# Market Research: Sports Road Trip App Features

*Research conducted: January 2026*

## Executive Summary

Analysis of the sports travel app market reveals opportunities for differentiation through stadium bucket list tracking, AI-powered planning, and group coordination features. Current competitors are primarily web-based tools focused on single sports, leaving a gap for a comprehensive native iOS app.

---

## Competitor Analysis

### Web-Based Trip Planning Tools

| Competitor | Focus | Key Features | Limitations |
|------------|-------|--------------|-------------|
| [Baseball-RoadTrip.com](https://www.baseball-roadtrip.com/) | MLB only | Pick teams, set dates, plan routes | Web-only, no app |
| [BasesRoaded.com](https://basesroaded.com/) | MLB only | Baseball Roadtrip Router tool | Limited to baseball |
| [BaseballTripPlanner.com](http://www.baseballtripplanner.com/) | MLB only | Auto-generate trips, ticket links | No mobile experience |

### General Road Trip Apps

| App | Strengths | Sports Features |
|-----|-----------|-----------------|
| [Roadtrippers](https://roadtrippers.com/) | AI Autopilot, 150 stops, 38M trip database | None - general travel |
| [Wanderlog](https://wanderlog.com/) | Budget tracking, collaborative | None |
| [Explore250](https://gmauthority.com/blog/2025/12/gm-and-u-s-department-of-transportation-release-new-explore250-road-trip-app/) | Digital stamps/passport, themed trips | None |

### Sports-Focused Apps

| App | Focus | Key Features |
|-----|-------|--------------|
| [Fantrip](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/fantrip-sports-travel/id6738052942) | Fan accommodations | Fan-to-fan stays, local tips, chat rooms |
| [Sports Venue Tracker](https://sportsvenuetracker.com/) | Stadium tracking | Multi-league venue tracking |
| [Baseball Bucket List](https://baseballbucketlist.com/) | MLB stadiums | Personal map, progress tracking |

### Tour Companies (High-End)

- [Big League Tours](https://www.bigleaguetours.com/) - Luxury MLB tours, 20+ years experience
- [Triple Crown Travel](https://triplecrowntravel.com/) - Organized baseball tour packages
- [Sports Travel and Tours](https://www.sportstravelandtours.com/) - Multi-sport group tours

---

## Feature Recommendations

### Priority 1: High-Impact Features

#### Stadium Bucket List Tracker
**Market validation**: Strong demand evidenced by dedicated products (Baseball Bucket List, MLB BallPark Pass-Port, Sports Venue Tracker, physical scratch-off maps on Amazon).

**Recommended features**:
- Visual progress map showing visited vs. remaining stadiums
- Digital passport/stamps for each visited stadium
- Achievement badges (e.g., "All NL West", "10 stadiums", "Coast to Coast")
- Shareable progress cards for social media
- Support for all leagues (MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL)

#### AI Trip Assistant
**Market validation**: [2025 sports travel trends](https://www.sportstourismnews.com/sports-travel-trends-2025/) show AI reshaping planning. Roadtrippers Autopilot uses AI for trip generation.

**Recommended features**:
- Natural language trip creation ("Plan me a West Coast baseball trip in July")
- Smart suggestions based on user history and preferences
- Real-time itinerary adjustments based on weather, traffic, game changes
- Conversational refinement ("add another game", "make it shorter")

#### Group Trip Coordination
**Market validation**: [SquadTrip](https://squadtrip.com/), Howbout, and Troupe demonstrate demand for group planning tools.

**Recommended features**:
- Invite friends to collaborate on trip planning
- Polling/voting on game choices and destinations
- Expense splitting integration (Splitwise-style)
- Shared itinerary with real-time sync
- Role delegation (lodging, tickets, restaurants)

---

### Priority 2: Medium-Impact Features

#### Ticket Integration
**Market validation**: BaseballTripPlanner links to tickets; users want one-stop planning.

**Recommended features**:
- Price comparison across StubHub, SeatGeek, VividSeats
- Ticket-travel bundles showing total trip cost
- Seat recommendations based on stadium guides
- Mobile ticket wallet integration

#### Fan Community Features
**Market validation**: [Fantrip](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/fantrip-sports-travel/id6738052942) focuses on fan-to-fan connections and local knowledge.

