diff --git a/scripts/test_game_over_check.py b/scripts/test_game_over_check.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fdebea93
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/test_game_over_check.py
@@ -0,0 +1,326 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""What each scoreboard's live manager calls "over", pinned before it is reconciled.
+
+WHY THIS EXISTS
+---------------
+``SportsLive._is_game_really_over`` drops a game ESPN still lists as live
+from the live rotation (and the plugin's live-priority filters). The nine
+copies are five different bodies (LEDMatrix docs/SPORTS_UNIFICATION.md,
+family 5), and the reconcile that makes them one must change only the cells
+the owner decides to change. This records what every plugin answers today,
+so that PR's diff of the tables below is the behaviour change, cell by cell.
+
+For each plugin it builds a real live manager (fake display and cache) and
+calls ``_is_game_really_over`` on:
+
+* a matrix of game shapes: ESPN status x clock x period, where period runs
+  missing (baseball's games carry none), 1..6 (OT for the four-period sports,
+  OT and beyond for hockey, every ufc round);
+* edge shapes: null or non-numeric fields, a non-string clock, a tied score
+  at the end of regulation;
+* ufc only: its recorded ESPN MMA payloads
+  (plugins/ufc-scoreboard/test/fixtures/espn_mma_round_states.json), through
+  its own ``_extract_game_details``, including the round breaks ESPN sends
+  as STATUS_END_OF_ROUND with displayClock "-".
+
+The method reads only ``period_text``, ``clock``, ``period`` and (baseball)
+``status``, so each status is given the period text its feed would carry.
+Every league's live manager in a plugin must resolve to the same method, so
+one manager per plugin covers them all; that is checked too.
+
+A cell is ``Y`` (over), ``.`` (not over) or ``!`` (raised). To see the
+current tables after an intended change:
+
+    python scripts/test_game_over_check.py --print
+
+Exit 0 pass, 2 skip (no core checkout), 1 fail.
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import inspect
+import json
+import logging
+import os
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock
+
+sys.path.insert(0, str(Path(__file__).resolve().parent))
+from test_sports_shared_methods import REPO, SPORTS, core_root, load  # noqa: E402
+
+#: plugin -> (module, live manager class, extra constructor args)
+LIVE_MANAGERS = {
+    "afl": ("afl_managers.py", "AflLiveManager", ()),
+    "baseball": ("mlb_managers.py", "MLBLiveManager", ()),
+    "basketball": ("nba_managers.py", "NBALiveManager", ()),
+    "football": ("nfl_managers.py", "NFLLiveManager", ()),
+    "hockey": ("nhl_managers.py", "NHLLiveManager", ()),
+    "lacrosse": ("ncaam_lacrosse_managers.py", "NCAAMLacrosseLiveManager", ()),
+    "nrl": ("nrl_managers.py", "NrlLiveManager", ()),
+    "soccer": ("soccer_managers.py", "SoccerLiveManager", ("eng.1",)),
+    "ufc": ("ufc_managers.py", "UFCLiveManager", ()),
+}
+
+MISSING = object()  # the key is absent from the game dict
+
+#: ESPN status -> the period text a game in it carries, given its period.
+STATUSES = {
+    "STATUS_IN_PROGRESS": lambda p: "" if p is MISSING else f"P{p}",
+    "STATUS_END_PERIOD": lambda p: "" if p is MISSING else f"End P{p}",
+    "STATUS_HALFTIME": lambda p: "Halftime",
+    "STATUS_END_OF_ROUND": lambda p: "" if p is MISSING else f"End R{p}",
+    "STATUS_FINAL": lambda p: "Final",
+    "STATUS_POSTPONED": lambda p: "Postponed",
+}
+PERIODS = (MISSING, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
+CLOCKS = {"12:00": "12:00", "0:00": "0:00", ":00": ":00", "0.0": "0.0",
+          "-": "-", "''": "", "None": None, "missing": MISSING}
+
+
+def game(status, period_text, period, clock, **extra):
+    g = {"away_abbr": "AWY", "home_abbr": "HOM", "away_score": "1",
+         "home_score": "2", "status": status.lower(), "period_text": period_text}
+    if period is not MISSING:
+        g["period"] = period
+    if clock is not MISSING:
+        g["clock"] = clock
+    g.update(extra)
+    return g
+
+
+#: label -> game; one expected cell per plugin.
