Dream11 Like App Development: A Complete Guide to Make a Successful Fantasy Sports App

Lionel Messi’s Barcelona and Real Madrid are all ready for another season of UEFA Champions League; the Indian Premier League is all set to go. Well, these are headlines that football fans and cricket fans are always looking for on the internet. 

Whatever be the sport, when your favourite star and team is out there in the field, no true fan can stay away. It was this energy of fans to stay in the game that nurtures Dream11 like mobile app development in the sporting business. 

Now, did you know that Dream11 has been in the unicorn club for quite some time? With more than a billion dollars rolling more and more investors are teaming up to develop apps like Dream11. Dream11’s founders started their journey almost in line with the launch of IPL in 2008. Could they have anticipated their success in advance? That’s hard to say. But one thing is sure; they were aware of cricket fans and their immense love for the game which in some quarters led to even betting.  

Now, betting and gambling are illegal in India for a long time and have developed an illicit association of bookies with the underworld Dons and many big players. Dream11 however was cleared by a Court of India and has legal and social acceptance today. So the time is high to launch your fantasy sports app in the market if you are out of mobile app ideas. 

Why are fans attracted to fantasy sports apps like Dream11?

The knowledge of the demand factor is helpful if you want to succeed in any business. And when it comes to the fantasy sports segment be it PlayStation, video games like FIFA, PES, etc. or those like Dream11 the thing is people want to be in control. It is pretty much like; we feel we are the hero in every movie we watch; it is a psychological factor. That’s why we feel concerned about it. 

Similarly, fans feel themselves leading the game when their favourite team wins or players score. They would hence give anything to have a near similar experience. They realize their jubilation through video games, fantasy apps, etc. So the philosophical guide for a Dream11 app developer is this – “design the app in such a way that it gives more power to players and make it as realistic as possible.”

Dream11 has cleared the path for the fantasy sports development segment into the most significant fan market for all kinds of sports in the world, i.e. India.  

How prospective is the fantasy sports app business today?

The fantasy sports app is one of the fastest-growing businesses in the world. The growth and appeal for this segment are so much that by 2025 it will be a 33.2 billion dollar market.

Now, the region-wise distribution varies greatly. For example, the Indian market is the most prospective one with the revenue growth growing nearly thrice every five years, as you can see below.

Also, the number of users who are using mobile phones for casual gaming is less compared to massive gamers. It shows the current user behaviour and pattern in the mobile games app market today. The statistics are just the tip of an iceberg when it comes to the size of the market. 

The next doubt many investors have in mind when they come to develop their solution is, why a mobile app? Why not go for an easy and simple website? 

And chances are, now you may also be asking the same question. The simple answer is it is because users love mobile. Today smartphones have nearly 65% plus global reach. And if we look at the statistics from India in 2019, almost 85% of users played fantasy sports apps on their mobile devices. 

The logic is simple: when you can get it with a tap, why type it on Google? 

So the market is all set for your app launch. But how ready are YOU to launch your app? Still, want to know more about it? Then, read on, while we fill you the essentials of designing, developing and packing the right features in a fantasy sports application.

How to design a fantasy sports app like Dream11?

A fantasy sports app is not a game of eye-catching graphics and colours. It is therefore imperative to get hold of some inherent factors when you design an app like Dream11.

1. Data is the King

You cannot approach fantasy sports like any other sports app development. Because here the game is played over data and its adept handling. It is not about “press-the key-faster” ability like video games. Instead, it is more of a calculative and skillful nature. The users are driven by the data of the leagues and competitions—the player data, their form, their overall performances, their performances under certain conditions, etc.

So if your app has to win the fan hearts, it should make their life easy in terms of analyzing the data. And it just doesn’t end there. You need to make the data presentable. It needs to be easy to read informatics with prioritizing the relevance of information, design the dashboard with critical elements like the news section, player profile, graphs all in the right place.

