FuboTV and Hulu Plus Live TV, ESPN Plus, DirecTV Stream, and other streaming services claim they cater to sports fans. However, only a handful of these services truly offer one-stop shopping for sports enthusiasts.
It is easier to choose a streaming service to watch movies or shows than it is to choose one for sports. This problem stems mainly from the fact that most sporting events are meant to be viewed in real-time. There are many streaming services available, including DirecTV Stream or YouTube TV. These are great options for sports fans who want to cut the cord.
Sports fans often want to be able to access their regional sports networks (or RSNs) to see their favorite teams’ games. NESN is required to view most of the games for Boston-area hockey fans or Major League Baseball fanatics who want to catch the Red Sox. Even if they are a member of a league-sponsored or sport-specific package like MLB TV, which does not cover in-market games, this is still possible. Any dedicated sports fan will appreciate the ability to stream live for your favorite teams and games through dedicated streaming services.
Most live TV streaming services do not have many RSNs because of rights agreements. DirecTV Stream is an exception to this rule among streaming services. It offers almost every RSN, including the Bally Sports (formerly Fox Sports), channels. However, the company raised its prices earlier in the year and you will need to pay $90 per month to have them.
Once your sport makes it to the playoffs, however, you will notice that games shift from smaller regional channels to national ones and are included in most TV packages. This is a major exception to the rule. You will still need to have access to NBA TV, which usually costs more, in order to watch every first-round playoff game. Some sports, like Formula 1 racing feature all their contests on one network such as ESPN.
The cost of sports streaming services can be more expensive than a cable subscription depending on where you live. Sometimes it is more costly to go live stream than to get a cable or satellite plan. These packages usually come bundled along with ESPN, TBS, and your local network’s sports channel set. If the package comes with the home internet that you will likely be using, this could make sense.
These streaming services are great for those who don’t want to watch too many channels or who know they only need to see a handful of channels in order to enjoy their favorite sports shows.
DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream can be expensive. This streaming service is the most expensive of all five major live TV streaming services. However, it also has the most RSNs and offers more for sports fans. The $70-per-month Plus package, which is the cheapest, includes all major networks, as well as ESPN and TNT, FS1 or TBS. To receive any available RSN or many league channels, such as the Big Ten Network or NBA TV, you will need to upgrade to the $90-per-month Choice plan. DirecTV currently offers $15 off your first two months for both plans. It also offers a channel lookup tool that will show you which RSNs and local channels are available in your region.
ESPN Plus
The standalone streaming service ESPN is great for casual sports fans, and a must-have accessory to the zealots. It costs $7 per month or $70 per year, and it shows all out-of market games, NHL hockey, and MLS soccer matches.
It is also heavily invested in international soccer hosting LaLiga matches from Spain and Germany’s Bundesliga. ESPN Plus also hosts some English soccer, including the FA Cup, Carabao Cup, and the Community Shield. The EFL Championship is the league below Premier League.
ESPN Plus does not show live NBA basketball and NFL football games. However, it offers coverage of Wimbledon as well as the US Open. The service also offers access to the MLB Archives, which contains classic games. For fans who want to see up-and-coming athletes, it also has NCAA basketball and NCAA football. The subscription includes some UFC matches, while pay-per-view matches typically require an additional fee.
You can also access exclusive shows like Peyton’s Places, starring Peyton Manning and the 30 for 30 library. The subscription also removes the ESPN paywall, giving you full access to all online articles, reporting, and reports. It’s a great resource for sports enthusiasts, and almost essential for UFC and hockey fans.
FuboTV
FuboTV is $70 per month, and it offers 12 RSNs. It includes ESPN but not TBS or TNT — which may be a problem for some sports fans. You can also access most local networks such as ABC, NBC, and Fox. You can also use the Pirlo TV App as an alternative to Fubo TV.
Fubo Extra Package will cost you an additional $8 per month. The elite streaming tier costs $80 per month and includes Fubo Extra for NHL, MLB, SEC 12, PAC 12, or Tennis channels. Here’s a list of the local networks and RSNs FuboTV has to offer.
Hulu Plus Live TV
Hulu Plus Live TV is a great option for sports fans. The service is not able to access many league-owned channels. However, it comes with an ESPN Plus subscription.
