When it comes to selecting a live sports streaming service, it can be overwhelming to navigate through the vast array of options available. To make things easier for you, we have put together a comprehensive guide that will help you choose the best platform that suits your needs.
Our guide delves into the top live sports streaming services, highlighting their features, pricing, and user experience. By providing this information, we aim to equip you with the knowledge you need to make an informed decision.
So whether you are a die-hard sports fan or just enjoy watching a game every now and then, our guide has got you covered.
Table of Contents
What are Sports Streaming Services
In 2024, there are more ways than ever to watch your favourite teams play live. You don’t even need a satellite or cable subscription. With the growth of live streaming services that show the biggest games, you only need an internet connection and a streaming device.
However, finding the right sports streaming service can be challenging. Only some services carry your regional sports network (RSN), and scouting around can become a headache. NHL, NBA, and MLB games occasionally appear on national television; NBA games, for instance, can be seen on ABC, TNT, or ESPN. Yet, a large number of the matches from these leagues are broadcast on RSNs owned by Sinclair (Bally Sports, formerly known as FOX Sports), Comcast (NBC Sports), or AT&T (SportsNet). Although fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV all provide NBC Sports RSNs, DirecTV Stream is one of the few services currently offering RSNs from each of these owners.
With all of the streaming services featured in this guide, you can discontinue your subscription anytime, and there are no obligations. In addition, you might not require a specific service all year round, making a temporary cancellation an alluring opportunity to save a little money. Some provide limited-time free trials or discounted initial subscriptions.
Best Sports Streaming Services Overview
DirecTV Stream – Best overall
✅ College, regional and major professional sports
✅ League channels included
✅ Free trial
✅ Unlimited Cloud DVR recordings
⛔ No dedicated NFL channels
Prices start from $79.99/mo.
ESPN Plus – Best for College Sports
✅ UFC pay-per-view events
✅Select MLB games
✅ Tennis, golf
⛔ No DVR
⛔ No live NFL or NBA games
Prices start from $10.99/mo.
fuboTV – Best for Sports Fanatics
✅ ESPN, FS1, FS2, 32 RSNs
✅ Most local networks and league channels
✅ Free trial
⛔ No TBS, TNT or truTV
⛔ Lacks out-of-market NBA
Prices start from $79.99/mo.
Hulu Plus Live TV – Best sports bundle
✅ ABC, CBS, ESPN, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, NFL Network, TBS, TNT
✅ 4 RSNs
✅ ESPN Plus included
⛔ No MLB Network, NBA,TV or NHL Network
Prices start from $69.99/mo.
YouTube TV – Best Cable Replacement
✅ ABC, CBS, ESPN, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, TBS, TNT
✅ 4 RSNs
✅ Most league channels
✅ Free trial
✅ Unlimited DVR
⛔ No NHL Network or PAC-12 Network
Prices start from $72.99/mo.
Sling TV – Best addons
✅ MLB, MLS, NBA, NFL, NHL
✅ Premier League, Ligue 1, Liga MX, golf, tennis
✅ College football and basketball
⛔ Limited RSNs
Prices start from $40/mo.
Paramount+ – Live CBS sports
✅ Local NFL games
✅ March Madness
✅ UEFA Champions League
✅ NWSL soccer
✅ Free trial
⛔ Limited sports coverage
Prices start from $5.99/mo.
Peacock – Cheapest
✅ Sunday Night Football
✅ MLB Sunday
✅ Premier League Football
✅ WWE
✅ Indy car, golf
⛔ No DVR
Prices start from $5.99/mo.
DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream has the most RSNs and offers the most for sports fans. Its cheapest package includes the major networks and ESPN, FS1, TBS and TNT. However, you must upgrade to the Choice or Ultimate package to access available RSNs and league channels such as CBS Sports, MLB Network, and NHL Network.
DirecTV Stream benefits from having the broadest RSN coverage because it is a member of the DirecTV family. Altitude Sports and the Bally Sports Regional Networks, for instance, are not available on any other streaming service. For cord-cutters who reside in the areas served by those networks, DirecTV Stream is an essential service – especially for MLB, MLS, NBA, and NHL fans.
For an extra $19.99/mo, DIRECTV Stream offers NBA League Pass Premium to the diehard NBA fans. You can increase your out-of-market game count to 40 with this add-on, ensuring that you don’t miss a single piece of the action during the NBA regular season.
