Where to find sports news DS can read?

[MSWR0319]

DS is 11 and a sports fanatic. He knows everything about almost every player in almost every sport. He loves to read sports news and DH had allowed him to download some aps on his phone to read sports news. However, during a check on his phone we discovered he had created an account on bleacher report and was playing fantasy basketball and chatting with people. So we have deleted everything off of his phone and he's now on lockdown with nothing other than texting and calling. Given where we are in life right now, I don't want to fully take away his joy of reading about sports, but I want him to be able to do it safely without temptations of doing "adult" things. Does anyone have any suggestions of safe aps we can get him or other places he can go to read and not have any temptations or ability to do things he shouldn't.

[AnnieW625]

I would consider a subscription to Sports Illustrated for Kids if you feel that he can’t be trusted with anything online. Otherwise The Athletic is amazing for sports news, but it is all online and is $40 a year or so for the first year and then $60 after. They cover every main stream sport from hockey to NASCAR and there a lot of different topics and stories. It is very in-depth sports coverage.

When sports re starts I would use the fantasy basketball as a teaching tool for him and have either yourself or your DH do it with him. This season I managed 3 fantasy hockey teams, plus a football team and love it. It keeps me current on what is going on in sports, and which players are at the top of their game. Granted I am a 42 year old adult, but fantasy sports are fun and it teaches a lot about management and building something that is successful. If you aren’t into sports you may not get it, but it is fun. See if there is a local league that has people you know in it or see if a group of his friends (and parents) are willing to join as well. Then he can use the chat feature and just be talking to his friends. I honestly never chat with anyone in any of my leagues. The commissioner of a league sets all of the rules and you can make it pretty strict. As he gets closer to teen years it could be a great teaching tool and then he will really understand how fantasy sports works. Also you do not have to play for money. I play for $40 in my football league, but none of my hockey leagues have a fee.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[carolinacool]

I have the ESPN app. It looks like there is a Fantasy tab, but I don't play fantasy sports. I wouldn't even know how to begin to find a chat function. I think most sports sites (Yahoo, CBS Sports) hosts Fantasy sites.

There's also The Athletic. That's a paid site (I don't have it.) During normal times, it's a mix of game stories and long-form articles. So it's a little different than Bleacher Report and ESPN. It's a bit more like a magazine.

Cross-posting with Annie about the Athletic.

[Kindra178]

Bleacher Report is awesome! I follow them on social and so does my 14 year old. Deadspin is another good one.

My kids read the sports section of Chicago Tribune (we get via our Kindle).

We have tried SI / SI Kids for years, but it's never a hit. We may try again, I think.

[MSWR0319]

I'll check out the Athletic. Thanks! He gets SI for kids, but it's honestly not enough. He played in a fantasy league for football at DH's office and loved it (and did well), so I think it's something he really loves. He even started one for just the four of us at home to play. I'm ok with him playing fantasy because like Annie said, it's good for developing different skills and it's something he enjoys. I just don't want him chatting with a bunch of adults and accidentally(or purposefully) giving out information that he shouldn't be. He was very responsible and didn't use a real name but I don't want him to think it's ok to start accounts behind our backs, so I don't want to give him the ap back right now. He's got an 18 year old brain trapped in an 11 year old body and it's so hard sometimes! I really think that maybe the chatting started because he was stuck at home with not much interaction. He did call some friends regularly but it didn't give him the mental stimulation he needs.

[mom2binsd]

I like the Athletic, but like others said, it often goes into areas like mental health struggles, addiction etc, beyond the typical sports stories.

I would have him download the apps for his fav teams, as well as ESPN, Bleacher Report NOT Barstool sports! I agree, SI Kids is usually very simple and not really for kids who are into sports.

My kids get a USA hockey magazine and US Lacrosse from being member of those associations.

DS uses ESPN for most of his sports news, he gets a million notifications of trades/and when there is sports, scores updates etc.

DS and his father put together YAHOO fantasy football teams, it is fun, and harmless and it gives him something to do in downtime and keeps him interested in players beyond his favorites and develops some strategy etc.