Sports is one of the few things we still want to watch live on TV. Netflix and Hulu on-demand work great for some cord-cutters — but not sports fans. The good news is that live TV streaming services have thought about sports fans — you can choose from several online providers to watch sports on TV without cable.
Read on to find out how you can stream your favorite sport online without cable.
In a hurry? Check out these popular streaming services where you can stream sports without cable on dozens of sports channels online.
- Fubo: The best streaming service for international sports also provides 150+ well-selected channels. Fubo allows you to try out its service with a free trial.
- DIRECTV STREAM: Get a great channel lineup with the best selection of RSNs in the industry. A 5-day free trial is now available for DIRECTV STREAM.
- Sling TV: This low-cost service allows you to select just the channel lineup you want. Save 50% on Sling TV now.
If you can’t watch your favorite sports because of your location, get ExpressVPN to access the content you deserve.
Table Of Contents
Top Sports Streaming Services
Here are the best sports streaming services based on our assessment of what channels are available to stream your favorite sports live.
You can also jump to the sports streaming guide and find out what channels you need.
Best For | Price | |
Football, Basketball, Baseball, Hockey, Soccer, Golf, Tennis, Olympics | $79.99/month | |
Basketball, Hockey, Soccer, Golf, College Sports | $79.99/month | |
Soccer, Golf, Tennis, Olympics, Motorsports | $76.99/month | |
Basketball, Baseball, Hockey, Olympics, Combat Sport | $40.00/month |
Ways to Get Sports Without Cable
There are two main ways to watch live sport without cable. You can either stream sports online or use an over-the-air antenna to access local channels.
Streaming Sports Online
If you choose to go with the option to stream sports online, you’ll be hunting for the following types of channels:
- Local Channels
- Regional Sports Networks (RSNs)
- National Channels
- League Channels
Local Channels
The main local channels that broadcast major sports events are NBC, Fox, ABC, and CBS. Such channels have local affiliates, meaning each locality has a different version of the local channel with slightly varying programs.
When it comes to sports, local channels may show different games, based on where you tune in. Local channels like NBC have separate sports channels. For instance, NBC Sports is a set of regional networks (explained below), while CBS Sports is an entirely separate national TV channel.
What’s important is that you can stream NBC, Fox, ABC, CBS, and other local channels online to watch sports. Services like DIRECTV STREAM, Hulu + Live TV, and Fubo offer all four, and more.
Regional Sports Networks
Like local channels, RSNs also present live content to specific localities. For example, Balley Sports has over a dozen separate channels. One such, Balley Sports Florida, serves the regions of Florida, southern Alabama, and southern Georgia. The other Balley Sports channels work this same way and serve one or more local regions.
Another popular RSNs is NBC Sports with 8 channels and 35+ localities. Regional sports networks normally focus on particular teams but can broadcast other events that will appeal to their local audiences.
You can stream select RSNs with the large streaming providers online, without cable. DIRECTV STREAM is the best streaming service for RSNs — providing access to over 35 location-specific channels with many additional subchannels. In many areas, DIRECTV STREAM is your only option. Fubo offers substantial RSN access and Hulu + Live TV offers a bit.
See this list of RSNs to learn more.
National Channels
These include some of your favorite sports channels like FS1 and ESPN. National sports channels are available nationwide and are the easiest to stream online.
However, streaming services have various contracts with network providers, so national channel availability varies across the range of streaming services. Typically, you need to pay extra for a higher plan to access more in-demand national channels.
For example, DIRECTV STREAM offers 75+ channels with their base plan in comparison to 140+ channels with their premier plan. Most of those are, in fact, national channels. Services like DIRECTV STREAM pay for their right to give you access to these channels, so you pay them via subscribing monthly.
League-Specific Channels
Finally, there are league-specific channels and subscriptions. For example, baseball fans can watch live games and exclusive content on the MLB Network. There are many more league-specific channels like NBA TV and NHL Network.
There are also league passes like MLB.tv and NFL+ Premium. These normally function the opposite of RSNs — providing you with access to all games but only those that do not involve local teams (out of market games).
Some of these channels are available through standard streaming services and others are standalone. Read on to find out how and where to watch your favorite sport without cable.
Antenna
If you want to remain offline, you can also access a handful of channels that show some sport via an over-the-air (OTA) antenna.
