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Sports Connect is a popular youth sports league management tool, thanks to features like roster building, reporting templates, and website management. But its per athlete pricing and complex features can be hard to navigate, and you can end up spending more time with tech support than you bargained for.
If you’re a volunteer who wants to make a change but doesn’t want to spend days figuring out which features are worth your time, there are alternative apps to try for your sports organization.
With a little research, you can find one that’s both affordable and more compatible with your youth team, league, or club — and we’re here to help with our breakdown eight of the top options.
1. Jersey Watch
Jersey Watch is an easy-to-use, all-in-one youth sports platform designed to empower volunteers to do more for their teams with less hassle.
With Jersey Watch, you can build a powerful league website, create registration forms and register more players, share schedules, conduct background checks, and encourage donations. It’s a great option for volunteers needing a robust solution that allows them to make a major impact on their teams without juggling multiple tools.
Key features
- Responsive website building: Quickly set up your domain and add logos, photos, and important information — no tech skills needed.
- Simple online registration: Register players in a snap and capture everything from uniform size to volunteer availability. Update as needed throughout the season from the user-friendly dashboard.
- No-fuss scheduling: Organize practices and events, create schedules, track standings, and adjust details with Jersey Watch.
- Centralized payments: Handle all payments in one place. Jersey Watch’s functionality allows you to set up discount codes, issue refunds, modify pricing, and set up payment plans.
- Faster background checks: Run background checks on admin staff in just one day to protect players.
- Better fundraising management: Manage and track fundraising campaigns to simplify your current campaigns and improve future ones.
- Streamlined messaging: Control communication with SMS and email messages to individual teams, regional divisions, or the entire sports organization.
Pricing
Jersey Watch offers Starter, Plus, and Pro accounts, starting at $29 per month for an annual subscription. All accounts include a website with custom design, registration/payment setup, a free domain, and SMS/email capabilities.
2. SportsEngine
SportsEngine HQ is a modern sports management software solution supporting more than 1.2 million teams and 45,000 organizations. Backed by NBC Sports Next, the platform supports auto-scheduling, online registration, and payments. SportsEngine could be a good alternative if you’re a for-profit division that’s ready to expand.
Key features
- Liability management: Use the software to run background checks on volunteers, provide abuse prevention training, and issue liability waivers.
- Club discounts: SportsEngine uses its collective buying influence to score discounts on turf equipment, food/beverage, concessions supplies, and office supplies.
- Custom website: Select from custom website templates to design your team’s site and improve engagement.
- Medical insurance: Explore medical insurance via SportsEngine to give parents financial protection in case of player injury.
Pricing
SportsEngine offers Express, Premium, and Pro plans, starting at $799 per year.
3. TeamSnap for Business
TeamSnap is best known for its club and team management features that help create a strong network of parents, coaches, and players. The mobile app is easy to adapt for youth or adult sports, and it could be a great alternative to SportsConnect if you run community sports for all ages and need advanced program management capabilities.
Key features
- Online registration: Set up complex forms and improve the sign-up experience with family-centric workflows.
- Invoicing: TeamSnap uses response-based add-on fees for smarter collections. Easily track who’s paid and who still needs to settle up.
- Rostering: TeamSnap shows you a snapshot of the current roster, including who still needs placement, and provides a building tab to add players and update their details.
- Scheduling: Autoschedule games and update event details to keep everyone in the loop.
Pricing
You can request pricing for TeamSnap for Business on the TeamSnap website.
4. LeagueApps
LeagueApps is an all-in-one tool for youth sports registration, communication, website design, and scheduling. The platform works with an array of third-party tools, like Facebook and Excel, to streamline admin duties. LeagueApps could be a good alternative if your league is expanding and you need facility management support.
Key features
- Registration: Keep track of registrations, including waitlists and capacity limits.
- Scheduling: Automatically set up schedules and brackets and track RSVPs, locations, and real-time check-ins.
- Reporting: Transfer data (financials, league stats, etc.) from LeagueApps to spreadsheets so you spend less time copying and pasting.