Click to view DirecTV Stream sports channels
- ACC Network
- Altitude Sports*
- AT&T SportsNet RSNs*
- Bally Sports RSNs*
- Big Ten Network
- CBS Sports Network
- ESPN
- ESPN2
- ESPNews
- ESPNU
- FS1
- FS2
- Golf Channel
- Longhorn Network†
- Marquee Sports Network*
- Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN)*
- MLB Network
- MOTOR TREND
- MSG Network*
- NBA TV
- NBC Sports RSNs*
- NESN*
- NHL Network
- ROOT Sports Northwest*
- Spectrum SportsNet*
- SportsNet New York (SNY)*
- SEC Network
- Sportsman Channel
- Tennis Channel
- TUDN
- TVG
- YES Network*
* RSNs vary by area
ESPN Plus
ESPN+ is a sports streaming service that offers live out-of-market NHL and MLB games, replays of many games, NBA G League matchups, combat sports, and NCAA sports. It also includes PGA Tour coverage, out-of-market MLS games, and international sports. ESPN+ produces in-house series and offers archives of ESPN’s 30 for 30, E:60, and SC Featured.
ESPN+ is comparable to a single-network service like Paramount+ and competes with NBC’s Peacock. It does not provide complete access to national sports games, including Monday Night Football.
Click to view ESPN Plus live sports
- Belgium Jupiler League
- Bundesliga
- Emirates FA Cup
- English Football League (EFL)
- Canadian Football League (CFL)
- Carabao Cup (EFL Cup)
- College Sports (20+ conferences)
- Dutch Eredivisie
- International Cricket Council (ICC) events
- Indian Premier League
- La Liga
- Little League World Series
- MLB
- NCAA Basketball
- NFL International Series
- NHL
- PGA Tour
- UFC
- UEFA Nations League
- UEFA European Qualifiers
- United Soccer League (USL)
- XFL
fuboTV
Fubo offers national, local, and international sports programming. The Starter plan has broadcast affiliates like ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC, and domestic sports channels like BTN, CBS Sports Network, FS1, FS2, fubo Sports Network, NBA TV, NBC Sports Network, NFL Network, and The Golf Channel.
Fubo added key sports channels like ACC Network, ESPN, ESPN2, and SEC Network to its lineup. Depending on your location, you may have access to RSNs. Recently, Fubo added Bally Sports RSNs (previously FOX Sports RSNs).
Fubo is subject to blackouts and restrictions, and individual sports leagues determine what teams are shown in each local market. Fubo competes with other streaming services like Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV.
Click to view fuboTV (Elite w/ International Sports Plus) sports channels
- ACC Network
- AT&T SportsNet RSNs*
- Bally Sports RSNs*
- beIN SPORTS
- Big Ten Network
- CBS Sports Network
- ESPN
- ESPN2
- ESPN Deportes
- ESPNews
- ESPNU
- FS1
- FS2
- FOX Deportes
- FOX Soccer Plus
- fubo Sports Network
- fubo Sports Network 2
- Ginx Esports TV
- Golf Channel
- GolTV English
- GolTV Spanish
- Marquee Sports Network*
- MLB Network
- MOTOR TREND
- MSG Network*
- NBA TV
- NBC Sports RSNs*
- NESN*
- Next Level Sports
- NFL Network
- NHL Network
- Pac-12 Network
- ROOT Sports Northwest*
- SEC Network
- SportsNet New York (SNY)*
- Stadium
- Tennis Channel
- TUDN
- TVG
- TyC Sports
- Zona Fútbol
- NBA League Pass ($14.99/mo.)
* RSNs vary by area
Hulu Plus Live TV
For sports enthusiasts, Hulu Plus Live TV presents an intriguing compromise. The service lacks access to numerous league-owned networks, but it is automatically included with an ESPN Plus membership.
Four RSNs are available on Hulu Plus Live TV, which costs $70 per month and includes all the major networks, as well as ESPN, FS1, FS2, TBS, and TNT. Unfortunately, even with the Sports add-on, it doesn’t have the MLB, NHL, NBA, or Tennis channels, though it does come with the NFL network. NFL Red Zone is the feature of the addon that has the most popularity. Unfortunately, it doesn’t provide much value to the package in any other case.
