College basketball tournaments and the start of the baseball season are traditionally televised at this time of year. But how can you keep it with you? it cannot to watch?
Whether you’re stuck at work or at your cousin’s wedding, you’ve got your smartphones covered. Most of them offer free apps that can not only provide live scores, but also keep you updated on every game in depth on the lock screen (and elsewhere).
Here are some quick ways you can stay in your game, even when you can’t watch it.
Using the Google App
The Google search app (for Android and iOS) is one readily available option to follow live games. To get started, open the Google app and search for a game that is close to the start. (Tap the “Follow” button next to the topic to have Google provide regular updates.)
When you find a game, look for the “Pin Live Score” button. If you’ve searched for a certain team, you’ll have the option to automatically suspend future games for your phone as well. As the game progresses, you should see the score displayed in a small onscreen button no matter what app you use. Tap on the score button to open the Google app for more information, like game descriptions and player changes.
A recent update to the “Watch” feature for Google Pixel phones can automatically show the games teams you’re following are displayed in a larger bar on the lock screen.
Samsung Galaxy phone models that feature a “Now” bar (in a movie theater that shows currency data) can also show scores from teams you follow in the Google app. Open Options, go to “Screen Display and AOD,” select “Now Bar” and then select “Google Play.”
Apple Sports has an online guide, but the software is pretty intuitive. When you first open it, click through until you see the main Apple Sports home screen with the “Start” button. Tap it, and you have the option to follow team news through the “My Sports” feature on other Apple devices (like Apple News), select sports, leagues and teams for you on the next screen.
The app’s main screen shows the game scores for the selected sports and teams. To follow the live score displayed on your phone’s lock screen, tap the game icon to open its full window, then tap the small clock below the scoreboard. Tapping the scoreboard on the lock screen takes you to the Apple Sports page with every game.
To have Apple Sports automatically show live scores for your favorite teams, tap the Home icon in the upper-right corner of the main screen and then tap the Settings icon. On the Updates screen, select the teams you want to follow live.
Through Third Party Apps
There are many independent apps dedicated to live scores, updates and sports news. Some may offer in-app purchases for additional features.
Most major league sports have their own apps – as do many of the individual teams within those leagues. Spend some time searching through your app store if you’re looking for a specific fan experience.
If you follow the progress of a certain sporting event, you can probably find a bespoke app.
For example, the basketball tournament for men’s and women’s college basketball, otherwise known as the March Madness games, has multiple apps for keeping tabs on all the games. You can also create your own arm of predicted winners. The March Madness Games live app (for Android and iOS) focuses on the men’s tournament but also has content on women’s games, and the Women’s Games March Madness app has dedicated women’s games.
The five-yearly men’s soccer spectacle, the FIFA World Cup, arrived in June. The official tournament app (for Android and iOS) is now available for those who want to check the schedule against their personal calendar to see which matches they can watch live and which ones will require live score updates.