X is rolling out new sports-focused features in an effort to strengthen its position as a hub for live game-day discussion and fend off growing competition from Meta’s Threads. The latest updates include enhanced score-tracking notes, improved share cards for games, expanded support for live sports portals, and a conversation “docking” feature following the introduction of NFL and NBA-specific feeds in recent months.
The NFL Portal, launched last November, aggregates posts from teams, commentators, and official sources, while offering access to schedules, live scores, and stats. A similar hub for NBA content was introduced in April. X is now extending these capabilities with features that let users dock live conversations and follow discussions alongside video feeds – aimed at increasing second-screen engagement during matches.
These updates come as Meta continues to target the same audience. Threads recently introduced live score displays and hosted a live chat with ESPN’s Malika Andrews during the NBA Finals. The platform has also reported rapid growth in sports-related communities, and its partnership with the UFC is expected to bring exclusive content to its platform. Bluesky has also made an effort to get into the sports space, although with limited investment so far due to its relative infancy as a platform.
Given that sports remains one of the most active discussion categories on X, the move to reinforce its sports offering appears to be a response to mounting pressure. The concern is that if communities migrate to Threads, X could lose a major source of consistent engagement.
The platform is also banking on its Grok AI to boost interaction, though some industry voices have questioned the long-term appeal of AI-generated content. If core communities begin to erode, X may face a broader identity crisis, as its traditional user base becomes fragmented and harder to retain.
