Apple Sports (opens in new tab)

(apple.com)

33 pointsdm2y ago26 comments

26 comments

Does anyone else find the prominence of sports betting in this app…odd?

I know sports betting has become a bigger and bigger part of watching sports. But as an activity that can become harmful to certain people, I find it very un-Apple like to have prioritized this information in what is otherwise a fairly mediocre app when compared to, say, ESPN.

hombre_fatal2y ago

Betting odds are useful even if you don't bet because they show you the outcome prediction. It would be weird if clicking it led you to a betting website given Apple's stance on gambling, but just seeing the odds isn't weird.

cjrp2y ago

Google frames this as “win probability” which feels more like statistics rather than gambling.

blueelephanttea2y ago

> Does anyone else find the prominence of sports betting in this app…odd?

Not really. The basic betting line indicating which team is favored has been apart of box scores long before betting was widespread or accessible in the US.

I would find it pretty shocking if Apple started displaying individual player betting lines, parlays, etc. The stuff that has propagated into broadcasts with the growth of sports betting.

But which team is favored seems pretty basic information that is interesting even if I don't care about betting.

tiltowait2y ago

It's definitely a surprise to see, coming from Apple. However, if we consider the amount of money they make on gacha games, which are essentially slot machines (that award you worthless items) (and are often targeted at children), it's unfortunately less of a surprise.

realusername2y ago

Both the appstore and the playstore are indeed making most of their money on casino type games but usually they try for obvious PR & legal reasons to avoid this subject.

Anything mentioning the store will show plenty of productivity apps or something similarly positive. I'm also very surprised by this move.

Crontab2y ago

I am not a fan of betting but I support being able to do it. I do think it would be nice if Apple could add an option to hide all gambling-related things for those who struggle with an addiction to it.

FireBeyond2y ago

Not even that, Apple has a moral objection to other things, but gambling is okay? (I don't think they should be arbiting anything, but still...)

blashyrk2y ago

Why? Do you consider Apple to generally be some sort of force of good?

I find Apple to be an incredibly cynical company. They are cynical towards their users (donglebook back when USB-c was hardly adopted, the whole "you're holding it wrong" saga etc etc). They are even more cynical towards the developers on their platform, no need to waste words on that after the recent malicious compliance of EU laws etc

scarface_742y ago

You’re right about adopting USB C too early. They should have also stuck with SCSI and ADB with the original iMac.

But this is a first, someone complaining that Apple used an industry standard too early.

1 more reply

bzzzt2y ago

> Why? Do you consider Apple to generally be some sort of force of good?

No, but I don't presume they are purely guilty/cynical if there also might be good reasons for the changes they are making. Also, presuming Apple as a company has perfect knowledge and will not ever make a mistake is not realistic. There are things like unintended consequences, of which they also fixed a lot.

gwill2y ago

I didn't find it prominent and had to read pretty far down to find out that it's only betting odds being displayed. I find betting odds useful to know expectations going into a game. You can turn the betting odds off as well.

superultra2y ago

That’s interesting. I don’t see anywhere to turn off the odds, and for me - this is for NHL - the odds are the top widget on all the games.

2 more replies

hbcondo7142y ago

  Apple Sports keeps fans up to date on the following leagues currently in season:

  MLS

  NBA

  NCAA basketball (men’s and women’s)

  NHL

  Bundesliga

  LaLiga

  Liga MX

  Ligue 1

  Premier League

  Serie A

I hope they expand their coverage for more sports like Baseball (MLB) and Tennis (WTA, ATP)

quitit2y ago

From the link:

Additional leagues will become available on Apple Sports over time, including MLB, NFL, NCAAF, NWSL, and WNBA for their upcoming seasons.

No word on tennis yet.

subpixel2y ago

This seems designed in exact opposition to my needs.

I need a service that curates highlights of the sports and teams and players I care about, presented in a way that shares no spoilers, so I can catch up when I can.

As is usual this gap in copyrighted content is filled by unsanctioned channels.

niteshade2y ago

Unclear why this gets its own app instead of being a tab in the News app

baxuz2y ago

Oh boy, gambling as an OS feature.

Spivak2y ago

That's called trying to connect to non-Apple bluetooth devices.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

26 comments

superultra2y ago

Does anyone else find the prominence of sports betting in this app…odd?

hombre_fatal2y ago

cjrp2y ago

Google frames this as “win probability” which feels more like statistics rather than gambling.

blueelephanttea2y ago

> Does anyone else find the prominence of sports betting in this app…odd?

Not really. The basic betting line indicating which team is favored has been apart of box scores long before betting was widespread or accessible in the US.

I would find it pretty shocking if Apple started displaying individual player betting lines, parlays, etc. The stuff that has propagated into broadcasts with the growth of sports betting.

But which team is favored seems pretty basic information that is interesting even if I don't care about betting.

tiltowait2y ago

realusername2y ago

Both the appstore and the playstore are indeed making most of their money on casino type games but usually they try for obvious PR & legal reasons to avoid this subject.

Anything mentioning the store will show plenty of productivity apps or something similarly positive. I'm also very surprised by this move.

Crontab2y ago

FireBeyond2y ago

Not even that, Apple has a moral objection to other things, but gambling is okay? (I don't think they should be arbiting anything, but still...)

blashyrk2y ago

Why? Do you consider Apple to generally be some sort of force of good?

scarface_742y ago

You’re right about adopting USB C too early. They should have also stuck with SCSI and ADB with the original iMac.

But this is a first, someone complaining that Apple used an industry standard too early.

1 more reply

bzzzt2y ago

> Why? Do you consider Apple to generally be some sort of force of good?

gwill2y ago

superultra2y ago

That’s interesting. I don’t see anywhere to turn off the odds, and for me - this is for NHL - the odds are the top widget on all the games.

2 more replies

hbcondo7142y ago

  Apple Sports keeps fans up to date on the following leagues currently in season:

  MLS

  NBA

  NCAA basketball (men’s and women’s)

  NHL

  Bundesliga

  LaLiga

  Liga MX

  Ligue 1

  Premier League

  Serie A

I hope they expand their coverage for more sports like Baseball (MLB) and Tennis (WTA, ATP)

quitit2y ago

From the link:

Additional leagues will become available on Apple Sports over time, including MLB, NFL, NCAAF, NWSL, and WNBA for their upcoming seasons.

No word on tennis yet.

subpixel2y ago

This seems designed in exact opposition to my needs.

I need a service that curates highlights of the sports and teams and players I care about, presented in a way that shares no spoilers, so I can catch up when I can.

As is usual this gap in copyrighted content is filled by unsanctioned channels.

niteshade2y ago

Unclear why this gets its own app instead of being a tab in the News app

baxuz2y ago

Oh boy, gambling as an OS feature.

Spivak2y ago

That's called trying to connect to non-Apple bluetooth devices.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse