Are you drowning in a sea of generic sports headlines and endless score updates? Do you crave in-depth analysis, insightful interviews, and expert takes that go beyond the roar of the crowd? Then you, my friend, are exactly who needs to build an app like The Athletic!

The Athletic has carved a niche in the sports media world by offering premium, subscription-based sports journalism. Due to its huge popularity, startups and businesses are looking to invest in sports news app development. So, if you are also someone who wants to build a sports news app like The Athletic, then read this blog till the end and so not skip.

By reading this blog, you will get an insight on everything like steps, key features, development costs and other aspects which can help you build an app like The Athletic.

So, let’s begin!

What Is The Athletic App?

The Athletic app is a paid sports news resource that provides in-depth reporting on a wide range of sports leagues, teams, and subjects. With the goal of giving members access to premium, ad-free material, it offers articles, podcasts, and analysis from experts.

Games fans may explore the nuances of their favorite teams and games using the app. This focuses more on in-depth research and narrative than breaking news. So, if you have a similar idea to build an app like The Athletic, then you should take assistance from an iOS or Android app development company.

Market Statistics Of Sports News Industry!

• In September 2023, an American poll revealed that little more than 25% of sports enthusiasts claimed to have the NBA app installed on their tablet or smartphone. In the meanwhile, only 3% of those surveyed had downloaded the MLS app.
• More than any other sports news app, FlashScore was downloaded around 441 thousand times in Poland in 2023. The FUTBIN – FC 24 Draft Builder app, which had over 92,000 downloads that year, came next.

• As of July 2023, the sports news application L’Equipe has received over 100 million visitors, making it by far the most popular online sports magazine in France.
• The market for news and magazine apps was estimated to be worth $1.18 billion globally in 2021, and between 2022 and 2028, it is projected to increase at a CAGR of 11.0%.

Steps To Build An App Like The Athletic

By now, you know enough about the app like The Athletic, its functionality, and the features you need to include in order to make an app like The Athletic. The next step of how to build an app like The Athletic has to be addressed in this section:  

1. Validate Your App Idea  

Define your app’s goal and validate your app idea with hybrid app development services provider before you begin development. Think about who will benefit from your sports news app the most and what makes it unique from others.

Do you have a different viewpoint in mind, or are you aiming to attract sports fans who are drawn to in-depth analysis and exclusive material similar to that of The Athletic? These all questions must be answered before moving on to the next stage.

2. Perform Competitor Analysis 

To fully grasp the demands of your target audience and the sports media ecosystem, do in-depth competitor research before you build an app like The Athletic. Also, you should examine rivals like The Athletic to determine their pros or cons.

Always seek for chances to set your app apart from the competition and give users something special. Your sports app development choices will be informed by your understanding of user preferences and market trends.

3. Design UI/UX 

Now comes the designing stage where designers will design the UI/UX to build an app like The Athletic. User interface design plays a critical role in the success of your app. They would make wireframes and prototypes to visualize the app’s layout.

Always remember to focus on simplicity, intuitiveness, and aesthetics to ensure users enjoy using your app. After that, they would integrate features like personalized content recommendations, seamless social sharing options etc in your app.

4. Start the Athletic App Development 

You should now hire an Android or iOS app development services provider who can build an app like The Athletic. You can begin by creating the core features and functionality that align with your vision and meet the needs of your target audience.

Also, it should include user authentication, content management, payment processing for subscriptions, notifications, and social integration. All the information gathered above will be implemented in this stage by sports app development services experts.

5. Test Your App

Testing the app makes it free of error and gives users a smooth app experience. So, either avail software testing services or hire experienced testers who can perform different testing. They will make final edits to your sports news app and test it on a real device. Once the sports news app like The Athletic is finally tested, you can now jump to the next stage.

6. Final Release 

Last but not the least, you may now release your app on the app stores after removing the bugs. But always remember to follow the app store guidelines before publishing it. Also, a regular maintenance of your sports news app is essential for better performance and user retention.

Must-have Features To Build An App Like The Athletic

Features play an important role in making your sports news app successful. Although there are several sports news apps available, yours must have exceptional features and functions to make it stand out from the competition. As per the on-demand app development services provider, we have jotted down the popular features that can help your app stand out:

1. User Profiles

When you build an app like The Athletic, you should first allow users to create profiles. It helps users to manage their preferences, subscriptions, and track their favorite teams or athletes.