When you connect an antenna to your TV, you can access local channels to watch sports. Here’s a summary of what sports you can expect to see on your local networks via antenna:
- ABC: At one time, ABC was the iconic sports channel (“The thrill of victory! The agony of defeat!”). But in 2006, ABC Sports became ESPN on ABC, providing local channel viewers access to part of the cable channel’s coverage, including NFL, NBA on ABC, NHL (including the Stanley Cup playoffs and finals), international soccer, college football, and more.
- NBC: Sports programs are shown on NBC during weekend afternoons. The majority of sports is broadcast by NBC Sports’ regional channels, though you can watch sports like golf, NASCAR, and the summer and winter Olympic Games via antenna. Note that OTA sister channel Telemundo also airs sports.
- CBS: During football season CBS normally airs two games every Sunday. They also air basketball. March Madness is broadcast by CBS, as well as the occasional college basketball bout. CBS Sports, the network’s national sports channel covers far more live sports.
- Fox: Aside from the better-known FOX Sports channels (FS1, FS2), Fox’s local channels broadcast sports like soccer, volleyball, bowling, and exclusive shows like the NASCAR Race Hub.
The truth is that the big four local networks limit their sports coverage primarily to weekends and big sporting events. They all have alternative sports channels, regional sports networks, or sister networks:
- ABC: ESPN
- CBS: CBS Sports Network
- Fox: Fox Sports
- NBC: 7 RSNs.
How to Stream Your Favorite Sports
Read on to find out which channels you need to stream your favorite sport and which streaming services are best for the job.
You can also find additional resources on the sports, their major leagues, and competitions.
Football
- Channels Needed: CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN, NFL Network, NFL RedZone
- Best Streaming Services: Fubo, Hulu + Live TV
NBC | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Fox | ✔️ | ✔️ |
CBS | ✔️ | ✔️ |
NFL Network | ✔️ | ✔️ |
NFL RedZone | 💲 | 💲 |
ESPN | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Try Fubo | Try Hulu |
CBS and Fox air most Sunday NFL games. CBS holds the rights to AFC and Fox owns the rights to NFC games. NBC has exclusive rights to air Sunday Night Football, the most sought-after event of the week.
ESPN is necessary if you want to watch Monday Night Football live (ABC sometimes airs it as well). Amazon Prime Video is a must for Thursday Night Football.
NFL RedZone is only important if you value highlights — they show every touchdown of the week on Sundays. And NFL Network is pretty much just preseason games these days.
Fubo is your best option to watch football without cable.
See also:
- How to Watch Sunday, Monday, and Thursday Night Football
- Ways to Watch Football Online Without Cable
- How to watch the Super Bowl
- Watch the NFL Playoffs without cable
- Sunday and Monday Night Football on Sling TV
- NFL Draft on Sling TV
Basketball
- Channels Needed: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, TNT, NBA TV, and RSNs: Bally Sports, NBC Sports, SportsNet, Altitude, Spectrum, MSG, YES
- Best Streaming Services: Fubo, Sling TV, DIRECTV STREAM
ESPN | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
ESPN2 | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
ESPN3 | ❌* | ✔️ | ❌* |
TNT | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
NBA TV | 💲 | 💲 | 💲 |
Try Fubo | Try Sling | Try DIRECTV |
Sling TV is a great choice for basketball fans — the only channel missing is NBA TV, and it can be added for $11/mo extra as part of the Sports Extra add-on. This is a great deal for just $51/mo.
If your favorite team is also the local team, you will want to check out Fubo or DIRECTV STREAM. Fubo provides access to many RSNs and DIRECTV STREAM provides access to pretty much all of them.
If Fubo provides the RSNs you need, it’s the way to go for only $79.99/month (or $77.98 with NBA TV), which includes all their normal great selection of sports channels. If not, you can get DIRECTV STREAM’s Choice plan for $108.99/month.
If you are a fan of a non-local team, you can get Sling TV with the NBA League Pass. It gives you access to all out-market games. Remember, however: there is a blackout of games involving your local teams.