- Marketing: Connect LeagueApps to current marketing tools, like MailChimp, to boost reach and improve member engagement.
- College recruitment: Help athletes find recruiters by linking LeagueApps to recruiting software, like the NCSA.
Pricing
LeagueApps takes a percentage of online transactions. Customers pay a one-time setup fee based on team size with no long-term commitments.
5. Stack Team App
Stack Team App is a customizable smartphone app for both Apple and Android. While largely designed for team sports, you can use it for other clubs or community groups too. For a free option, it does offer some valuable features, including availability tracking, attendance reports, and fundraising campaign management. So it’s a good alternative for volunteers on a tight budget.
Key Features
- Scheduling: Tracks RSVPs, attendance, duty rosters, and more.
- Player profiles: Keep track of player details, post photos, or link to key stats.
- Fundraising: Create campaigns from within the app and track goals for better management.
- Surveys: Use the app to create questionnaires and notify players or parents to encourage and collect helpful feedback.
Pricing
Stack Team App is free and funded by in-app ads.
6. TeamLinkt
TeamLinkt is a comprehensive sports software solution for organizations and teams. It uses AI-powered tools to help you manage schedules, design websites, encourage team communications, and send mobile alerts. Since TeamLinkt offers flat pricing, it might be a good Sports Connect alternative if your team is growing fast and needs more oversight.
Key Features
- Live game updates: Post real-time scores and updates for every round of play.
- Stats and standings: Collect scores and dissect plays to evaluate tactics and switch up strategies.
- Manage officials: Assign, track, and communicate with officials, like umps and refs, to reduce confusion and double-scheduling.
- Sponsorship partnerships: Create sponsorship proposals, sell ad placement, and manage contracts for your team or organization.
Pricing
TeamLinkt offers a one-time launch package for $795 for both teams and organizations. Some features, like background checks, may require additional fees.
7. Crossbar
Crossbar is a sports management platform created by volunteer parents for volunteer parents. It’s backed by a hands-on organization that builds relationships with clients and offers customized solutions to keep everything running smoothly. The platform splits across clubs, leagues, facilities, tournaments, and governing bodies, making it a good alternative if you need customizable programming.
Key features
- Membership management: Run membership reports, manage jersey assignments, and send emails to specific groups or the entire roster.
- Financial tools: Use the comprehensive reporting tool for at-a-glance assessments or detailed breakdowns of outstanding and settled accounts.
- Point-and-click scheduler: Sync schedules directly to calendars without messy spreadsheets.
- League management: Split by division or season to track standings, scores, and more.
Pricing
Subscription costs vary by club size and platform functionality.
8. PLAI Sport
PLAI Sport is a mobile and web solution that modernizes programs and consolidates team communication, schedules, and finances. With streamlined, AI-powered features, volunteers get basic admin support to manage their to-do lists. This may be a good alternative if you need general functionality to kickstart or improve a non-profit program.
Features
- Simple platform: User-friendly design and design to set up and track your program’s core components.
- Financial support: Put all your finances online, so there’s less chance of lost payments.
- Attendance and selections: Track attendance and post rosters in PLAI Sport.
- Central communications: Streamline messaging and cut back on endless notifications across text, WhatsApp, and emails.
Pricing
PLAI Sport is free to use, with no annual or monthly subscription fees.
Get everything you need for your sports league with Jersey Watch
Players, parents, and volunteers count on digital tools to help them manage their schedules, and a better sports management app can do wonders to improve the experience for everyone involved at your organization. With Jersey Watch, you don’t have to spend your time talking to account managers or asking tech support how to configure the registration tools.
Our software makes it easy to schedule, message, and register players and their families — and even conduct online background checks. Every feature is designed for volunteers who want to help kids express themselves and their talents, not learn how to code websites or create legal forms.
With Jersey Watch, you’ll find an affordable and user-friendly alternative that cuts way back on admin tasks, so you can spend more quality time with your players.
Start exploring Jersey Watch’s features — sign up today!