2. Follow the 5-second Rule

When you start on the design side to create an app like Dream11, you need to have a set of design principles up your sleeves. We are going to discuss some here and in the following section. A designer needs to grab the bird’s eye view of the app’s purpose to frame them flawlessly. 

The 5-second rule is on the top of the list of design aids. It stems from the user response studies. It states that a designer needs to capture the user’s attention within the first five seconds to get him to see further. Or the user will simply move on to something better. Applying the rule to the mobile app design process, we derive dashboards and interfaces that stick into the user perspective. 

So whichever mobile app development framework you choose, remember to stick onto a quick insights interface. And if it takes time, remember the wait is worth it because all good things take time.

3. Take a cue from the “Newsroom”

Now, when you are handling an app that handles gigabytes of data every day, you could be in a fix. How to classify them?

Some designers at the UXplanet cracked a super-efficient way to come around the problem, and that was to use the “Newsroom” analogy. When you listen to the news, have you ever wondered, how the hell they arrange millions of reports to dish out the most-wanted and preferred on to the audience platter? They do this using the “inverted pyramid.” 

So, what is this “inverted pyramid?”

The inverted-pyramid is a logical layout to bring to the forefront the most meaningful and engaging content. In the News industry, there is a classification of news :

• The one that readers want to skim through
• News that readers peruse with moderate interest
• Those which readers follow close to heart, without skipping even the spaces

The same principles can be applied in fantasy sports app design as well. The users are of generally three types, one who is merely curious about sports. The second category is the genuinely interested and followers of events, and the third is the die-hard fans, who go to any extent to savour the game and stories.

Classifying the users into three groups, we mentioned above the vast data can be structured effectively. The mobile app development process can become very clear with effective data-fetching mechanisms in place. Even the Dream11 database structure manages data by similar logical structures that filter the most relevant bits. We will delve into Dream11’s development details later in the blog.

4. Go Minimal

When you create a mobile app like Dream11, you need to expect millions of logins. From the design point of view, it means that every app screen you create should stand out to engage users. Now psychological studies reveal that a human brain can process 7 (+or – 2) visual elements. And it is the maximum we are talking about here. So, you need to ensure that or 7 less visual elements fill your eerie screen and not more. Or the app is going to create visual clutter, and users are going to drop them fast. Hence, you need to know how to create minimalist designs for a fantasy sports app with a mountain of data processing and visualization at hand.

How to start the development of your Dream11 like fantasy sports app?

The fantasy sports app is a hot field with fandom and stardom at its peak. Star-worship and following up is something that millennials fondly pursue. One reason is that they have free time and the second thing is they have smartphones with them. 

But when it comes to making an app of your own, you need to be aware of the fundamental challenges in developing a fantasy sports app.  The primary considerations that will cross a severe investor and mobile app development agency will be :

• Marketing Time Needed

• Cost of Development

• Whom and how to hire

• Cost of Maintenance

• Essential Features

• Risks in 3rd Party solutions

As an experienced mobile app development company, we have a distinct take on each of these challenges, and we discuss them under the following sub-headings :

1. Combine the power of web and mobile

When you look at a successful fantasy sports app, the one thing that stands out is their extensive presence. Just imagine seeing a new event, a competition and you have two links: one to its website and another to the app store. 

Which one would you choose?

Of course, the first one. Why?

Because we want to know right then and there, you stop me on my way and say I have something to tell you. Then you are saying, come to this restaurant, we will discuss it there. Now, who would do that with a stranger? Very kind and patient human beings. But remember they are very few.

Marketing is in a way like the above scenario. You are introducing a stranger – a new app, or an idea or product- the user wants to get to the depth then and there. So all this is to impress you on the necessity of having a website for your fantasy sports app. 

If you look at Dream11 like app development strategy, this much is very visible. They gathered their initial takers from websites. With quick and easy login methods, many fans tasted the adrenaline rush of predicting and winning. These initial takers bought in the rest, and now they run into millions in numbers.    

