Elevate Your Sports App: A Guide to NCAA and NFL Highlights API Integration
Tags: api, webdev, programming, javascript
Published: 2023-09-25 19:12:23

American football stands as the undisputed champion of sports in the United States, captivating the hearts of millions with every touchdown, tackle, and pass. From the adrenaline-packed NCAA games to the NFL Draft spectacle and the grandeur of the Super Bowl, this sport annually draws in a staggering 100 million television viewers in the nation. But its influence extends far beyond U.S. borders, ranking as the 9th most popular sport on a global scale.

As american football **_aficionados_**, we know that each minute on the field holds the potential for jaw-dropping plays and unforgettable moments. The average NFL game lasts approximately 3 hours and 12 minutes, while college football games extend to about 3 hours and 24 minutes. For passionate fans glued to their screens, this immersive experience is a true testament to the sport’s allure. However, what happens when life’s demands pull you away from the game, and you miss a pivotal highlight? Or perhaps you’re a devoted follower who wants to relive the glory of a legendary play from seasons past. While television networks typically offer a 7-day playback option, the prospect of spending over 10 minutes scouring for a specific play can be a daunting task. Fortunately, in the age of social media, there are enthusiasts who generously share these electrifying moments, fostering discussions and celebrations in near-real-time.

As a developer imagine having access to these highlights, which can be used to enhance your blog or news site with the most epic moments from the gridiron. By delving into the vast realm of the internet, we stumbled upon an API aggregator offered by [Higlightly](https://highlightly.net/). This remarkable API seamlessly collects data in real-time from a plethora of sources, including Reddit, Twitter, Facebook, ESPN, YouTube, and more.

The beauty of this API lies in its simplicity and intuitiveness, providing developers with an unparalleled experience. It’s a gateway to what we crave the most: real-time highlights that capture the essence of American football’s exhilarating journey. In this guide, we will unravel the world of NCAA and NFL highlights API integration, empowering you to harness the excitement of the game and share it with your audience. So, whether you’re a die-hard fan, a budding developer, or a sports enthusiast, get ready to embark on a thrilling journey through the world of American football highlights.

## API Integration Prerequisites Made Simple

As a developer, you can gain access to the API we’ve been talking about in just a few straightforward steps.

**Step 1: Rapid API Account Setup**

To get started, all you need is a [Rapid API account](https://rapidapi.com/highlightly-api-highlightly-api-default/api/nfl-ncaa-highlights-api). If you don’t already have one, signing up is a breeze. Once you’ve successfully logged in, you’re well on your way to unlocking the power of real-time NCAA and NFL highlights.

**Step 2: Choose Your Tier**

The API offers a BASIC tier, and the best part — it’s free. The BASIC tier provides access to all NCAA highlights, allowing you to start exploring and integrating these thrilling moments into your projects. However, it’s important to note that NFL highlights are not included in the free tier.

If you’re hungry for more and want to tap into the full spectrum of American football excitement, consider upgrading to the PRO tier. It’s an incredibly cost-effective option, offering exceptional value for what it provides.

**Pro Tip: Protect Your API Token**

Once you’ve obtained your **API TOKEN** from Rapid API, treat it like the valuable resource it is. Store it securely on your server and ensure it’s not exposed to your clients. This safeguard will help you maintain control over your API access and keep your integration running smoothly.

With these essential prerequisites in place, you’re all set to embark on your API integration journey.

## Fetching NCAA and NFL highlights data

When it comes to developing applications that involve NCAA and NFL highlights, having access to comprehensive documentation is essential. Fortunately, the API we are using provides extensive documentation to assist developers in integrating this exciting feature into their projects. You can find the official documentation for the NCAA and NFL Highlights API [here](https://highlightly.net/documentation/american-football/).

The beauty of this API is its language-agnostic nature. Regardless of which programming language you prefer, you can seamlessly integrate it into your project. Instead of overwhelming you with code snippets for various programming languages, we recommend visiting the Rapid API testing page. There, you’ll discover ready-made code snippets for a wide range of languages, including C, C#, Java, JavaScript, Ruby, and more, making the integration process a breeze.

![Rapid API Highlightly testing page where you can get code snippets.](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/c9qwbadbilytqxu62txq.png)

Now, let’s delve into the core functionality of this API, which revolves around three simple yet powerful endpoints:

- **/teams** and **/teams/{team_id}**: These endpoints provide valuable team-related information and logos. Whether you need to display team details or logos within your application, these endpoints have you covered.
- **/matches** and **/matches/{match_id}**: The matches endpoint gives you insights into the ongoing matches in NCAA and NFL. This information can be particularly useful for keeping your users updated on the latest games.
- **/highlights** and **/highlights/{highlight_id}**: Arguably the most exciting part of this API, the highlights endpoint allows you to fetch captivating game highlights. Users can relive the most thrilling moments from their favorite matches right within your application.

