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ESPN3: Watch Live without Cable With These Providers in 2024

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ESPN3 is a streaming service owned by ESPN that broadcasts a variety of sports. Because it is not a channel, it isn’t available directly from most cable, satellite, and streaming services.

In a hurry? Only Sling TV offers ESPN3 as part of its service. And with a price tag of only $40.00/mo, it’s hard to beat. Try it today!

Read on to learn how to get ESPN3 through other streaming services.

Sports on ESPN3

ESPN3 is not a traditional TV channel. It’s actually its own streaming service providing live sports and replays. At peak times, it’s possible to select from a number of sporting events.

The scope of ESPN3 coverage is large but its focus is on NCAA sports. It shows college football and men’s and women’s college basketball games but also less-covered sports like baseball, softball, volleyball, lacrosse, and much more.

It also covers professional and amateur sports from around the world including soccer, tennis, golf, cricket, and more.

ESPN3 doesn’t provide coverage of most of the biggest professional leagues. But for real sports fans, it provides a gold mine of content that you won’t find anywhere else.

ABC Sports on ESPN3

Finally, all ABC Sports events are simulcast on ESPN3. So when ABC aired the Golden State Warriors at the Denver Nuggets in the 2022 NBA playoffs, the game also streamed on ESPN3.

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How to Get ESPN3

ESPN3 offers an eclectic selection of live sporting events. There are more international and college sports than you will find on ESPN and ESPN2. It doesn’t normally air big games but instead offers events you won’t generally see elsewhere.

You can’t purchase a subscription to ESPN3, however. It is only available to cable, satellite, and streaming service subscribers.

There’s a chance you already have access to ESPN3 with the services that you currently use. Here are the four ways to get access to ESPN3: 

  1. Cable TV or satellite TV provider
  2. Live TV streaming service (FuboTV, Sling TV, etc) 
  3. Internet service provider
  4. Through an institution like a college or military base.

ESPN3 simulcasts all ABC Sports broadcasts.

It can be confusing to know which streaming services are accepted because they usually do not list ESPN3 in their channel lineups. The good news is that pretty much all of them provide this — but only if your plan includes ESPN.

This is because most providers do not offer ESPN3 in their own apps. Instead, you must use the ESPN app (or ESPN.com) and log onto it using your streaming service account. But this isn’t always the case. Sling TV is the only provider that integrates ESPN3 with its own apps.

We discuss this in more detail below.

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Live TV Streaming Services with ESPN3

All of the following streaming services provide access to ESPN3 through the ESPN app. Only Sling TV provides ESPN3 directly.

SlingTV

Sling TV Logo
Base ChannelsESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3
ESPN Add-onsESPNews, ESPNU, ESPN Deportes,
ACC Network, Longhorn Network, SEC Network
Total Channels30+
Cloud DVR50 hours
Simultaneous Screens1
Free Trial
Sling TV Price$40.00/mo

SlingTV is a low-cost streaming service. The Sling Orange plan is the only service to provide the ESPN3 live stream right in its app so there is no need to change apps to watch ESPN3.

In addition, you get 29 other channels including AMC, CNN, Disney, HGTV, TBS, and TNT. All of that is available for $40.00/mo.

Sling TV also offers a great selection of add-ons that allow you to personalize your TV selection. In particular, for $11/mo you can get the Sports Extra add-on which provides 14 additional channels including MLB Network, NBA TV, and NHL Network.

For more information, see the following:

Or see our guide to a particular sport/event:

This is an old video but it still shows how ESPN3 is integrated with Sling TV and all the content it provides.

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FuboTV

fubotv logo
Base ChannelsESPN, ESPN2
ESPN Add-onsESPNews, ESPNU, ESPN Deportes,
ACC Network, SEC Network
Total Channels110+
Cloud DVR1000 hours
Simultaneous Screens10
Free Trial
FuboTV Price$79.99/mo

FuboTV is arguably the best streaming service for sports fans. Of the 110+ channels in their base (Pro) plan, over 35 are sports channels including CBS Sports Network, FS1, FS2, NFL Network, and much more.

They also have great overall channel coverage with local (ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC), entertainment (Bravo, E!, TVLand), and family (Animal Planet, Disney).

There’s a lot more to know about FuboTV:

Sign Up for a Free Fubo Trial

ESPN3 on Fire TV
ESPN3 on the ESPN app using FuboTV credentials.

DIRECTV STREAM

DIRECTV STREAM
Base ChannelsESPN, ESPN2
ESPN Add-onsESPNews, ESPNU, ESPN Deportes,
ACC Network, SEC Network
Total Channels75+
Cloud DVRUnlimited*
Simultaneous ScreensUnlimited
Free Trial*
DIRECTV STREAM Price$79.99/mo
* When ordered online.

DIRECTV STREAM (formerly AT&T TV) also allows you to stream ESPN3 from the ESPN app. With 75+ total channels for $79.99/mo, it is more expensive than its competitors. But it does have its advantages.

DIRECTV STREAM makes transitioning from cable easy by providing its own TV box so you don’t have to worry about dealing with a third party for your devices. And it allows unlimited devices to stream live TV at the same time — a great benefit for large households.