See also:
- How to Watch NBA Without Cable
- How to Stream the NBA Playoffs Finals Online
- Where to Watch Your Favorite NBA Team Play Online
- Watch Every Nationally Televised Game on Sling TV
- NBA Play-In Tournament
- NBA Playoffs
- NBA Conference Semifinals
- NBA Finals
- Christmas Day Games
Baseball
- Channels Needed: ESPN, Fox, Fox Sports 1 (FS1), MLB Network, TBS, and RSNs: Bally Sports, NBC Sports, AT&T SportsNet, MASN, NESN, Marquee, Spectrum, SportsNet New York, YES, ROOT
- Best Streaming Services: Fubo, Sling TV, DIRECTV STREAM
ESPN | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Fox | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
FS1 | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
MLB Network | 💲 | 💲 | 💲 |
TBS | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Try Fubo | Try Sling | Try DIRECTV |
If the absence of MLB Network isn’t a bother, Sling TV’s Blue plan is a good choice to watch baseball without cable. Even with it, you will pay only $46/mo and get a good selection of other channels too.
Most MLB games play on RSNs. So if you are a fan of one of the hometown teams, you will want to go with Fubo or DIRECTV STREAM. In many areas, only DIRECTV STREAM offers the RSN you need, so you will have to go with them and their Choice plan for $108.99/month. But this does include MLB Network.
Fubo also provides access to RSNs, but not as many. It is, however, cheaper at just $79.99/month. If you add the Fubo Extra add-on with 47 channels including NBA TV, it will cost you $77.98/mo.
Another option is MLB.tv, which provides you access to all the games not involving your local team.
See also:
- How to Watch Baseball Without Cable
- How to Watch the MLB Playoffs Online (on Sling)
- Where to Stream the World Series Without Cable.
Cricket
- Channels Needed: Willow TV
- Best Streaming Services: Sling TV, ESPN+
For US-based fans, watching cricket is pretty simple given that it isn’t widely televised here. Most events appear on Willow TV and its subchannel Willow Xtra. But ESPN+ also provides decent cricket coverage.
See also:
- General Cricket Guide (Sling TV Guide)
- Test Cricket
- ODI Men’s World Cup (Sling TV Guide)
- ODI Women’s World Cup
- T20 Men’s World Cup
- T20 Women’s World Cup (Sling TV Guide)
- Indian Premier League (IPL)
Horse Racing
The biggest horse races appear on NBC. But for the day-to-day sport, FanDuel is essential.
See also:
- General Horse Racing
- Grand National
- Kentucky Derby (Sling guide)
- Preakness Stakes (Sling guide)
- Belmont Stakes (Sling guide)
Hockey
- Channels Needed: NHL Network, ESPN, TNT, and RSNs: Bally Sports, NBC Sports, AT&T SportsNet, NESN, Altitude, MSG
- Best Streaming Services: Fubo, Sling TV, DIRECTV STREAM
NHL Network | 💲 | 💲 | 💲 |
ESPN | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
TNT | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Try Fubo | Try Sling | Try DIRECTV |
Fubo and DIRECTV STREAM are hands down the top choices for cord-cutters to watch NHL games. The only channel that you need to pay extra for is NHL Network.
If you’re on a tighter budget, Sling TV has two key channels to watch hockey online and even if you want all the channels, Sling TV still costs less, even with the add-ons.
If you are a fan of the local team, you will probably want to go with Fubo or DIRECTV STREAM. They both support pretty much all RSNs including AT&T SportNet, NBC Sports, and Bally Sports channels. There are a couple on the coasts that are only provided by DIRECTV STREAM.
NHL.tv used to be an option for general fans, but it has shut down. All out-of-market games are now available on ESPN+.
See also:
- Guide to Watch Hockey Online Without Cable
- How to Watch Out-of-Market NHL Games
- How to Watch the NHL Playoffs
- Chasing the Stanley Cup: The 2024 NHL Playoffs are Definitely Cheaper on Sling TV
- Rink-side Seats: How to Follow the 2024 NHL Playoff Schedule on Sling TV
- The Stanley Cup Final on Sling TV: Your Practical Guide to Watching the Puck Drop
- Breakaway from Cable: Stream the NCAA Hockey Tournament on Sling TV
- How To Watch the NHL 2023 Draft Unveil Promising Talent: Sling TV Has ESPN For Less
- Watch the 2023 Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Celebration
Soccer
- Channels Needed: NBC, CNBC, TNT, BeIN Sports, Fox Sports 1 (FS1), FS2, Telemundo, and RSNs: Bally Sports, NBC Sports, Spectrum, YES, ROOT
- Best Streaming Services (Cable Replacement): Fubo, DIRECTV STREAM, Hulu + Live TV
- Additional Stream Services Needed: ESPN+, Fanatiz, Paramount+, Peacock
NBC | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
CNBC | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
BeIN Sports | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ |
FS1 | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
FS2 | ✔️ | 💲 | ✔️ |
Telemundo | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Try Fubo | Try DIRECTV | Try Hulu |
Fubo offers all of the main soccer channels, and they all come with the base plan for $79.99/month.
