# ESPN Scores & Schedule Scraper (`bovi/espn-scraper`) Actor

Collect ESPN public scoreboard data for selected leagues and dates. Returns one row per game with status, teams, scores, records, venue, broadcast and ESPN game link. No login is required.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/bovi/espn-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Vitalii Bondarev](https://apify.com/bovi) (community)
- **Categories:** News, Developer tools, Automation
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $1.00 / 1,000 espn scores & schedule scrapers

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

## ESPN Scores & Schedule Scraper

Collect public ESPN scoreboard data as one flat dataset row per game. Select NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, soccer, college sports, tennis, MMA, racing or golf leagues and choose a date or date range. The actor returns the event name, start time, scheduled/live/final status, season and week, teams and scores, records, venue, broadcast names, and ESPN game link whenever ESPN supplies those fields. It uses ESPN's public scoreboard JSON endpoint and does not require a login or browser.

### Input

| Field | Description | Default |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `leagues` | One or more ESPN league slugs, such as `nfl`, `nba`, and `epl`. | `nfl`, `nba`, `epl` |
| `dateFrom`, `dateTo` | Inclusive date range in `YYYY-MM-DD`. A single date is supported. | Empty |
| `days` | Number of days from today when no date range is supplied. | 7 |
| `onlyStatus` | Keep `all`, `scheduled`, `live`, or `final` games. | `all` |
| `maxResults` | Maximum game rows written to the dataset. | 50 |
| `proxyConfiguration` | Optional Apify proxy configuration. With proxy use disabled or omitted, requests go directly to ESPN. | Disabled |

### Example output

```json
{
  "league": "nfl",
  "leagueName": "National Football League",
  "sport": "football",
  "eventId": "401872981",
  "name": "Philadelphia Eagles at Jacksonville Jaguars",
  "status": "final",
  "awayTeam": "Philadelphia Eagles",
  "awayScore": "17",
  "homeTeam": "Jacksonville Jaguars",
  "homeScore": "19",
  "venue": "Tottenham Hotspur Stadium"
}
```

Fields that ESPN does not return for a particular event are omitted. No scores or games are generated by the actor. The source champion's base-tier reference is **$0.0028 per game result**; the actual rate for this actor is the one shown on its Apify Pricing tab. Apify bills each dataset item, so the actor does not call `Actor.charge`.

# Actor input Schema

## `leagues` (type: `array`):

Choose one or more ESPN leagues. Results are one row per game.

## `dateFrom` (type: `string`):

First scoreboard date in YYYY-MM-DD. Leave both date fields empty to use Days ahead.

## `dateTo` (type: `string`):

Last scoreboard date in YYYY-MM-DD, inclusive. A single date is also supported.

## `days` (type: `integer`):

Number of days from today when no date range is supplied.

## `onlyStatus` (type: `string`):

Keep all games or filter to scheduled, live, or final games.

## `maxResults` (type: `integer`):

Maximum number of game rows to write across all selected leagues and dates.

## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`):

Optional Apify proxy. Leave disabled to request ESPN directly.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "leagues": [
    "nfl",
    "nba",
    "epl"
  ],
  "days": 7,
  "onlyStatus": "all",
  "maxResults": 50,
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": false
  }
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

Dataset with ESPN game records.

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "leagues": [
        "nfl",
        "nba",
        "epl"
    ],
    "days": 7,
    "onlyStatus": "all",
    "maxResults": 50
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("bovi/espn-scraper").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "leagues": [
        "nfl",
        "nba",
        "epl",
    ],
    "days": 7,
    "onlyStatus": "all",
    "maxResults": 50,
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("bovi/espn-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "leagues": [
    "nfl",
    "nba",
    "epl"
  ],
  "days": 7,
  "onlyStatus": "all",
  "maxResults": 50
}' |
apify call bovi/espn-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,bovi/espn-scraper"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/CRBPfZr6GwhHeXrg9/builds/zcEUnBLMapuoX3N6R/openapi.json