To find out more, see our guides:

Get DIRECTV STREAM Free for 5 Days

Hulu + Live TV

hulu logo
Base ChannelsESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU,
ESPN College Extra, ACC Network, SEC Network
ESPN Add-onsESPN Deportes
Total Channels85+
Cloud DVRUnlimited (9 months storage)
Simultaneous Screens2
Free Trial
Hulu Price$76.99/mo

Hulu + Live TV is the most popular live TV streaming service. It offers an excellent base plan designed to appeal to a broad audience. Included with it are ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU, and ESPN College Extra. Like FuboTV, it doesn’t include ESPN3 in its channel list but you can get it via the ESPN app.

Hulu Live TV offers 85+ channels for $76.99/mo in addition to its great on-demand streaming library, ESPN+, and Disney+.

You can find out more about Hulu + Live TV here:

Try Hulu + Live TV Today!

Vidgo

vidgo logo
Base ChannelsESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU, ESPN Deportes,
ACC Network, Longhorn Network, SEC Network
ESPN Add-ons
Total Channels100+
Cloud DVR
Simultaneous Screens3
Free Trial
Vidgo Price$69.99/mo

Vidgo is another low-cost streaming service that provides access to ESPN3 via TV Everywhere. It also includes the 5 most popular channels: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU, and the Spanish-language ESPN Deportes.

For $69.99/mo, Vidgo provides over 100 channels including a good selection of sports, news, entertainment, and family channels.

To learn more about Vidgo, see the following:

Try Vidgo Today!

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You can’t beat a VPN for privacy, security, and access. We have used them for years as an important part of our streaming toolkit and we recommend ExpressVPN. Other brands worth checking out include Hotspot Shield and CyberGhost.

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How to Watch ESPN3 With the ESPN App

It is simple to get and use the ESPN app. But it depends on how you have access. If you have Sling TV, just start its app. ESPN3 is in your channel guide.

If you have access to ESPN3 through another streaming service (or cable or satellite company), follow these steps to watch with the ESPN app:

  1. In your device’s app store, search for “ESPN app.”
  2. Download and install it.
  3. Run the app.
  4. Go to the Settings menu (usually represented with a gear wheel), select Account Information and then Provider Account. Note, if you already have your streaming service’s app installed, it is likely that you are all set up and can just start watching.
ESPN Login
ESPN login screen on its web app.
  1. Enter the username and password from your streaming service.
  2. That’s it! You are ready to watch!

TVs and Streaming Devices for ESPN3

Sling TV ESPN3
Android phone running Sling TV with ESPN3

You can watch ESPN3 on the vast majority of smart TVs and other streaming devices.

ESPN App Devices

The ESPN app is compatible with most streaming sticks, mobile devices, and consoles. 

Here’s a quick list of supported devices: 

  • Amazon Fire TV
  • Android Mobile
  • Android TV
  • Apple TV
  • iOS (iPhone/iPad)
  • PlayStation
  • Roku
  • Samsung Smart TVs
  • Xbox One.

You can also cast from mobile devices to your TV using built-in functionality or with a Chromecast device. 

Sling TV

Sling TV supports the same devices as the ESPN app except for PlayStation. It does, however, support other devices like LG smart TVs and the Oculus VR system.

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Wrapping It Up

Accessing ESPN3 to watch sports is easy because most of the major streaming services provide it. Sling TV is the most budget-friendly option on our list and also the only one that provides ESPN3 in its own channel guide.

For ESPN3, we recommend Sling TV.

Save 50% on Sling TV Now

See Also

FAQs

Can I watch ABC Sports on ESPN3?

Every ABC Sports event is simulcast on ESPN3. This is great news if you live in an area without an ABC affiliate or you use a service that doesn’t support it. The primary example is Sling TV, which doesn’t offer ABC but does offer ESPN3 in its Orange plan.

Can you watch ESPN3 on YouTube TV?

You can’t get access to ESPN3 through YouTube TV. They stopped supporting it as early as August 2020. This is odd because they offer other ESPN channels. In fact, you can still use the ESPN app with your YouTube TV account. The problem is that it won’t allow you to stream any ESPN3 content. 

Can you watch ESPN3 on ESPN+?

You can’t watch ESPN3 on ESPN+. An ESPN+ subscription does not include access to any of the other ESPN channels. ESPN+ is a separate subscription that offers on-demand matches, live events, and other sports-related media. It’s a great service but to access ESPN3, you need a TV Provider or an affiliated company. 

Can you record ESPN3 content?

At the moment, there’s no way to record ESPN3 content. That’s not just a limitation of the ESPN app. Sling TV comes with a cloud DVR and 50 hours of storage. You can use it to record games on the other ESPN channels. But not ESPN3. 

Is ESPN3 free for students and military personnel?

It is possible that ESPN3 is free for students and those in the military, but we are doubtful. According to ESPN’s FAQ, students at US-based universities and military personnel on US military installations (including those in Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia) can get ESPN3 for free. It is worth checking with people at your institution. The ESPN FAQ seems out of date as it mentions WatchESPN, which hasn’t been in use since July 2019.

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That’s it — you’ll save money, take back control, and enjoy TV more!

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Frank Moraes
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