Fanatiz is a great stand-alone way to watch beIN Sports if you don’t want to spring for Fubo. beIN Sports, by itself, has Copa Libertadores, Copa Sudamericana, Ligue1, Africa Cup of Nations (Sling Guide), CAF, and the Turkish Süper Lig.
The biggest recent change is MLS is now on Apple TV. You don’t need Apple’s streaming service (Apple TV+), though Apple TV+ subscribers do get a discount (and some of the best original programming on TV).
Networks have increasingly been moving their international soccer to their streaming services. Here’s a quick rundown of some of the more popular leagues:
- AFC: Paramount+
- Bundesliga: ESPN+
- English Premiere League: Peacock
- FA Cup: ESPN+
- La Liga: ESPN+
- NWSL: Paramount+
- Olympic Soccer: Peacock
- Serie A: Paramount+
- UEFA: Paramount+
See also:
- Guide to Watching Soccer Online
- How to Watch the El Classico Without Cable
- Watch La Liga Without Cable With These Channels
- How to Stream Premier League Soccer Online
- Premier League on Sling TV
- Premier League Schedule on Sling TV
- How to Watch the Champions League (Finals)
- Ligue 1 on Sling TV.
Golf
- Channels Needed: Golf Channel, NBC, CBS, CBS Sports, ESPN
- Best Streaming Services: Fubo, DIRECTV STREAM, Hulu + Live TV
Golf Channel | ✔️ | 💲 | ✔️ |
NBC | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
CBS | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
CBS Sports | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
ESPN | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Try Fubo | Try DIRECTV | Try Hulu |
Both Hulu + Live TV and Fubo offer channel line-ups that have all you need to watch golf without cable.
DIRECTV STREAM is more expensive for golf fans, though if you want to stream other sports and access dozens of regional sports networks, it’s worth considering.
See also:
- How to Watch Live Golf Without Cable
- How to Watch Your Favorite Golf Tournament Online
- The Masters on Sling TV (Masters Finals)
- LPGA Tour on Sling TV
- PGA Championship on Sling TV
- NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championship on Sling TV
- US Open on Sling TV
- 2023 Tour Championship on Sling TV
- Ryder Cup on Sling TV.
Tennis
- Channels Needed: ESPN, ESPN2, NBC, ABC, CBS, FS1, FS2, Tennis Channel
- Best Streaming Services: Fubo, Hulu + Live TV
ESPN | ✔️ | ✔️ |
ESPN2 | ✔️ | ✔️ |
NBC | ✔️ | ✔️ |
ABC | ✔️ | ✔️ |
CBS | ✔️ | ✔️ |
FS1 | ✔️ | ✔️ |
FS2 | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Tennis | 💲 | ❌ |
Try Fubo | Try Hulu |
Hulu and Fubo offer ESPN and ESPN2 as part of their base plans, meaning you can watch tournaments like the Australian Open. ESPN also shows replays and on-demand content from tournaments like Wimbledon.
But Fubo really is the best bet for tennis fans. A lot is aired on NBC. And the Tennis Channel is increasingly essential, which only Fubo provides as the primary channel for the French Open and the only channel for the US Open.
See also:
- How to Watch Tennis Without Cable
- Guide to Watching the Australian Open Online (on Sling TV)
- Where to Watch the French Open Without Cable (on Sling TV)
- Streaming Services to Watch Wimbledon Online (on Sling TV)
- Watch the Wimbledon Finals on Sling TV
- How to Watch the US Open (on Sling TV)
Olympics
- Channels Needed: NBC, Golf Channel, USA
- Best Streaming Services: Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV
NBC | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Golf Channel | ✔️ | ✔️ | 💲 |
USA | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Try Fubo | Try Hulu | Try Sling TV |
There are four key channels you need to watch the Tokyo Olympics. Both Fubo and Hulu + Live TV offer all five channels with their base plans for $69.99 per month.