+EDGES = {
+    "period_text None, P4 0:00": game("STATUS_IN_PROGRESS", None, 4, "0:00"),
+    "period None, 0:00": game("STATUS_IN_PROGRESS", "", None, "0:00"),
+    "period 'OT', 0:00": game("STATUS_IN_PROGRESS", "OT", "OT", "0:00"),
+    "period '4' (str), 0:00": game("STATUS_IN_PROGRESS", "P4", "4", "0:00"),
+    "clock int 0, P4": game("STATUS_IN_PROGRESS", "P4", 4, 0),
+    "clock float 0.0, P4": game("STATUS_IN_PROGRESS", "P4", 4, 0.0),
+    "tied, end of P3, 0:00": game("STATUS_END_PERIOD", "End P3", 3, "0:00",
+                                  away_score="2"),
+    "tied, end of P4, 0:00": game("STATUS_END_PERIOD", "End P4", 4, "0:00",
+                                  away_score="2"),
+    "period_text 'Final/OT', P5 0:00": game("STATUS_FINAL", "Final/OT", 5, "0:00"),
+}
+
+UFC_FIXTURES = (REPO / "plugins" / "ufc-scoreboard" / "test" / "fixtures"
+                / "espn_mma_round_states.json")
+
+# --------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Expected (current) behaviour. Columns per plugin, in SPORTS order:
+#   afl baseball basketball football hockey lacrosse nrl soccer ufc
+# Within a plugin, one cell per period: missing, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
+# --------------------------------------------------------------------------
+EXPECTED_MATRIX = {
+    ("STATUS_IN_PROGRESS", "12:00"): "....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......",
+    ("STATUS_IN_PROGRESS", "0:00"): "....... ....YYY ....YYY ....YYY ...YYYY ....YYY ....... ....... ....YYY",
+    ("STATUS_IN_PROGRESS", ":00"): "....... ....YYY ....YYY ....YYY ...YYYY ....YYY ....... ....... ....YYY",
+    ("STATUS_IN_PROGRESS", "0.0"): "....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......",
+    ("STATUS_IN_PROGRESS", "-"): "....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......",
+    ("STATUS_IN_PROGRESS", "''"): "....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......",
+    ("STATUS_IN_PROGRESS", "None"): "....... ....YYY ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....YYY",
+    ("STATUS_IN_PROGRESS", "missing"): "....... ....YYY ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....YYY",
+    ("STATUS_END_PERIOD", "12:00"): "....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......",
+    ("STATUS_END_PERIOD", "0:00"): "....... ....YYY ....YYY ....YYY ...YYYY ....YYY ....... ....... ....YYY",
+    ("STATUS_END_PERIOD", ":00"): "....... ....YYY ....YYY ....YYY ...YYYY ....YYY ....... ....... ....YYY",
+    ("STATUS_END_PERIOD", "0.0"): "....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......",
+    ("STATUS_END_PERIOD", "-"): "....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......",
+    ("STATUS_END_PERIOD", "''"): "....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......",
+    ("STATUS_END_PERIOD", "None"): "....... ....YYY ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....YYY",
+    ("STATUS_END_PERIOD", "missing"): "....... ....YYY ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....YYY",
+    ("STATUS_HALFTIME", "12:00"): "....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......",
+    ("STATUS_HALFTIME", "0:00"): "....... ....YYY ....YYY ....YYY ...YYYY ....YYY ....... ....... ....YYY",
+    ("STATUS_HALFTIME", ":00"): "....... ....YYY ....YYY ....YYY ...YYYY ....YYY ....... ....... ....YYY",
+    ("STATUS_HALFTIME", "0.0"): "....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......",
+    ("STATUS_HALFTIME", "-"): "....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......",
+    ("STATUS_HALFTIME", "''"): "....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......",
+    ("STATUS_HALFTIME", "None"): "....... ....YYY ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....YYY",
+    ("STATUS_HALFTIME", "missing"): "....... ....YYY ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....YYY",
+    ("STATUS_END_OF_ROUND", "12:00"): "....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......",
+    ("STATUS_END_OF_ROUND", "0:00"): "....... ....YYY ....YYY ....YYY ...YYYY ....YYY ....... ....... ....YYY",
