Something not working? Ask.

Reach a human

There's no ticket system and no chatbot. Email goes to a person who works on the app. Feature requests are welcome too — a lot of what's in DSN came from parents in a rink saying "it should do this."

Common questions

Where do my recordings go?

Two places, on purpose. Every game is written to the app's own storage on your iPad, which you can open in the Files app under On My iPad → Dad Sports. If you've allowed Photos access, a copy is also added to your Photos library when the recording stops. The original file is never deleted after copying.

I said no to Photos. Did I lose the game?

No. The recording is safe in Files under On My iPad → Dad Sports. If you want copies in Photos going forward, turn it on in Settings → Dad Sports → Photos → Add Photos Only. The app only ever asks for add-only access — it cannot read your library.

Do I need an account?

No. There's no sign-up, no password and nothing to log into. Open the app and film.

Does it need Wi-Fi or a signal?

No. Recording and the scoreboard run entirely on the iPad, which is deliberate — rink and gym Wi-Fi is not something to build a game day on. You'll only need a connection once live streaming ships, and only for the stream itself.

Can I stream to YouTube?

Not yet. Live streaming is in build. When it lands, the video will go straight from your iPad to your own YouTube channel — it won't pass through us.

My iPad got warm and the recording stopped.

Filming a full game is genuinely hard work for a tablet. Keep it out of direct sun, take the case off if it's a thick one, and plug it into power for anything longer than a period or two. The app shows thermal and storage status while you're recording, so you can see trouble before it costs you the third period.

How much storage does a game take?

A lot — high-frame-rate video is big, and recording a clean second copy doubles it. Start a game with plenty of free space, and offload finished games before the next one. The app shows remaining recording minutes while you shoot.

How do I delete everything the app has stored?

Delete the recordings from Files (and from Photos, if you saved copies there), then delete the app. That removes its local storage, including saved teams, logos and settings. There's no cloud copy anywhere, because nothing was ever uploaded — see the Privacy Policy.

Can I use my own microphone?

Yes. Connect a compatible microphone to the iPad and it becomes the recording input. A microphone anywhere near the action beats the iPad's built-in mic in a loud building every time.

Which sports does it support?

Hockey, basketball, soccer, football and lacrosse. Each sport brings its own clock behavior, segment names and stats — periods, quarters or halves — rather than a hockey scoreboard with the words swapped out. If you want one added, email us.

Reporting a problem

If something failed during a game, the details below make it far more likely we can find and fix it. Include as much as you have:

• your iPad model and iPadOS version (Settings → General → About);
• the app version;
• which sport you were in, and whether you were recording, replaying or streaming;
• what you tapped just before it went wrong;
• whether the recording survived — check Files under On My iPad → Dad Sports before assuming it's gone.

Don't send us game footage. We don't need it, and we'd rather not have video of other people's kids in our inbox. A description and a screenshot are plenty.

What you need

• An iPad running iPadOS 18 or later. A newer iPad handles high-frame-rate recording and the live scoreboard more comfortably.
• Landscape. The app is built for landscape, the way a broadcast is.
• A tripod or a mount. The single biggest upgrade to youth sports footage costs about thirty dollars and holds the iPad still.
• Free storage. More than you think.
• Power for anything longer than a couple of periods.
• Optional: an external microphone, and permission from your league to film — see the Terms.