.

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Niketan Sharma

Niketan Sharma is the CTO of Nimble AppGenie, a prominent website and mobile app development company in the USA that is delivering excellence with a commitment to boosting business growth & maximizing customer satisfaction. He is a highly motivated individual who helps SMEs and startups grow in this dynamic market with the latest technology and innovation.