How to Use a Live Floorball Scoreboard

JudgeMate's Free Scoreboard requires no account, no app download, and no payment. Here is how to get started:

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Open JudgeMate in any web browser on your phone, tablet, or computer
2. Navigate to the Free Scoreboard section
3. Select the sport — choose Floorball from the available sports
4. Enter team names, type the names of both teams
5. Tap Create, your scoreboard is live immediately

You now have two links:

• Admin link: This is your control panel. Only you (the scorekeeper) use this link. It gives you full control over the score, clock, penalties, and match state.
• Spectator link: This is the public display. Share this with everyone who wants to watch — fans, parents, coaches, tournament organizers. It shows the score, clock, period, and penalty timers in real time.

Who Should Be the Admin?

The ideal admin is someone who can focus on the match without playing in it. Common choices:

• A bench coach or team manager
• A parent or volunteer sitting courtside
• A tournament official managing the scorer's table
• Anyone with a phone who can watch the game and update the score

The admin controls support one-handed phone operation — large buttons, clear layout, and instant feedback on every action.

No Registration Means No Barriers

The deliberate lack of registration means you can start a scoreboard at a moment's notice. Arrived at a school tournament and realized there is no scoring system? Open JudgeMate, create a scoreboard in 30 seconds, and the match has a proper live display. No bureaucracy, no setup time.

Once your scoreboard is created, the default configuration matches standard floorball rules. Here is what is pre-configured and what you can adjust.

Default Floorball Configuration

Setting	Default Value	Notes
Periods	3	Standard floorball format
Period Length	20:00	Countdown from 20:00 to 0:00
Clock Direction	Countdown	Matches IFF official format
Overtime	Enabled	Configurable duration
Shootout	Enabled	Available after overtime
Penalties	2, 5, 10 min	All three durations available

Team Names and Colors

Enter the team names during creation. The spectator display shows team names prominently alongside the score, making it easy for fans to follow — especially in tournaments where teams may not be familiar to all spectators.

Period Configuration

The default 3 periods of 20 minutes matches the standard IFF format. If you are running a modified format (e.g., 3x15 for youth, 2x15 for small court), the period length can be adjusted to match your specific competition rules.

Pre-Match Checklist

Before the match starts:

1. Confirm team names are correct on the spectator display
2. Verify the clock is set to 20:00 for the first period
3. Share the spectator link or QR code with fans and the display screen
4. Test the connection by tapping the score + button and immediately correcting it with -
5. Position your phone where you can see the court and reach the controls comfortably

The core of any scoreboard is tracking the score. JudgeMate makes this as simple as possible.

Adding a Goal

When a team scores:

1. Tap the + button next to the scoring team's name
2. The score updates instantly on both the admin panel and all spectator devices
3. The goal is logged as an event with a timestamp (the game clock time when it was recorded)

That is it. One tap, instant update, everyone sees it.

Correcting a Mistake

Made an error? Tap the - button next to the team's score to remove the last goal. This is important because mistakes happen — a referee may disallow a goal after initially signaling it, or the admin may accidentally tap the wrong team. The correction is reflected instantly on all connected devices.

Goal Event Log

Every goal is recorded in the match event log with:

• The scoring team
• The game clock time at the moment of recording
• The period in which it was scored

This event log yields a complete scoring timeline of the match — useful for post-match review, tournament records, and settling any disputes about when goals were scored.

Best Practices for Score Tracking

• Update immediately when the referee signals a goal — do not wait
• If a goal is under review by the referees, wait for the final decision before updating
• Keep the phone visible so you can glance at the court and the screen simultaneously
• In fast-paced floorball matches, goals can come in quick succession, stay alert and update each one promptly

Floorball uses a countdown clock — each period runs from 20:00 down to 0:00, stopping on every whistle. Managing the clock accurately is one of the most important responsibilities of the scorekeeper.

Starting and Stopping the Clock

• Tap to start the clock when the referee signals play to resume (whistle or hand signal)
• Tap to stop when the referee blows the whistle for any stoppage — goals, penalties, free hits, ball out of play, injuries

The clock control is a single prominent button on the admin panel, designed for quick, one-tap operation. The current time is displayed in large digits on both the admin and spectator views.

Period Transitions

When the clock reaches 0:00, the period ends. The admin then:

1. Confirms the period is over
2. The scoreboard automatically advances to the next period
3. The clock resets to 20:00 for the new period
4. The spectator display shows the updated period indicator

Intermissions

During the 10-minute intermissions between periods, the game clock is stopped. The spectator display continues to show the current score and period status, so fans always know the match state even during breaks.