Hulu Plus Live TV is $70 per month. It carries four RSNs, all major networks, and ESPN, TBS TNT, and FS1. Although it does include the NFL Network, the Sports add-on does not have the MLB, NHL, or NBA channels. The NFL Red Zone is the most appealing feature of this add-on. It doesn’t add much value to the package otherwise.
Hulu Plus Live TV might be more attractive because of the inclusion of the Disney bundle. You get ESPN Plus full access and Disney Plus. Hulu Plus Live TV might be a great compromise for Disney-loving sports fans or those who live in the same house as them.
To see the local RSNs and networks available in your area, click the link “View all channels within your area” at the bottom of Hulu Plus Live TV’s Welcome Page.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is $65 per month. It offers four RSNs along with FS1, FS2, ESPN, and TBS as well as all the major national networks. With the exception of NHL Network, the standard package contains almost every league channel. You might be able to skip the additional Sports Plus package. It doesn’t offer much beyond NFL Red Zone and BeIn, but it does include most of the league channels. YouTube TV’s welcome page allows you to enter your ZIP code to find out which local networks and RSNs may be available in your area.
Peacock Premium
Sunday Night Football, Premier League soccer, WWE, and Indy Car.
Peacock, which is owned by NBC offers live sports in addition to its on-demand entertainment. Access to the English Premier League soccer, Sunday Night Football, Sunday Night Football and select WWE events, Indy Car races, Indy Car races, and some PGA golf tourneys is available through the Premium tier, which costs $5 per month.
You can also watch a few lesser-known sports like track and field, figure skating, track & field, and cycling. Sunday Night Football can be accessed during the season but is best for fans of wrestling and soccer. Check out our Peacock review.
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Sling TV
Sling TV packages offer very little to the casual fan. The Orange plan on Sling TV includes ESPN, while Blue has FS1 as well as the NFL network. Both plans have TBS access, but none of them give you access to ABC. This could prove problematic for many viewers. The Sports Extra add-on costs $11 per month for either the Blue and Orange plans or $15 for the combined Orange Blue plan. It provides access to the NBA, NHL, and MLB channels along with the PAC 12, BeIn, and Tennis channels. Each individual plan costs $35 per month, while the Orange and Blue plans are $50 each. Here are the local channels that you can access.
Sports Streaming Services FAQs
Aren’t there on-demand streaming services that show live sports?
Yes. Yes. Amazon Prime, Hulu, and Paramount Plus all have live sports broadcasts once in a while. However, their current sports offerings are very limited.
Paramount Plus, a CBS subsidiary, offers its $5 a month Essential subscribers access to the AFC football games during NFL Season, as well as some UEFA Champions League soccer matches. However, viewers are not able to access their local CBS station. Paramount Plus also hosts the NWSL women’s soccer league.
Hulu now streams select NHL hockey games as part of its regular service. However, it tends not to stream all its sports for its Hulu Plus Live TV package.
Amazon Prime Video and the NFL have partnered to stream Thursday Night Football exclusively starting in 2022. Anyone who wishes to see their team play on Thursday nights will have to be an Amazon Prime member. While this could be valuable for fans during the season, the platform does not offer much else during the year. Prime does air a few WNBA games during the summer but that’s it.
These services don’t air all sports programming, but they primarily focus on entertainment on-demand. Although this could change, they do not offer much for sports fans at the moment.
Does streaming sports live cause a delay or lag when compared to cable?
It is. The streaming delay can be as long as 40 seconds, as opposed to around 5 seconds for satellite and cable.
This could be especially concerning for people who use Twitter, group chats, and push notifications. A delay of this length could lead to spoilers of a big play. This could make it more difficult for sports betting enthusiasts to participate in the action. It might be a smart idea to view your game via satellite or cable if you intend on legal betting.
You can stream your games by turning off your phone’s notifications and staying away from Twitter. While your friends may try to text you to boast about the score, you can choose to ignore them and watch the game.
What are the best ways to access these services from my device?
You can download all the apps from this list. To watch the content on your smart TV, you will need either a streaming device or a smart TV. You can search for the service name on your smart TV, device, or tablet, then download the app to your TV, and enter your sign in information.
These apps can be downloaded on your Android, iPhone or iPad for streaming in the home or on the move.
