Sportzcast documentation
Welcome. This site describes Sportzcast hardware, software, and how to integrate with live scoreboard data in your production environment.
What is Sportzcast?
Sportzcast provides live scoreboard data sourced directly from the scoreboard and delivered into your environment in real time. Automated workflow tools let you apply that data across broadcast graphics, real-time annotation and metadata, post-production, web scoreboards, and more.
We connect using ScoreLinks (also called scorebots or bots): interface devices that attach to venue scoreboard systems and relay game data in real time. ScoreLinks have been deployed in thousands of venues and are compatible with a wide range of scoreboard makes and models in the U.S. and internationally. Venues without a traditional electronic scoreboard can use ScoreApp / SportzBot (virtual bot) as an alternative path.
Focus: reliable, accurate real-time game data—the hardest part of live sports production.
Browse the documentation
Use the sections below to go deeper. The sidebar matches the same structure.
| Topic | What you will find |
|---|---|
| Support and FAQ | External support request form and frequently asked questions |
| Scorelink+ | Portable, Wi‑Fi–capable device; local decoding on device |
| ScoreConnect III | On‑prem software to configure ScoreLinks and serve data locally |
| ScoreConnect III (Linux & macOS) | Platform-specific notes for ScoreConnect III |
| BotServer (overview) | Cloud path: TCP in, decode, MQTT and TCP façade for clients |
| BotServer and MQTT | MQTT access patterns and details |
| MQTT ingress | Publish sports event JSON to ingress topics and monitor status feedback |
| API authentication and access | Access setup, token flow, and required request headers |
| Fixture management API | Query fixtures by bot, venue, or genius venue |
| Lookup event types API | Retrieve event type lists and class-definition schemas |
| Ingress sports contracts | EventId mapping, field groups, and validation guidance for ingress payloads |
| MQTT JSON contracts | Contract schema reference for bot/{botNumber}/json payloads |
| Scoreboards and connectors | Scoreboard-side wiring and compatibility |
Platform overview
Hardware
| Product | Summary |
|---|---|
| Scorelink+ | Current-generation device: portable, Wi‑Fi capable, runs locally (e.g. Raspberry Pi) so scoreboard data can be decoded and output without extra software on the local network. Combines ScoreLink-style capture with ScoreConnect-class behavior in one unit (OLED and controls on the device). |
| Scorelink (earlier) | Captures and distributes official scoreboard data in real time for continuous operation. |
Deep dive: Scorelink+.
Software and services
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| BotServer | Cloud service that receives data from ScoreLinks, decodes it, and exposes it to customers (TCP in; MQTT and a TCP façade out). Stack: .NET. See BotServer and MQTT. |
| ScoreConnect | Runs at the venue or on the LAN with a ScoreLink: configures the device (baud rate, ports, etc.) and acts as a local BotServer when you need data without relying on the public internet. Web UI; stack .NET with MVC. See ScoreConnect III. |
| SportzSuite (legacy) | Customer-facing suite that included ScoreDesigner (custom HTML scoreboard graphics driven by Sportzcast data) and ScoreApp / SportzBot (virtual bot to feed and control data for those graphics). Still referenced for historical integrations; prefer current platform docs above for new work. |
Glossary
ScoreLink / Scorelink
Hardware that connects to a scoreboard controller, retweets its signals to Sportzcast infrastructure or local software for decoding. Examples include Scorelink 2 (serial → network) and Scorelink+ (adds on-device decoding, e.g. Raspberry Pi, usable on the LAN without extra hosts).
BotServer
Cloud service that ingests ScoreLink data, decodes it, and publishes to customers via MQTT and related TCP interfaces.
ScoreConnect
Venue/LAN software that configures ScoreLinks and can serve decoded data locally like a BotServer, via a web interface.
Scorelink+
All-in-one hardware: ScoreLink + ScoreConnect–class capabilities on a single device.
Franchise
A grouping of ScoreLinks (e.g. per league or major customer) with associated users. Franchise creation and bot assignment are support operations; a Franchise Manager can manage users within their franchise.
Licensing
Users and bots have licenses that control access to data and permission to push data from a venue. Expired licenses block the corresponding access or push. Bot license tiers can allow local vs cloud push and options such as special radio/wireless controller configurations.
Getting help
For support contact details, see Support and FAQ.