**Recommended features**:
- Stadium tips from locals (best food, parking, pre-game bars)
- Fan meetup coordination for away games
- Trip reviews and ratings from other users
- Discussion forums for specific trips or stadiums

#### Live Trip Companion Mode
**Market validation**: Real-time updates are standard in modern travel apps.

**Recommended features**:
- Real-time traffic/weather alerts with reroute suggestions
- Push notifications for game time changes or delays
- Nearby gas prices (GasBuddy integration)
- EV charging status with live availability

---

### Priority 3: Expansion Opportunities

#### Minor League & International Support
**Market validation**: Sports Venue Tracker supports multiple leagues and countries.

**Recommended features**:
- Minor league stadiums (AAA, AA, A)
- College stadiums (football, basketball)
- International venues (Toronto, Mexico City games)
- Spring training facilities

#### Beyond-the-Game Experiences
**Market validation**: [2025 trends](https://blog.elitesportstours.com/post/the-rise-of-sports-and-experience-travel-in-2025-a-new-era-for-tourism) emphasize immersive, purpose-driven travel.

**Recommended features**:
- Stadium tours scheduling and booking
- Hall of Fame visits (Cooperstown, Canton, Springfield)
- Local food/brewery recommendations near stadiums
- Historical sports sites (old stadium locations, famous sports bars)

#### Memorabilia & Trip Journal
**Recommended features**:
- Photo journal with stadium-tagged memories
- Game ticket stubs (digital archive)
- Scorecard/stats from games attended
- Souvenir checklist (bobbleheads, hats, etc.)

---

## Competitive Advantages

SportsTime already has advantages over existing competitors:

| Advantage | vs. Web Tools | vs. General Apps | vs. Fantrip |
|-----------|---------------|------------------|-------------|
| Native iOS app | Yes | Comparable | Comparable |
| Multi-sport support | Yes | N/A | Comparable |
| Intelligent DAG-based routing | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Offline capability | Yes | Varies | Unknown |
| Trip optimization algorithm | Yes | Partial | No |

### Market Gap

**No single app combines**: trip planning + bucket list tracking + group coordination + AI assistance.

This represents the primary opportunity for differentiation.

---

## Implementation Roadmap

| Phase | Features | Effort | Timeline |
|-------|----------|--------|----------|
| 1 | Stadium bucket list tracker | Medium | - |
| 1 | AI natural language planning | Medium | - |
| 2 | Group trip coordination | High | - |
| 2 | Ticket price integration | Medium | - |
| 3 | Live trip companion | Medium | - |
| 3 | Fan community/tips | High | - |
| 4 | Minor league support | Medium | - |
| 4 | Trip journal/memorabilia | Low | - |

---

## Sources

### Road Trip Planning
- [Roadtrippers - Best Apps and Tools 2025](https://roadtrippers.com/magazine/planning-a-multi-state-road-trip-best-apps-and-tools-in-2025/)
- [25 Ultimate Road Trip Planner Apps](https://igoa-adventure.com/best-road-trip-planner-apps/)
- [Explore250 App Launch](https://gmauthority.com/blog/2025/12/gm-and-u-s-department-of-transportation-release-new-explore250-road-trip-app/)

### Sports Travel
- [Fantrip - Sports Travel App](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/fantrip-sports-travel/id6738052942)
- [2025 Sports Travel Trends](https://www.sportstourismnews.com/sports-travel-trends-2025/)
- [Rise of Sports and Experience Travel 2025](https://blog.elitesportstours.com/post/the-rise-of-sports-and-experience-travel-in-2025-a-new-era-for-tourism)

### Stadium Tracking
- [Baseball Bucket List](https://baseballbucketlist.com/)
- [Sports Venue Tracker](https://sportsvenuetracker.com/)
- [MLB BallPark Pass-Port](https://mlbballparkpassport.com/)

### Baseball Trip Planning
- [Baseball-RoadTrip.com](https://www.baseball-roadtrip.com/)
- [BasesRoaded.com](https://basesroaded.com/)
- [BaseballTripPlanner.com](http://www.baseballtripplanner.com/)

### Group Coordination
- [SquadTrip - Group Travel Planning](https://squadtrip.com/guides/the-ultimate-group-travel-planning-app/)
- [Best Tools for Group Trip Planning 2026](https://squadtrip.com/guides/best-tools-for-group-trip-planning/)
- [Group Travel Planning Apps](https://www.infinitytransportation.net/blog/group-travel-planning-apps)

### Tour Companies
- [Big League Tours](https://www.bigleaguetours.com/)
- [Triple Crown Travel](https://triplecrowntravel.com/)
- [Sports Travel and Tours](https://www.sportstravelandtours.com/)
