How Footi built a smart, sustainable football platform

Meet Footi (and Little Thunder)

What started as a lockdown hobby for Tim, director of Northern Ireland–based digital agency Little Thunder, quickly evolved into a sleek, data-rich football platform. As a passionate Manchester United fan and lifelong football enthusiast, Tim created Daily Reds in 2020 a lightweight site offering fixtures, results, and news for fellow United fans.

I used free APIs for Daily Reds, but the data was often outdated or limited. That gave me the idea for something bigger.

That “something bigger” became Footi a modern, fast, and eco-conscious football platform that now covers the Premier League, Champions League, and more. Footi’s strength lies in its simplicity: fans get the information they care about, presented in a clean interface — all powered by a lean and intelligent backend.

Building a Green(er) Football Platform

Most football platforms compete on speed and statistical depth. Footi does too, but with a twist: sustainability.

Even in the digital world, there’s an environmental impact. We wanted to build something dynamic, but also energy-efficient and accessible.

Instead of using conventional web hosting and server-heavy infrastructure, Footi was built serverless from the ground up. This means functions are triggered only when needed, significantly reducing background energy consumption.

By limiting unnecessary data requests and optimising each API call, Footi has achieved something rare in the sports-tech space: a low-emission platform that still feels premium. In fact, internal benchmarks suggest that Footi emits up to 10x less CO₂ per visit compared to traditional football media websites without cutting corners on content or performance.

This sustainable approach isn’t just ethical — it’s also scalable, flexible, and future-proof.

Footi header

The Data Challenge: Why Sportmonks?

When Daily Reds was still a side project, Tim used free APIs — but quickly ran into issues:

❌ Outdated or delayed match data
❌ Poor documentation
❌ Limited depth in statistics

To build something serious, Tim needed a provider that could grow with the project. That meant professional documentation, predictable data structure, and the flexibility to plug into a custom, serverless tech stack.

That’s when Tim found Sportmonks.

Sportmonks made no assumptions about our skill level. Their docs are clear, with lots of examples and perfect for building fast.

With Sportmonks, Tim was able to:

📌 Build modular data calls using smart “includes”
📌 Avoid unnecessary payloads to reduce server strain
📌 Test endpoints easily during prototyping
📌 Trust that the data would be accurate and live

Why Sportmonks Was the Right Fit

After comparing several football data providers, Little Thunder chose Sportmonks for a few standout reasons:

Once we plugged the API into our serverless setup, we were sold. The includes are next level and we request only what we need, saving time and energy.

Free trial to explore the API with real data hands-on

Flexible API structure with powerful includes for flexible use

Accurate live data for fixtures, stats, lineups and standings

Clear documentation and responsive developer support

What Footi Offers Fans

Every section is structured with clarity in mind. Pages load fast, content is reliable, and data updates seamlessly as matches progress. It’s built for fans — not just developers.

We wanted every match preview and report to feel complete and Sportmonks made that possible.

With Sportmonks’ Football API, Footi provides a complete fan experience without bloat:

League and team overviews

Instant access to current standings, team forms, and key stats across domestic and international competitions.

Full fixture lists and results

All upcoming matches and past results, organised clearly by date and competition — updated live as games progress.

Pre-match and live statistics

From expected goals to possession stats, fans get insightful match data before, during, and after every game.

Lineups and tactical setups

View official starting elevens, formations, and substitutes — essential for pre-match insights and in-game context.

Advanced metrics: shots on target, xG-style models, pass maps

Dig deeper into team and player performance with data that goes beyond the basics — ideal for fans and analysts alike.

Results: From Side Project to Showcase

What began as a passion project has become something much more. Footi now serves as a live platform, a technical showcase, and a demonstration of Little Thunder’s creative and engineering skills. It’s being used in client meetings, design pitches, and internal R&D and it’s even influencing how the agency approaches future builds.

Sportmonks helped us turn a side project into something we’re proud to show clients. We’re excited to upgraded to V3!

From hosting optimisations to sustainability-first design principles, Footi is a living case study of what happens when thoughtful tech meets quality data.

Build Your Own Sustainable Sports Platform

Inspired by Footi? Whether you’re a startup founder, a sports data nerd, or a digital agency with a football project, Sportmonks gives you the building blocks to create something powerful.

You can explore the API for free, no credit card required. Test real data from leagues like the Scottish Premiership or Danish Superliga on the free plan, or unlock all features with a 14-day trial.

Get started with Sportmonks

Case study Footi