+    ("STATUS_END_OF_ROUND", ":00"): "....... ....YYY ....YYY ....YYY ...YYYY ....YYY ....... ....... ....YYY",
+    ("STATUS_END_OF_ROUND", "0.0"): "....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......",
+    ("STATUS_END_OF_ROUND", "-"): "....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......",
+    ("STATUS_END_OF_ROUND", "''"): "....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......",
+    ("STATUS_END_OF_ROUND", "None"): "....... ....YYY ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....YYY",
+    ("STATUS_END_OF_ROUND", "missing"): "....... ....YYY ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....YYY",
+    ("STATUS_FINAL", "12:00"): "YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY",
+    ("STATUS_FINAL", "0:00"): "YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY",
+    ("STATUS_FINAL", ":00"): "YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY",
+    ("STATUS_FINAL", "0.0"): "YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY",
+    ("STATUS_FINAL", "-"): "YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY",
+    ("STATUS_FINAL", "''"): "YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY",
+    ("STATUS_FINAL", "None"): "YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY",
+    ("STATUS_FINAL", "missing"): "YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY YYYYYYY",
+    ("STATUS_POSTPONED", "12:00"): "....... YYYYYYY ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......",
+    ("STATUS_POSTPONED", "0:00"): "....... YYYYYYY ....YYY ....YYY ...YYYY ....YYY ....... ....... ....YYY",
+    ("STATUS_POSTPONED", ":00"): "....... YYYYYYY ....YYY ....YYY ...YYYY ....YYY ....... ....... ....YYY",
+    ("STATUS_POSTPONED", "0.0"): "....... YYYYYYY ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......",
+    ("STATUS_POSTPONED", "-"): "....... YYYYYYY ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......",
+    ("STATUS_POSTPONED", "''"): "....... YYYYYYY ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... .......",
+    ("STATUS_POSTPONED", "None"): "....... YYYYYYY ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....YYY",
+    ("STATUS_POSTPONED", "missing"): "....... YYYYYYY ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....... ....YYY",
+}
+
+# One cell per plugin, in SPORTS order.
+EXPECTED_EDGES = {
+    "period_text None, P4 0:00": ".YYYYY..Y",
+    "period None, 0:00": ".........",
+    "period 'OT', 0:00": ".........",
+    "period '4' (str), 0:00": ".YYYYY..Y",
+    "clock int 0, P4": ".Y......Y",
+    "clock float 0.0, P4": ".Y......Y",
+    "tied, end of P3, 0:00": "....Y....",
+    "tied, end of P4, 0:00": ".YYYYY..Y",
+    "period_text 'Final/OT', P5 0:00": "YYYYYYYYY",
+}
+
+# ufc's recorded ESPN payloads, through its own _extract_game_details. A
+# finished bout reads ".": ufc's period text is "R<n>", never "Final", so it
+# leaves the live list on is_final, before this method is asked.
+EXPECTED_UFC_RECORDED = {
+    "in_round_3_of_3": ".",
+    "break_after_round_1": ".",
+    "end_of_round_after_stoppage": ".",
+    "walkouts_five_rounder": ".",
+    "final_five_round_decision": ".",
+    "final_five_round_stoppage": ".",
+    "final_three_round_decision": ".",
+    "final_three_round_stoppage": ".",
+    "break_after_round_4_of_5": ".",
+    "end_of_round_5_awaiting_decision": ".",
+}
+
+
+def build_live_manager(plugin):
+    module, cls_name, extra = LIVE_MANAGERS[plugin]
+    display = MagicMock()
+    display.width, display.height = 128, 32
+    display.matrix.width, display.matrix.height = 128, 32
+    cache = MagicMock()
+    cache.get.return_value = None
+    cls = getattr(load(plugin, module), cls_name)
+    return cls({"timezone": "UTC"}, display, cache, *extra)
+
+
+def method_identity(cls):
+    """Where a class's _is_game_really_over is defined: (file, qualname, line)."""
+    fn = cls._is_game_really_over
+    return (Path(fn.__code__.co_filename).name, fn.__qualname__,
+            fn.__code__.co_firstlineno)
+
+
+def league_managers_agree(plugin, chosen):
+    """Yield a problem for every league live manager whose method differs from ``chosen``'s."""
