How to set up SportDeck

It takes about two minutes. You choose your sports when you subscribe, then type one command, and SportDeck builds your channels. You do it once. After that the cards turn up every morning by themselves.

Before you start Discord Telegram Card style Changing things Something not working?

Before you start

You need your connect page. After you subscribe, open your SportDeck account and click Connect my chat. That page has everything you need, including your personal code.
Discord: you must be able to manage the server (the "Manage Server" permission). If it is your own server, you can.
Telegram: you must be an admin of the group.
Your code looks like AB12CD34. It works for about 24 hours. If it runs out, open the connect page and it makes a new one.
You only ever type short commands into your own chat. Nothing to install and nothing to host.

Discord

Step 1. Add SportDeck to your server

On your connect page

Click Add SportDeck to your server. Discord opens and asks which server. Pick yours and click Continue, then Authorise. Tick the box if it asks whether you are a human.

You will see SportDeck appear in your server's member list. It shows as offline. That is normal.

Step 2. Connect it to your subscription

In any channel

Type /link and press Enter, then paste your code. For example /link AB12CD34. SportDeck answers privately (only you can see it) with Connected.

Tip: when you type /, Discord lists the commands. Pick /link from that list rather than typing the whole word. If the list does not show SportDeck, see Something not working?.

Step 3. Check it

In your server

SportDeck has now made a category called SportDeck. Under it is a channel for each sport you chose, such as #football-tv, or a single #sportdeck-tv if you chose one channel. They are read-only, so only SportDeck can post. Type /status to see the list. Your first cards arrive at 6am UK time, and yesterday's are removed automatically.

You can rename the channels or move them anywhere you like. SportDeck keeps posting to them.
Add more sports to your subscription later and the new channels appear on their own.
Want to use channels you already have? Type /setup, pick a sport and a channel. That sport then goes there.
If SportDeck says it needs Manage Channels, add it again from your connect page and approve every permission.

Giving SportDeck permission in a private channel

SportDeck can only post where it is allowed. If you use /setup with a private channel, open the channel settings, then Permissions, add SportDeck, and allow View Channel, Send Messages and Attach Files.

Step 1. Make a group and switch on Topics

In Telegram

Create a new group (or use one you have). Open the group's settings, choose Edit, and switch on Topics. If you chose one chat for everything, you can skip Topics.

Step 2. Add the SportDeck bot as an admin

On your connect page

Click Add the SportDeck bot to your group. Telegram opens. Choose your group and confirm. Keep every permission it asks for switched on: Post messages, Delete messages and Manage topics. The bot must be an admin to post and to make topics.

Delete messages is how SportDeck clears yesterday's cards, so your group stays tidy.

Step 3. Connect the group

In the group

Type /link AB12CD34 (with your own code). SportDeck deletes your message so your code is not left in the group, then makes a topic for each sport you chose, or uses the main chat if you chose one chat. It replies when it is done.

Topics are closed to members, so only SportDeck posts in them.
If it says Topics is off, or it needs Manage topics, fix that in the group settings and type the same command again. Nothing is duplicated.
Prefer topics you made yourself? Inside a topic, type /link AB12CD34 football (or basketball, american football, ice hockey, tennis and so on). Use /here football in later topics.

Step 4. Check it

In the group

Type /status. It lists every sport and its topic. Your first cards arrive at 6am UK time, and yesterday's are removed automatically.

Cards sent to Telegram cannot be forwarded or saved from the group. That protects the listings from being copied.

Card style

Open your connect page and use Card style. The change shows up from the next morning's cards. There are eight styles. The pitch style is the default.

Changing things

Add or remove sports, or switch layout: change your subscription. New channels or topics are made for you; ones you no longer need are left alone and just stop receiving cards.
Move a sport to another channel: run /setup again for that sport (Discord) or /here in another topic (Telegram).
Stop a sport: Discord /remove, Telegram /remove football (with the sport name).
Disconnect completely: /unlink in Discord or in your Telegram group.
Add Discord or Telegram to your plan: from your SportDeck account.
Cancel: from your SportDeck account. Your cards are removed, SportDeck posts a short goodbye and leaves your server or group. Your channels and topics stay, so you can keep or delete them. If you subscribe again, add SportDeck and type /link and they are reused.
Renewals: reminders and invoices come by email from your SportDeck account, not from the bot.

Something not working?

The slash commands do not show up in Discord

Wait a minute, then close and reopen Discord.
Check SportDeck is in your server's member list. If not, repeat Step 1.
Make sure you are typing in a channel, not in a private message.

"I cannot see that channel"

This only happens with /setup on a channel SportDeck did not create. SportDeck needs permission in that channel. Open the channel settings, then Permissions, add SportDeck and allow View Channel, Send Messages and Attach Files.

"That code is not valid, or it has expired"

Open your connect page. It shows a fresh code. Codes last about 24 hours.

"You need the Manage Server permission"

Only a server admin can change SportDeck. Ask the server owner to do it, or give you the permission.

Nothing happens in Telegram

Make sure the bot is an admin of the group.
Make sure you typed the command inside the group, not in a private chat with the bot.
You must be an admin of the group yourself.
Make sure Topics is on and the bot is allowed to manage topics.

I linked it, but no cards arrived

Cards arrive once a day at 6am UK time. If you linked after that, you will get your first set the next morning. Check /status shows your sports.

Still stuck?

Open a ticket on our Discord or message our Telegram bot, with a screenshot, and we will sort it out.