Sling TV’s Blue plan with the Sports Extra add-on gets you Golf Channel for a total of $51 per month — that’s a bargain compared to Hulu and Fubo.
See also:
College Sports
College sports are also in demand for cable cutters — especially college football and basketball. Here’s a summary of the channels and services you need to stream college sports without cable.
College Football
There are a number of channels that provide substantial coverage of college football:
- ABC
- ACC Network (ACC)
- Big Ten Network (Big Ten)
- CBS Sports Network ()
- ESPN
- ESPN2
- ESPN3
- ESPNU
- Fox
- FS1
- Pac-12 Network (Pac-12)
- SEC Network (SEC).
The most important of these channels are ESPN3, ESPN, ACCN, CBSSN, SEC, and BTN. There isn’t one perfect streaming service for college football. All the services have their advantages and disadvantages.
Hulu + Live TV also offers a good deal with all of the channels except for the Pac-12 channels. And you cannot get them with an add-on.
Fubo’s base plan has a lot of holes in it when it comes to college football. However, you can get all the channels if you get the Sports Plus and Fubo Extra add-ons.
That makes the total cost $88.97/mo. But this does represent an impressive plan with 160+ total channels including 60+ dedicated to sports.
More information:
- Watch College Football Online: Stream Your Team Without Cable Now
- College Bowl Games: How to Watch Without Cable
- How to Watch Thanksgiving Football Games Online Without Cable
- How to Watch College and Pro Football Online Without Cable
- Thanksgiving Week Sports on Sling TV.
College Basketball
Here’s the list of channels that air college basketball games during the regular season are pretty much the same as those that air football. The main difference is that CBS affiliates show more basketball and should be added to the list.
Various RSNs air college basketball. Hulu + Live TV offers a few of these. Fubo offers substantially more. But DIRECTV STREAM offers almost all of them. So if you are interested in your local college teams — especially the smaller ones — you should check this out.
The college basketball championships are different from the regular season. They are all aired by CBS and the Turner channels TBS, TNT, and truTV. If these games are important to you, you should avoid Fubo since it doesn’t offer any of the Turner channels.
Your best bet to watch college basketball online is DIRECTV STREAM with the Choice plan ($108.99/month). But if the RSNs aren’t important to you, Hulu offers a great deal for $76.99/month. If your focus is on the regular season, Fubo is also a good deal.
Read more:
- How to Stream College Basketball Without Cable
- Follow the 2023 NCAA Basketball Season with Sling TV
- Guide to Streaming March Madness Online
- NCAA March Madness on Sling TV
- NCAA March Madness Schedule on Sling TV
- NCAA Women’s Basketball National Championship on Sling TV.
Other College Sports
There is a wide range of sports that top college athletes engage in. These include baseball, cycling, gymnastics, softball, tennis, and volleyball.
Read more:
- College World Series Live Stream: All the Ways to Watch Without Cable
- Watch Softball Without the Cable Contract: the Best Ways to Stream Online
- Slide into the Excitement: Why Sling TV is the Best Way to Watch 2023 NCAA Baseball
- Top College Baseball Games to Stream
- Cheapest Way to Watch the College World Series Selection Show
- Watch Every Game of the 2023 Women’s College World Series — Complete Schedule.
Other Sports
Here’s a summary of how you can watch a selection of other sports without cable.
Auto Racing
NASCAR and Formula 1 are two of the most popular auto racing leagues in the world. The latter is less popular in the US, so let’s start with NASCAR.
The majority of NASCAR races air on FS1. They also air on Fox itself as well as various NBCUniversal channels including NBC and CNBC.
This means that your best bet to watch NASCAR online is with Fubo, Hulu, or Sling TV.
Formula 1 is mainly broadcast on ESPN networks as well as ABC. As a result, the best services for F1 are Fubo, Sling TV, and Hulu.