When it comes to the **/highlights** endpoint, the possibilities are endless. By simply querying the following URL with your valid RapidAPI credentials:

```javascript
https://nfl-ncaa-highlights-api.p.rapidapi.com/highlights
```


This data includes thrilling highlights that can engage and entertain your users, enhancing their overall experience:

```javascript
{
  "data": [
      {
          "id": 1,
          "match": {
              "id": 32,
              "league": "NCAA",
              "season": 2023,
              "date": "2023-09-01T23:30:00.000Z",
              "round": "regular-season",
              "homeTeam": {
                  "id": 63,
                  "displayName": "Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets",
                  "name": "Yellow Jackets",
                  "logo": "https://highlightly.net/american-football/images/teams/63.png",
                  "abbreviation": "GT"
              },
              "awayTeam": {
                  "id": 64,
                  "displayName": "Louisville Cardinals",
                  "name": "Cardinals",
                  "logo": "https://highlightly.net/american-football/images/teams/64.png",
                  "abbreviation": "LOU"
              }
          },
          "type": "VERIFIED",
          "imgUrl": "https://a.espncdn.com/media/motion/2023/0901/ss_20230901_194338098_2328655/ss_20230901_194338098_2328655.jpg",
          "title": "NCAA: Yellow Jackets vs Cardinals",
          "description": "Louisville's Ramon Puryear intercepts Georgia Tech's QB Haynes King on the first drive of the game.\n",
          "url": "https://media.video-cdn.espn.com/motion/2023/0901/ss_20230901_194338098_2328655/ss_20230901_194338098_2328655_360p30_1464k.mp4"
      },
      {
          "id": 2,
          "match": {
              "id": 32,
              "league": "NCAA",
              "season": 2023,
              "date": "2023-09-01T23:30:00.000Z",
              "round": "regular-season",
              "homeTeam": {
                  "id": 63,
                  "displayName": "Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets",
                  "name": "Yellow Jackets",
                  "logo": "https://highlightly.net/american-football/images/teams/63.png",
                  "abbreviation": "GT"
              },
              "awayTeam": {
                  "id": 64,
                  "displayName": "Louisville Cardinals",
                  "name": "Cardinals",
                  "logo": "https://highlightly.net/american-football/images/teams/64.png",
                  "abbreviation": "LOU"
              }
          },
          "type": "VERIFIED",
          "imgUrl": "https://a.espncdn.com/media/motion/2023/0901/ss_20230901_204116259_2328687/ss_20230901_204116259_2328687.jpg",
          "title": "NCAA: Yellow Jackets vs Cardinals",
          "description": "Haynes King passes to Brett Seither to give Georgia Tech the lead against Louisville.\n",
          "url": "https://media.video-cdn.espn.com/motion/2023/0901/ss_20230901_204116259_2328687/ss_20230901_204116259_2328687_360p30_1464k.mp4"
      },
      ...
  ],
  "pagination": {
      "totalCount": 2133,
      "offset": 0,
      "limit": 40
  }
}
```

To ensure you get the most relevant data for your application, the API provides various query parameters. These parameters allow you to filter the data based on your specific requirements. Some of the query parameters you can utilize for the **/highlights** endpoint include:

- **league**: Specify the league (NCAA or NFL) you want to fetch highlights for.
- **date**: Filter highlights by a specific date.
- **season**: Narrow down highlights by specifying the season.
- **timezone**: Adjust the time zone for date-related queries.
- **homeTeamName**: Fetch highlights for a particular home team.
- **homeTeamAbbreviation**: Retrieve highlights for a home team using its abbreviation.
- **…**

For a more in-depth developer experience and a comprehensive understanding of the available query parameters, we strongly recommend referring to the [API documentation](https://highlightly.net/documentation/american-football/). It provides detailed insights into how you can fine-tune your queries to deliver a tailored highlights experience to your users.

## Conclusion: Elevate Your Sports Experience

In the ever-evolving world of sports, real-time highlights coverage has remained a significant challenge. The above presented API by Highlightly is your gateway to a world of thrilling highlight clips, game recaps, exclusive interviews, jaw-dropping touchdown plays, and so much more — all delivered to you in real time.

We highly recommend starting with the BASIC plan, which comes at no cost. It’s the perfect way to get a taste of the API’s capabilities and see how it seamlessly integrates into your projects. Once you’ve experienced the thrill, you can take things to the next level by upgrading to the PRO plan or higher. With these premium plans, you’ll unlock the full potential of the API, granting you unlimited access to highlights from both the NCAA and NFL.