Just Play Social Sports App and Web Platform
Just Play is a web platform and mobile app basedin Australia, designed to connect adults who are looking to form or join sports teams. It offers a convenient way to find the right team and access suitable playing facilities.
The client
The story of Anadea’s long cooperation with David Argyle of Just Play roots in 2016. Since then, the platform has come through several big releases and smaller enhancements and improvements, including redesign and new marketing features, improving user experience, and much more.
David Argyle
To learn more about the platform’s journey to success, read our interview with David Argyle.
Story behind
In Australia, playing sports after work is a popular way for adults to socialize. Nearly 6 million out of 20 million residents regularly participate in social sports, forming about one million active teams each week. Newcomers to a city with few acquaintances find it hard to join existing teams or organize spontaneous games. Creating teams from scratch and coordinating with venues can be impractical and time-consuming, as venues often require early commitments. Many people who want to join teams or play casually lack suitable venues.
David Argyle, working in a traditional sports business in Australia, sees the need for better ways to organize social sports. Using Microsoft Excel to record names and organize teams, he realizes the system's limitations. With lots of interest and encouragement, David Argyle develops Just Play, a social sports app designed to make organizing and participating in social sports easy.
How it works
Just Play partners with venues seeking to increase participant numbers and revenue for their facilities. When people visit and inquire about playing games, venues recommend finding a team to play with through Just Play. Word-of-mouth referrals benefit shared interests.
Just Play offers clear and beneficial subscription plans plans for both regular league players and occasional participants. The platform offers a broad range of sports, from basketball to cricket, providing users with a range of options.
Features of Just Play
Player features
-
Registration
User signs up on the Just Play platform. -
Information submission
Fills out a form with essential personal information and game preferences. -
Subscription purchase
Buys a Subscription Plan for seasons or pays for individual games. -
Team allocation
The Just Play admin assigns the user to a team. -
Game details
Receives information about upcoming games. -
Game participation
Plays in the games with their team.
Player features: Additional features to improve user experience
-
User geolocation
Suggests nearby venues to the user. -
Game notifications
Sends game updates via push notifications and SMS. -
Uniform ordering
Allows users to order team uniforms. -
User support
Assists Stream Chat and an FAQ section.
Admin features
-
League management
Handles data related to leagues. -
Team management
Manages team data. -
Game management
Oversees game scheduling and details. -
Player management
Manages player information and statistics. -
Transaction and subscription management
Monitors financial transactions and subscription details. -
Admin settings
Allows configuration and customization of admin settings.
Just Play history throughout the years
2016: First launch
“In the first year or two, before we had the subscription functionality, we would just email our users and say, “Hey, you need to sign up again for next season.” And people would't get around to it because life is busy. [...] So we decided to improve this sub-optimal user experience. We already had the users’ credit card details and they only needed to opt in or opt out. That's an example of a feature that we introduced by analyzing user behavior, which also provided a benefit to the business.”
David Argyle in the interview with Anadea
2016: Additional release
In the second phase, we focused more on user experience to enhance client satisfaction and usability of the social sports app. This included integrating the application with the messenger, adding Intercom analytics, incorporating the Mandrill email service, and enabling login via Facebook.
2017: Interface redesign
The design of the web platform underwent a major transformation. We transitioned from standard Bootstrap forms to a custom interface. This enhanced the interaction experience on mobile browsers.
Some changes were aimed at increasing sales and attracting new users. We refined the payment process and pricing structure to increase conversions and revenue. Additionally, we integrated new tools to strengthen the SEO strategy.
Continuous analysis and product improvement
Throughout the product history, the client has consistently worked to improve the social sports app and platform, making it more user-friendly and efficient for social sports enthusiasts.
This steady commitment shows a clear focus on delivering practical and valuable enhancements for their users, reflecting their understanding of the community's needs in the evolving world of social sports.
The conclusion?
The recipe behind the success of a startup is addressing an unmet need, streamlining inefficient processes, and establishing a clear, elegant business model. It also requires a target audience that eagerly awaits a solution and effective communication channels with them. Just Play have continuously developed and improved their product.
Tech stack
Mobile apps
- Type: Cross-platform
- Language: Dart
- Framework: Flutter
- State management: MobX
Web platform
- Backend: Ruby on Rails
- Frontend: Lightweight HTML+JS with a pinch of React
- Database: PostgreSQL
- Hosting: Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Integrations
- Braintree
- Shopify
- Email providers
- Intercom
- Google Services
Contact us
Let's explore how our expertise can help you achieve your goals! Drop us a line, and we'll get back to you shortly.