See also:
- How to Watch NASCAR Without Cable
- Where to Stream the Daytona 500 Online
- NASCAR 2023 on Sling TV
- Goodyear 400
- How to Watch Formula 1 With a Streaming Service (Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Miami)
- Never Miss a Race: Stream Formula 1 Live on Sling TV [2023] (Miami, Singapore)
- Rev Up Your Formula 1 Schedule: Catch Every Grand Prix on Sling TV
- Top 10 Formula 1 Circuits
- Indianapolis 500 on Sling TV
- 24 Hours of Le Mans on Sling TV
- NASCAR Truck Series Playoffs on Sling TV
- NASCAR Cup Series on Sling TV
- NASCAR Cup Series Championship on Sling TV
- NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs on Sling TV
- NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship on Sling TV
- NASCAR Playoffs on Sling TV
Combat Sports
Combat sports are dominated by mixed martial arts (MMA) and boxing. Here are the channels and services you need to watch two top MMA leagues and professional boxing without paying a cable bill:
- UFC: ESPN and ESPN2 are the most important channels you need to watch UFC. Pay-per-view fights will cost you extra via ESPN+. Most streaming services offer the ESPN networks, so your cheapest choice is Sling TV.
- Bellator MMA: These fights are shown exclusively on DAZN, a sports-focused streaming service. You can sign up for a free 30-day trial — otherwise, the plan costs $19.99 per month or the greatly reduced yearly price of $99.99.
- Professional Boxing: As for TV channels, boxing airs on ESPN networks, though many fights air exclusively on services like DAZN and FITE TV. If you want the most fight action, you can try DAZN for free alongside the Orange plan from Sling TV. FITE TV is just $4.99/mo or $49.99/yr (after a 7-day free trial).
See more at:
- How to Watch Professional Boxing Without Cable
- How to Stream UFC and Bellator Online
Rugby
Most high-profile rugby in the US is on NBC, or one of NBC’s sister-stations, or Peacock (NBC’s streaming service). This includes the Rugby World Cup, Rugby Sevens World Cup, and Premiership Rugby. Major League Rugby is on Fox/FS1/FS2 (local games) or The Rugby Network (free).
If you’re looking for more than that, checkout FloRugby. It’s got Autumn Nations Series, Six Nations 20s, Women’s Six Nations, Rugby Europe Championships, Super Rugby, Currie Cup, Bledisloe Cup, Rugby Championship, US college matches, and World Cup qualifiers.
You have lots of options to get the networks that show rugby:
- Fubo ($79.99/month): Get 130+ channels including all the above.
- DIRECTV STREAM ($79.99/month): Get ~80 channels but you will need to upgrade to get FS2.
- Sling TV ($40.00/month): Get 40+ channels but you need to upgrade to get FS2.
- Hulu + Live TV ($76.99/month): Get 85+ channels, ESPN+, and all the channels above.
- YouTube TV ($72.99/month): Get 85+ channels including all of the above.
We’ve got more details on how to watch rugby without cable at:
Pro Wrestling
WWE Network no longer functions in the US as an independent channel. Instead, it has moved to Peacock TV. With it, you get access to all their shows and every PPV event. But you must sign up with Peacock Premium for $7.99/month.
If you don’t want to do this, you can see the WWE shows on Fox, TNT, and USA. You can get these channels on either of these services:
- Hulu + Live TV: Offers the WWE show channels alongside 85+ other channels for $76.99/month.
- DIRECTV STREAM: Also offers the WWE show channels for a monthly cost of $79.99/month.
You can read more about how to watch specific pro wrestling events online at:
- How to Stream AEW Dynamite Online
- Stream AEW on Sling TV
- Ways to Stream NXT Wrestling Without Cable
- How to Watch WWE Raw and Smackdown Online.
Regional Sports Networks
Regional sports networks (RSNs) allow you to watch live and pre-recorded sports on TV in particular areas around the US.
There are dozens of RSNs — some of them are operated by major network providers like NBC, while others are run by telecommunications giant, AT&T. Bally Sports is the largest RSN provider having taken over Fox Sports’ channels.
As you can see in the list of RSNs below, DIRECTV STREAM is the streaming service with the widest coverage, followed by Fubo. YouTube TV has the same RSNs as Hulu + Live TV, minus SportsNet New York.
Other Ways to Watch Sports Without Cable
There are other ways to watch sports without cable. We’ve touched on some of these above.
- ESPN+: Although not a replacement for the regular ESPN channels, ESPN+ provides access to a lot of games across the spectrum of sports.
- ESPN3: Only Sling TV includes ESPN3 with its channel guide. But you can watch ESPN3 through the ESPN app using your streaming service to log in.
- League Passes: Many sports league provide access to all of their names. These include NBA League Pass, NFL+ Premium, and MLB.tv. The problem with these for most fans is that they only allow you to watch out-market games. So if you want to wach the home team, you’re out of luck.