2. Customized Content Feed

You can provide a customized content feed based on users’ interests, favorite teams when you build an app like DAZN or any other sports news app. It makes users receive relevant updates and articles that match their preferences.

3. Premium Content

When you build an app like The Athletic app for sports news, it is vital to provide members-only access to articles, interviews, and analyses. Users are encouraged to subscribe in order to access original, high-quality material.

4. Offline Reading

It enables users to save articles for offline reading which allows them to access content even without an internet connection. This feature enhances user experience, especially for those on the go or with limited connectivity.

5. Subscription Plans

When you develop a sports app like ESPN or The Athletic, you must integrate various subscription plans with flexible pricing options to cater to different user preferences and budgets. Offer free trials or discounts to attract new subscribers.

6. Push Notifications

Notify users in a timely manner with any breaking news, match updates, fresh articles, or suggestions for tailored content. This encourages frequent the best fantasy app The Athletic use by keeping consumers informed and involved.

7. Interactive Multimedia

To improve the narrative experience, your app must have a multimedia feature like podcasts, interactive graphics, and movies. It boosts users’ interaction with the sports news app and offers a variety of content types. With the help of the best fantasy app development companies in Kuwait, you can integrate the interactive multimedia feature.

8. Community Interaction

By allowing users to leave comments on stories, participate in dialogues, and communicate with journalists and other sports fans, you can help them feel more connected to the community. User loyalty and involvement are encouraged by this.

9. Bookmarking and Sharing

When you build an app like The Athletic, you should enable them to bookmark their favorite articles for later reading. Also, they can share them easily across social media platforms or with friends via messaging apps. It facilitates content discovery and virality.

10. Personalized Alerts

With the personalized alerts feature in the sports fantasy app like The Athletic, users can get updates for game scores, breaking news related to users’ favorite teams or sports. It keeps users informed in real-time and boosts their app experience.

How Much Does It Cost To Build An App Like The Athletic?

Now you must be thinking “what is the cost to build an app like The Athletic?”. On average the cost to develop a mobile app can range between $10000-$25000 or can exceed depending on the app complexity. Factors like features, technologies, development team location etc can influence The Athletic clone app development cost. To get a clear idea of the cost to develop The Athletic-like app, let’s check out this table:

This is just the basic cost estimation of The Athletics-like app development. If you want to know the actual cost to build an app like The Athletic, it is best to consult with a mobile app development services provider. They would let you know the whole The Athletic app cost breakdown required for your project.

Final Thoughts!

For sports fans who don’t have time to read newspapers but still want to be aware of what’s happening in the world of sports, The Athletic is an incredible sports news app. This well-known sports news app provides timely sports-related news from across the globe, making for an excellent user experience.

Therefore, now is the right moment to invest in sports news app development by collaborating with a reputable on demand app development company if you want to build an app like The Athletic. Don’t wait any longer—develop an app like The Athletic which you’ve been wondering about.

FAQ About The Athletic App Development!  

1. What Is A Sports News App?

The sports news app allows users to get updated with the latest news or insights related to sports. It provides insightful analysis and compelling news that enchant sports fans and bring them closer to the action. Also, it facilitates current affairs, live commentary, in-depth long reads etc.

2. How Long Does It Take To Build A Sports News App?

The development time of a sports news app like The Athletic may typically be affected by the app intricacy and technologies. On an average, a basic sports news app can be developed within 2-4 months while a complex sports news app can take more than 5 months.

3. How Much Does It Cost to Maintain An App? 

The cost to maintain an app like The Athletic can be around 15-20% of the total app development cost. For example, if your sports news app development cost is $10000, then you would be charged $1000-$5000 on maintenance annually.

4. How Much Does It Cost To Create An App Like The Athletic?

The cost to build an app like The Athletic may lies between $10000-$25000. But it is not the exact cost but keep on varies with your project specifications. If you want to build a simple sports app then you would be charged around $10000-$15000 whereas an advanced sports app may raise the development cost up to $15000-$25000 or more.

5. What Are the Top 5 Sports News App?

If you are thinking of creating a sports news app like The Athletic, you must be aware of the already available apps in the market. Here are the best ones we have compiled:

• Bleacher Report
• theScore
• ESPN
• Sky Sports
• Golf Channel