2. Your Monetization Plan

We are sure you are not making this app to treat all the sports lovers in this world. You want the funds to flow to you, right? Then, it is time to plan your monetization schemes. 

Ads are one of the most commonly employed monetization methods. A few lines of code is all that it takes to give room for Ads. Despite its annoying nature, Ads are the most preferred one for users than paying outrightly for your app. In Dream11 like app development, the number of users are likely to be very high. And Ads earn you money only if you have a large number of users. So Ads as a monetization strategy is well found in fantasy sports app development.

The second strategy you can use is to make your app a paid one. But if you look at the research stats, you see that upfront payment is something half the gamers avoid. So the monetization is a tough bet for success and more so initially. 

Affiliate links are another way to earn more. For example, you can put up a link of particular products from Amazon in your app. If the users happen to purchase the product from this link, Amazon will be providing you with a small portion of the purchase as commission. Monetizing through affiliate marketing is also an excellent strategy to consider.

In-app purchases with coins and other goodies is a more intelligent way to persuade users to spend on your app. The fantasy sports app segment can do this by launching leagues along with real ones and other bonus leagues just after the end of the season to allow fans to reverse their team’s poor luck virtually.

3. Essential Features List

What makes every app unique is its design. But what sets limits to the design, it is the features you choose to have. So listing app features is something you need to do beforehand. Dream11 like app development demands a multitude of features, and it will be beyond the scope of the article to list them all. But we would like you to focus on some features you should never miss.

The participant or player app that you are building is the one which your actual users use on the Playstore or App Store. It needs to pack these features for engagement and clarity:

•  Quick User Login

The user registration should be straightforward and hassle-free. Any unnecessary information or response has to be carefully cut out. The login process needs to be simple enough to persuade users to try your app at least once. So it is best to limit your input fields to the essential information you need like the email id, personal number, etc. Social media logins can be very useful as it can get you information and facilitate registration in a single tap.

• Landing Screen

The one point from which the user can navigate to all the subsequent screens of the app. It needs to be compact with minimum but essential tools and visual elements.

• League Arena

One of the essences of your fantasy sports app is to engage the fired-up fans in the latest championships. You need to strike the iron when it’s hot. So a pure space for discussing new leagues, the cost of entering the leagues, winning range, rules of the contest, size of the tournament, period, etc. needs clear articulation.

• User Dashboard

A place for complete statistics and information. The dashboard must be logically clean to follow, visually capturing and simplifying with infographics to provide valuable insights for every user—the referrals, winnings, reward points, transaction history, bonus, etc.

Now coming to the Admin app, the one platform that gives you the edge in your business while fans win matches and their earnings. It helps you control the way things happen, to intervene in cases of errors, gather reviews and support users in getting a more significant experience from the player app. The essential Admin app features you cannot do without are :

• Admin Dashboard

A fully equipped powerful dashboard is a must for you to manage the app functioning, leagues, data sets and any other innovative schemes you plan to incorporate into the main player application.

•  Manage User Accounts

It gives you the ability to manage the users, the way they are using the accounts, the user control to edit, delete, deactivate their account.

• Manage Contests

This feature puts admin at the driving position of every new tournament, the already running contests, decide which of them are ‘free-to-play’ which are featured games, etc.

• Manage Reports

Enables the admin to access all the reports in the course of gameplay like the Earnings Report, Player Performance Report, Winner’s performance, etc.

The other features that define a  Dream11 like app development are listed below. You can take a cue from them with careful considerations.

4. Choosing the Right Framework

The next important step in developing a mobile application is to decide on the framework.  You might be aware of apps like Native apps, Progressive Web Apps and  Cross-platform apps. If you are not then, the table below will give you some idea.

As you can see the choice of going for a native, web or cross-platform depends on your actual budget, the type of monetization you plan to implement through the app, your target audience, the features you plan to offer the users, etc.