- YouTube TV: An excellent overall streaming service very similar to Hulu + Live TV.
TVs and Other Streaming Devices
The dominant streaming services tend to support a similar set of streaming devices. The main variation in which device you can use a streaming service on depends on the model or version, which is typically determined by the age of your device.
Here are the types of supported devices with some examples of accepted models — versions vary from service-to-service:
- Mobile Phones and Tablets: Most recent models of iOS (Apple) and Android devices, no older than a few years
- Smart TVs: Samsung, LG, Android TV, and Roku TV
- Streaming Devices: Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Roku, Chromecast
- Streaming Boxes: Air TV, Chromecast, Nexus
- Gaming Consoles: Xbox One, Playstation 4 and 5
Before you buy a device or choose a streaming service, it’s important to check whether they’re compatible. For example, even streaming services that support Playstation do not support version 3.
Streaming devices and boxes are the safest choices. But do your research with each provider before you commit. For example, DIRECTV STREAM lets you check the supported devices by model or category, while Sling TV lists all that’s supported.
When using streaming services via a web browser on a computer or portable device, old versions of Google Chrome and Safari may not be supported. However, this is easy to fix with an update, so you can watch sports via a web browser-accessible streaming service.
Wrapping Up
Now you can check which channels you need to watch your favorite sport, you can also see which streaming service you need.
If you’re interested in watching more than one sport, you can see which channels are the ones that show most of the action you’re after — then it’s easier to pick a streaming provider.
FAQs
Which streaming service is the best for live sports?
Fubo is a great overall streaming service and our choice for the best when it comes to sports. You get access to over 35 sports channels and have the opportunity to purchase sports add-ons to get even more channels. With Fubo, you can watch live anything from football, basketball, baseball, or hockey, to college sports, Olympic events, and soccer.
Learn more about Fubo in this review.
How can I watch live sports for free?
One way to watch live sports for free is via local channels, that’s if you have an over-the-air antenna (OTA). This is a great option. Don’t let old stereotypes get in your way. Now you can watch digital TV in HD. Another way to watch free sports is with free live TV trial.
Can I watch sports with Locast?
At one time, you could watch local channels for free with Locast. Although even it was really free since it bumped you off every 20 minutes unless you paid $5 per month. But that service was shut down by the government for IP violations. And there is no indication that it will come back.
Does Amazon Prime have live sports?
Amazon Prime shows some live sporting events. This year, they will feature some Thursday Night Football games. Starting next year, they will hold exclusive rights to these games. You can get more live sports with individual channel subscriptions like MLB.tv, NBA League Pass, Paramount+, and PGA Tour Live.
How can I watch ESPN without a cable TV provider?
ESPN is a popular supported channel with online streaming services, so you no longer need a cable TV provider to watch it live. The majority of popular streaming services have ESPN network channels, namely, Hulu, Fubo, Sling TV, and DIRECTV STREAM. All of them also provide ESPN2 and access (via the ESPN app) to ESPN3.
Why does ESPN+ ask for a TV provider?
ESPN+ is a standalone service and is not designed to give you access to ESPN channels by itself. ESPN+ content is accessible if you pay a separate subscription, but you’ll need to prove that you’re a subscriber with a supported TV provider or streaming service to access the standard ESPN content.
Can I record live sporting events?
All the major streaming services come with a cloud DVR. Sling TV offers 50 hours of cloud DVR. Fubo offers 1,000 hours. Hulu + Live TV and DIRECTV STREAM offer unlimited could DVR with up to 9 months of storage.
How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect sports fans?
The COVID-19 pandemic was terrible for sports fans who were paying for live sports broadcasting when there was little or none. We did an analysis two months without any live sporting events from any of the major leagues (MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL). We found that pay-tv subscribers had paid almost $3.5 Billion in cable fees for live sports that haven’t happened.
Here’s how we crunched the numbers:
According to Statista at that time, there were around 86.5 pay-TV households in the United States. On average, each of these households paid around $20 per month in fees for sports programming. That meant pay-TV subscribing households in the US pay about $1.73 billion per month in fees for sports programming. And with two months of no live sports, that meant pay-TV companies like Comcast and AT&T had received nearly $3.5 billion in fees for sports programming that features no live sports.
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