+    want = method_identity(type(chosen))
+    pdir = REPO / "plugins" / f"{plugin}-scoreboard"
+    for path in sorted(pdir.glob("*_managers.py")):
+        mod = load(plugin, path.name)
+        for name, cls in inspect.getmembers(mod, inspect.isclass):
+            if name.endswith("LiveManager") and cls.__module__ == mod.__name__:
+                got = method_identity(cls)
+                if got != want:
+                    yield f"{path.name}:{name} resolves {got}, not {want}"
+
+
+def cell(mgr, g):
+    try:
+        return "Y" if mgr._is_game_really_over(dict(g)) else "."
+    except Exception:                                 # noqa: BLE001
+        return "!"
+
+
+def observe(managers):
+    """The three tables as this checkout answers them."""
+    matrix = {}
+    for status, text_for in STATUSES.items():
+        for clock_label, clock in CLOCKS.items():
+            matrix[(status, clock_label)] = " ".join(
+                "".join(cell(managers[p], game(status, text_for(period), period, clock))
+                        for period in PERIODS)
+                for p in SPORTS)
+    edges = {label: "".join(cell(managers[p], g) for p in SPORTS)
+             for label, g in EDGES.items()}
+    ufc = managers["ufc"]
+    cases = json.loads(UFC_FIXTURES.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))["cases"]
+    recorded = {c["name"]: cell(ufc, ufc._extract_game_details(c["event"]))
+                for c in cases}
+    return matrix, edges, recorded
+
+
+def print_tables(matrix, edges, recorded):
+    print("EXPECTED_MATRIX = {")
+    for key, row in matrix.items():
+        print(f"    {key!r}: {row!r},")
+    print("}\n\nEXPECTED_EDGES = {")
+    for key, row in edges.items():
+        print(f"    {key!r}: {row!r},")
+    print("}\n\nEXPECTED_UFC_RECORDED = {")
+    for key, row in recorded.items():
+        print(f"    {key!r}: {row!r},")
+    print("}")
+
+
+def diff(name, expected, observed, explain):
+    problems = []
+    for key in sorted(set(expected) | set(observed), key=str):
+        want, got = expected.get(key), observed.get(key)
+        if want != got:
+            problems.append(f"{name}[{key!r}]: expected {want!r}, got {got!r}{explain(want, got)}")
+    return problems
+
+
+def changed_plugins(want, got):
+    """Which plugins' cells differ between two rows (blank-separated or one char each)."""
+    def per_plugin(row):
+        return row.split() if " " in row else list(row)
+
+    if not (isinstance(want, str) and isinstance(got, str)):
+        return ""
+    w, g = per_plugin(want), per_plugin(got)
+    if len(w) != len(SPORTS) or len(g) != len(SPORTS):
+        return ""
+    return f"  <- {', '.join(p for p, a, b in zip(SPORTS, w, g) if a != b)}"
+
+
+def main() -> int:
+    core = core_root()
+    if core is None:
+        print("SKIP: no LEDMatrix core checkout found (set LEDMATRIX_CORE)")
+        return 2
+    sys.path.insert(0, str(core))
+    logging.disable(logging.CRITICAL)
+    os.chdir(core)  # the managers resolve fonts against the core
+
+    managers, problems = {}, []
+    for plugin in SPORTS:
+        try:
+            managers[plugin] = build_live_manager(plugin)
+            problems += [f"{plugin}: {p}" for p in league_managers_agree(plugin, managers[plugin])]
+        except Exception as exc:                      # noqa: BLE001
+            problems.append(f"{plugin}: building the live manager raised "
+                            f"{type(exc).__name__}: {exc}")
+    if len(managers) < len(SPORTS):
+        for p in problems:
+            print(f"  [FAIL] {p}")
+        return 1
+
+    matrix, edges, recorded = observe(managers)
+    if "--print" in sys.argv:
+        print_tables(matrix, edges, recorded)
+        return 0
+
+    problems += diff("matrix", EXPECTED_MATRIX, matrix, changed_plugins)
+    problems += diff("edges", EXPECTED_EDGES, edges, changed_plugins)
+    problems += diff("ufc recorded", EXPECTED_UFC_RECORDED, recorded, lambda *_: "")
+    for p in problems:
+        print(f"  [FAIL] {p}")
+    if problems:
+        return 1
+    cells = (len(matrix) * len(PERIODS) + len(edges)) * len(SPORTS) + len(recorded)
+    print(f"  [pass] {cells} game-over answers across {len(SPORTS)} scoreboards")
+    return 0
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    sys.exit(main())