TMU Journalism Student, Eli Silverstone, Co-Founds Northscore.

Fourth-year journalism student Eli Silverstone and three other co-founders have created Northscore, the first Canadian sports app to bring every Canadian league onto a single platform.

The app officially launched Jan. 15 and received 500 unique visitors within the first few hours, while their Instagram account gained approximately 200 followers. 

The app was designed to centralize Canadian sports data and coverage. Northscore allows users to track scores, standings, and statistics across multiple leagues such as the Canadian Football League (CFL), Canadian Hockey League (CHL), Canadian Premier League (CPL), and more, without having to visit multiple websites. 

“We wanted to kind of create a Canadian ESPN in a way where every league is on one platform. You don't have to go to 10 different websites,” Silverstone said. 

Although Silverstone did not develop the app’s software himself, he leads Northscore’s media component. His role focuses on using data storytelling, graphics, and short-form videos to go beyond traditional game recaps. It’s a kind of reporting he says is lacking in Canadian sports media.

“So the idea was longer-form graphics or videos, but no longer than a minute… just diving into the stats,” he said. “Stuff that’s just…not your normal coverage of sports and that exists in the States…but it doesn’t exist in Canada,” he explained.

Silverstone credits TMU’s journalism program with giving him the confidence, skills and experience to take on this project.

“I think every year in the program, I've gotten more and more confident in both my journalism skills and putting myself out there,” he said. “I would not be able to create this or be confident enough to run my own media team if I didn't feel like the program prepared me with the right writing skills [and] people skills.”

“Everything I've kind of done with journalism has been directed to sports because that's my passion,” he said.

In the near future, Northscore plans to offer opportunities for students to contribute as photographers, videographers, graphic designers, and visual storytellers. 

“We get media passes to the games so they can go, they can shoot video, they can shoot photography, get stuff to put on their portfolio…get their pages and their profiles out to the world because people did that for me when I was in first year, so that's why I have a chance to give back a little,” he explained.

A year from now, Silverstone hopes the app will gain awareness and create value for sport reporters.

“I’d want journalists to use it because you can compare teams in there, you can look at their past couple of games and analyze what they’re good at versus the league average,” he said. 

“So it’s just…adding depth to people’s stories and people’s content, because I do truly care about Canadian sports, whether it be university sports or the CFL or the CBL or any professional league. That’s really where I want to see the app in a year from now. Just people getting good use out of it,” he said.