Overtime Clock

If the match goes to overtime, the admin activates the overtime period. The clock is set to the appropriate overtime duration (typically 10 minutes for standard IFF overtime, configurable for other formats) and counts down just like regulation periods.

Clock Adjustment

If the clock needs to be corrected (for example, if the admin started or stopped it a few seconds late), manual adjustment is available so the displayed time matches the actual game time, even with a brief delay in admin response.

Tips for Accurate Timekeeping

• Watch the referee, not just the play. Start and stop the clock based on the referee's whistle, not when you see the ball go out of play.
• In recreational matches without a dedicated timekeeper, the clock does not need to be perfect — a few seconds here and there will not affect the match outcome
• For tournaments with strict timing, designate a dedicated timekeeper who focuses only on the clock

Penalty tracking is one of JudgeMate's most valued features for floorball — because accurate penalty management is critical in a sport where minor penalties are always served in full.

Recording a Penalty

When a referee calls a penalty:

1. Tap the penalty button for the offending team
2. Select the penalty duration: 2 minutes (minor), 5 minutes (major), or 10 minutes (match penalty)
3. The penalty countdown timer starts immediately and is visible on the spectator display

What Spectators See

On the spectator display, active penalties are shown with:

• The team that is penalized
• A live countdown timer showing the exact time remaining
• When the timer reaches 0:00, the penalty indicator disappears and the team returns to full strength

This gives everyone in the sports hall — players, coaches, and fans, the same information that top-league arena scoreboards display. Players on the court know exactly how long the power play lasts. Coaches can time their strategies around penalty expiration. Fans understand the tactical situation at a glance.

Multiple Simultaneous Penalties

Floorball matches can have multiple penalties running at the same time — for example, one team with two players in the penalty area (5v3 situation), or both teams with a player each in the box (4v4). JudgeMate tracks all active penalties independently, each with its own countdown timer.

The "Always Served in Full" Rule

Remember: in floorball, minor penalties do not end early when the opposing team scores. This means the countdown timer runs for the full 2 minutes regardless of goals scored during the power play. This is different from ice hockey, where a minor penalty ends when the power play team scores. The JudgeMate timer reflects this rule correctly — it counts down the full duration without interruption.

Penalty Tracking Best Practices

• Record the penalty as soon as the referee signals it — the countdown should start when the penalized player leaves the court
• If you are unsure whether the referee called 2 or 5 minutes, wait for the hand signal confirmation before recording
• In matches with many penalties, stay organized, the spectator display handles the visual presentation, so focus on accurately recording each penalty as it happens

One of JudgeMate's most useful features is real-time spectator access — anyone with the link can follow the match live on their own device.

Sharing the Spectator Link

Every scoreboard has a unique spectator URL. Share it via:

• QR code: JudgeMate generates a QR code that fans can scan with their phone camera. Display the QR code on a poster, printed sheet, or screen at the venue entrance.
• Direct link: Copy and paste the URL into messaging apps, team group chats, social media, or email. Anyone who receives the link can open it in a browser and see the live scoreboard.
• Tournament website: Embed or link the spectator URLs on a tournament website so fans can follow any match from anywhere.

Large Display Setup

For venue displays (TV, projector, arena screen), connect a device to the display and open the spectator link in a web browser:

1. TV/Monitor: Connect a laptop or tablet via HDMI. Open the spectator link in full-screen browser mode.
2. Projector: Same as TV — connect any device and project the spectator view onto a wall or screen.
3. Smart TV: Open the browser directly on the Smart TV and navigate to the spectator link.

The spectator view works for large displays — high-contrast colors, large fonts, and a clean layout keep everything readable from across the sports hall.

Multi-Court Tournament Setup

In tournaments with multiple courts running simultaneously:

• Each match has its own independent scoreboard with its own admin and spectator links
• Assign a different admin (scorekeeper) to each court
• A central display can rotate between spectator links, or multiple screens can each show a different match
• Parents and fans can follow specific matches on their phones via the spectator links, even if they are sitting at a different court

This setup is especially valuable for youth tournaments and school competitions where families want to track results across multiple courts.

Remote Spectators

The spectator link works from anywhere with an internet connection — not just inside the sports hall. Parents who cannot attend, tournament organizers at other venues, and fans following from home can all see the live score, clock, period, and penalties in real time. Share the link before the match starts so remote spectators are ready when the first period begins.