The programming languages for mobile app development is dependent on the kind of app you want to build. The native frameworks, the cross-platform frameworks, etc. have different coding languages. The features you saw in the previous section, the limitation it can have on your design, the need to overcome the coding of the design, etc. becomes the disputable internal aspects in choosing the right framework. Dream11 app developers went for Flutter as it balanced their traffic needs and other platform concerns.

From the future perspective, this stage is an iterative one, going in rounds. A solid market-research on your sports, its fan-base, categorization of the fan-base, etc. can help you in deciding on the type of framework. One other reason this process can be iterative is that you can always come to this stage to create new but only after success. Some app makers have gone for native apps after tasting success in the progressive web app segments. 

But you can relax, for now, it’s about the future. In the present, choose the best framework and start your  Dream11 like app development. Let’s now see how much it costs to launch a quality sports fantasy app in the contemporary market.

How much would it cost you to make an app like Dream11?

The one query every customer has is the pin-pointed, easy-to-state, pure numbers for getting their app on the app store. But let’s break it down to you there is no such number. The reason is that every customer’s needs are uniquely different. So when the requirements are different, the resources employed have a different time rate of usage; hence, the figures vary.

But, then you may ask, “there must be a rough estimate for sure?” Here too, a one-word answer is impossible. It depends on many adjacent factors of mobile app development processes. So the best thing is to look at what these factors are and then to see how much you need in the project and then figure out a rough estimate yourself before you go to meet a competent mobile app developer.

1. Design and Wireframe

The design of your app is crucial in defining the user experience and feel of the app. It forms the front-end development because how your app looks upfront is a UI/UX designer’s making. A good design needs a talented UI/UX designer who has experience in building successful apps for users. A standard designer costs you around $45 – $50 an hour in Upwork. 

2. Back-end Developer

Front-end is how an app looks, but it is the back-end that pulls strings so that the front-end works smoothly. Back-end developers sync your visual elements, your features, etc. and work seamlessly. They create the coding lines for the harmonious and free-flowing experience you have in the actual app use. The freelance cost of capable developers ranges from $80 per hour to as much as $200+ per hour. And the price is high in the Western market compared to Asian workforce.

3. Your App Requirements

The number of hours your front-end and back-end developer needs to put is not just a matter of skill. It is a reflection of the complication and challenges your project presents to them. 

How to choose your fantasy app development company?

A very safe and pragmatic choice for developing your fantasy mobile app is to go for a trustworthy mobile app development company. However, you must look for the following traits in your technology partner before you hand them the project:

• Review Past Clients

Look for the past projects the app company has delivered in your locality. Discuss with the clients the overall experience they had in working with the team and the end-product. For example, when you approach Mindster, you can already be assured of this because of our outstanding Clutch review. Clutch interviews clients of a mobile app development company and ranks companies based on their performance, credibility, etc.

• Realistic Budget

Watch out for companies that inflate the budgets. Here, at our client-discussion stage, we clearly outline the costs in comparison to the market rate, and this transparent process has always won us the prestigious clients like Oman Air, Drinn, Peekay Steels among others.

• Project Timeline

Opt for companies like Mindster who layout in advance the launch and delivery of every stage of product and deliver them in a time-bound manner.

• Experience

Check for the analytic, project operations skill, the project testing and delivery factor along with the experience of your lead developer in the project team.

• Communication

One of the reasons projects come out with flying colours in  Mindster is the satisfaction we provide to our clients. And communication is key to this, keeping the client in the loop for every stage of development and prototyping, we ensure that we are rightly advancing on their expectations. It saves review time and results in faster delivery of the product.

Finally, we hope that you will gain the best from our valuable insights and see success in developing your fantasy sports app. You can collaborate with us to create mobile apps and avail our exceptional services as we have laid out in the services section.  We work with startups, small, medium and large enterprises.

Wishing you all the very best !!!