Disclosure: Hotdog.com is supported by readers. When you click on our links and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Learn more
As a sports fan, I can’t imagine life without ESPN. It’s where I turn for Sunday Night Baseball and Monday Night Football. Through all its channels, I get to experience the entire world of sports in one place.
Seeing “not available in your area” or a blackout? Connect to another US location to unlock regional sports, news, and shows you already pay for. A streaming subscription is still required.
VPNs are also handy when you travel abroad and want to watch your usual US streaming content. New to VPNs? Learn how they work….
In a hurry? If you just want to start watching your favorite sports with the main ESPN channels now, these three services will do that and provide good overall viewing options:
All three services carry ESPN. Pick based on your budget:
Best Overall
185+ channels including ESPN, all major sports networks, and local channels. 7-day free trial – watch tonight, cancel anytime. Best if you want one service that “just works”, without piecing together bundles.
From $79.99/mo after free trial
Lowest Price
Carries ESPN from $45.99/mo – roughly half the price of Fubo. Add channel packs if you want more. The lowest-cost route for ESPN, if you are happy with a smaller bundle.
Most Channels
90+ channels including ESPN – the closest thing to full cable without a contract. 5-day free trial, then from $59.99/mo.
Away from home? If your content is blocked, a VPN helps you keep streaming. Our top pick is ExpressVPN.
Probably the number one reason people want access to ESPN is so that they can watch Monday Night Football. The groundbreaking nighttime game first showed on ABC but those days are mostly gone.
MNF is sometimes simulcast on ABC. But it is always on ESPN — week after week — even during the playoffs. You will also see a couple of Saturday NFL games.
In addition, ESPN provides great coverage of all the professional leagues: MLB, NBA, NHL, WNBA, NCAA, MLS, UFC, and much more. And you don’t have to pay much to get it all. For just $45.99/month, Sling TV offers ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN3.
ESPN isn’t broadcast over the airways so you can’t get it with a TV antenna. In the past, that meant that you needed a cable or satellite subscription. But today, ESPN is available via a number of live TV streaming services.
Even ESPN has gotten in on the streaming action. In 2018, they started ESPN+. But it doesn’t allow you to live stream ESPN. It provides access to a lot of live events that do not appear on the regular channels. Check out our full review of ESPN+.
For cord-cutters who want ESPN, streaming services are your primary option. Luckily, because the ESPN channels are so popular, most services provide access to them in their base plans.
Given how well ESPN is supported, your choice of service will probably be driven more by the other channels provided and the price of the service.
Here’s the ESPN channel lineup and how each streaming service provides them:
| Channel | DIRECTV* | Fubo | Hulu | Sling |
| ESPN | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| ESPN2 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| ESPN3† | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| ESPNews | 💲 | 💲 | ✅ | 💲 |
| ESPNU | 💲 | 💲 | ✅ | 💲 |
| ESPN Deportes | 💲 | 💲 | 💲 | ❌ |
Fubo’s base plan only includes ESPN and ESPN2. You can add ESPNews and ESPNU with either the Fubo Extra ($7.99/mo) or Sports Plus ($10.99/mo) add-ons. Both those add-ons also provide ACC Network and SEC Network from ESPN.
And you can get ESPN Deportes with either the International Sports Plus ($6.99/mo) or Latino Plus ($19.99/mo) add-ons.
| Base Channels | ESPN, ESPN2 |
| ESPN Add-ons | ESPNews, ESPNU, ESPN Deportes |
| Total Channels | 150+ |
| Hours of Cloud DVR Storage | 1000 |
| Simultaneous Screens | 10 |
| Free Trial | ✅ |
| Fubo Price | $79.99/month |
But if you are a sports fan, you may not need more than the two ESPN channels. Fubo’s base plan comes with 50+ sports channels including 9 beIN Sports channels, 4 Big Ten Network channels, the two Fox Sports channels, 12 TUDN channels, CBS Sports Network, and NFL Network.
If this piqued your interest but you want to know more, check out these resources:
For just $45.99/month, the Sling Orange plan offers ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN3. While you can get ESPN3 via ESPN’s app, it’s a nice touch that Sling TV integrates it with its interface.
You can add ESPNews and ESPNU with the Sports Extra ($11/mo) add-on. This also includes the ESPN channels SEC Network (base and Plus — see our SEC football guide), ACC Network (base and Extra — see our ACC football guide), and Longhorn Network (Sling TV Guide). To make it even better, this includes MLB Network, NBA TV, and NHL Network.
ESPN3 is not a TV channel. It is its own streaming service, offering multiple sporting events at the same time.
We have plenty of Sling TV guides like the WNBA draft, NFL draft, and NHL Draft.
| Base Channels | ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3 |
| ESPN Add-ons | ESPNews, ESPNU |
| Total Channels | 30+ |
| Hours of Cloud DVR Storage | 50 |
| Simultaneous Screens | 1 |
| Free Trial | ❌ |
| Sling TV Price | $45.99/month |
The Orange plan offers a total of 30+ channels including CNN, HGTV, and TBS. If you want local channels (Fox and NBC) and more sports, you can combine this plan with the Blue plan for a total of 50 channels.
You can find more details with the following guides:
The DIRECTV base plan only includes ESPN and ESPN2, although that is a lot. If you want, you can add ESPN Deportes with the Deportes package for an extra $5 per month.
You can also get ESPNews and ESPNU if you upgrade to the Choice package for $64.99/month. It comes with 100+ channels, unlimited DVR, and access to the best collection of regional sports networks in the industry.
| Base Channels | ESPN, ESPN2 |
| ESPN Add-ons | ESPNews, ESPNU, ESPN Deportes |
| Total Channels | 75+ |
| Cloud DVR | Unlimited (online sign-up) |
| Simultaneous Screens | Unlimited |
| Free Trial | ✅ |
| DIRECTV Price | $59.99/month |
DIRECTV will probably be especially appealing to cord-cutters who are currently AT&T or DirecTV subscribers. Get more information in the following guides:
If ESPN is the focus of your TV viewing, Hulu + Live TV is a great way to go. They offer one of the best selections of ESPN channels of any base plan: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU, ACC Network, and SEC Network.
Start Hulu + Live TV Free Trial ↗︎
Hulu Live also gives you ESPN+. And Disney+. And their usual outstanding on-demand library.
| Base Channels | ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU |
| ESPN Add-ons | ESPN Deportes |
| Total Channels | 100+ |
| Cloud DVR | Unlimited (9 months storage) |
| Simultaneous Screens | 2 |
| Free Trial | ❌ |
| Hulu Price | $82.99/month |
Of the two ESPN channels that don’t come with the base plan, you can get ESPN Deportes with the Español add-on for an additional $4.99/mo. Although Hulu Live doesn’t offer ESPN3, it is available on the ESPN app using your Hulu subscription.
In addition to the ESPN channels, Hulu + Live TV offers a good selection of other channels including local affiliates and sports channels like CBS Sports Network, FS1, FS2, MLB Network, and NFL Network.
Want more information? Check out these resources:
If the streaming services we reviewed above are not what you’re looking for, you can watch ESPN without cable using the following services:
You should be able to watch ESPN on most devices that you own. As long as your device is recognized by the streaming service you’ve chosen, you’re covered.
Pretty much every service supports smart TVs from the last 5 years — especially those running Android TV.
They also all support the following devices and operating systems:
All the streaming services support the major smartphones and tablets.
Any computer, laptop, or other device with a web browser can display ESPN with the streaming services listed above. Some of these devices can also be connected to a regular (non-smart) TV. If the TV provider supports TV Everywhere, you can stream it from espn.com as well.
A similar feature is available with Chromecast, which allows you to stream from your phone to your TV. It is really simple to do.
Lots of people watch movies on their gaming consoles. Except for DIRECTV, all the streaming services support Xbox One. Hulu supports PlayStation and Nintendo Switch. And if virtual reality (VR) is your thing, Sling TV supports Oculus.
ESPN started as a regional sports channel in 1979 as the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network. But even before it went live it was a national channel. In 1988, ESPN expanded to other nations. And in 1993, a second channel was added with more to follow.
ABC bought a controlling interest in ESPN in 1984. As a result of mergers, that means The Walt Disney Company now owns 80% of ESPN.
Here are the major ESPN channels
ESPN also operates a number of channels focused on specific areas of college sports:
After testing multiple streaming platforms, I found Sling TV’s Orange plan to be the best choice for streaming ESPN. It’s perfect for sports fans on a budget, offering a straightforward way to access ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN3 without the extras you don’t need. The service stands out with its customizable channel options, a simple user interface, and seamless compatibility across a variety of devices, from smart TVs to mobile phones. While it doesn’t include local channels, Sling’s flexibility and affordability outshine competitors, making it ideal for anyone looking to streamline their sports streaming without breaking the bank.
Yes, ESPN provides access to some playoff games. In 2024, ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, and ESPN+ all aired the last Wild Card game of the NFL postseason. And ABC and ESPN both showed the first Divisional game. But mostly, the NFL playoffs are broadcast by a combination of CBS, Fox, and NBC.
You cannot watch live games on ESPN for free outside of a free trial with a streaming service. If you install the ESPN app, you can watch clips from events and shows. But it is frustrating and you will probably find yourself signing up for ESPN+ before long.
ESPN+ allows you to watch many live events. It does not, however, allow you to watch live events that are showing on ESPN and ESPN2. ESPN+ is an addition to these TV channels, not a replacement. Note that ESPN+ is a pay-service that costs $11.99/month or $119.99/year.
Sling TV is the cheapest way to stream ESPN. For $45.99/month, they provide you with ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN3. For an additional $11/mo you can get the Sports Extra add-on, which also gives you ESPNU and ESPNews, ACC Network, Longhorn Network, and SEC Network.
This page was revised 9 times between July 2021 and April 2024.
Updated for changes in 2024.
Added streaming info. Added info about guide. Updated some sub-sections. Updated some section headings. Additional links. Deleted unneeded sub-section. Cleaned up list.
Added buttons for streaming services. Added sub-section. Updated some sub-sections. Updated some section headings. Mentioned offers.
Added buttons for streaming services. Pricing updates. Mentioned offers. Image changes.
Updated some sub-sections. Added some more links. Image changes.
Updated some sub-sections. Updated some section headings. Pricing updates.
Added links to streaming services. Added sub-section. Updated some sub-sections. Pricing updates. Linking. Cleaned up list.
Added new section. Added sub-section. Pricing updates. Updated some sub-sections. Image changes.
Updated one section.