Click to view Hulu Plus Live TV sports channels
- ACC Network
- Big Ten Network
- CBS Sports Network
- ESPN
- ESPN2
- ESPN College Extra
- ESPNews
- ESPN+
- ESPNU
- FS1
- FS2
- Golf Channel
- MOTOR TREND
- NBC Sports RSNs*
- NFL Network
- SEC Network
* RSNs vary by area
YouTube TV
YouTube TV has over 90 channels, including all major networks and local PBS channels. News channels like BBC America, CNBC, and CNN are also available. Sports channels include CBS Sports, ESPN, and NBA TV, but RSN coverage is limited. YouTube TV offers a variety of entertainment channels such as AMC, National Geographic, and ViacomCBS.
YouTube TV is similar to Hulu + Live TV in terms of content mix, but Hulu has a more extensive on-demand library. FuboTV is better for sports and international content, while Philo is great for entertainment channels.
Click to view YouTube TV sports channels
- ACC Network
- Big Ten Network
- CBS Sports Network
- ESPN
- ESPN2
- ESPNews
- ESPNU
- FS1
- FS2
- Golf Channel
- MLB Network
- MOTOR TREND
- NBA TV
- NBC Sports RSNs*
- NFL Network
- SEC Network
- MLB.TV ($24.99/mo.)
- NBA League Pass ($28.99/mo.)
* RSNs vary by area
Sling TV
Sling TV’s Orange and Blue packages aren’t ideal for sports fans as some crucial channels are divided between them. The Orange & Blue plan is the best choice for sports enthusiasts, but to access the MLB Network, NBA TV, NHL Network, and Golf Channel, you’ll need to subscribe to the Sports Extra package ($11 per month).
Sling TV has limited local network and regional sports networks (RSNs). You can watch select NFL broadcasts for free via the NFL and Yahoo Sports apps. Fubo provides the majority of sports channels offered by Sling TV’s combined plan. Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV offer better sports coverage by providing all major broadcast channels. DirecTV Stream is also a good option.
Click to view Sling TV (Orange & Blue w/ Sports Extra) sports channels
- ACC Network
- beIN SPORTS
- Big Ten Network
- ESPN
- ESPN2
- ESPN3
- ESPNews
- ESPNU
- FS1
- FS2
- Golf Channel
- Longhorn Network
- MLB Network
- MLB Network Strike Zone
- MOTOR TREND
- NBA TV
- NFL Network
- NFL RedZone
- NHL Network
- Pac-12 Network
- SEC Network
- SEC Network+
- Stadium
- Tennis Channel
- NBA Team Pass ($17.99/mo.)
- NBA League Pass ($28.99/mo.)
Paramount+
Paramount+ offers a great variety of sports events, including NFL, PGA Tour, NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship, soccer, and more. CBS Sports HQ is also included. Compared to Peacock, it has a more substantial sports streaming lineup, while Prime Video, ESPN+, and Dazn offer more specific sports coverage. For national sports leagues, consider paying for a live TV streaming service. Paramount+ also offers live TV with local CBS broadcast station feeds, but no Pluto TV.
Click to view Paramount+ live sports
- Argentine Primera División
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
- Combate Global MMA
- CONCACAF
- Coppa Italia
- FA Women’s Super League (FAWSL)
- March Madness
- Masters Tournament
- NCAA sports
- NFL
- National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL)
- PGA Tour
- UEFA Europa Conference League
- UEFA Europa League
- UEFA Champions League
- Serie A
Peacock
Peacock offers a wide range of live sports content that subscribers can enjoy. For instance, subscribers can watch every Sunday Night Football game of this season, including the Super Bowl.
Moreover, Peacock has acquired the rights to broadcast 175 live Premier League matches for the 2021-22 season, along with the replays for every game. Peacock also provides extensive coverage of IndyCar, is the exclusive home of World Wrestling Entertainment (which includes pay-per-view events), and aired NHL Stanley Cup Final games earlier this year.
In addition to these, Peacock also covers various skating, skiing, and supercross events, thus providing a comprehensive sports coverage to its subscribers.
Click to view Peacock live sports
- AMA Supercross
- Diamond League Track and Field
- European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR)
- Figure Skating Championships
- MLB
- NFL
- IMSA SportsCar Championship
- IndyCar Series
- Olympics
- PGA Tour
- Premier League
- Premiership Rugby
- Skate America
- United States Football League (USFL)
- USATF Outdoor Track and Field Championships
- WWE
Other Streaming Services Offering Live Sports
Certain live sporting events are included in your subscription if you’re an Amazon Prime member. For example, 20 Premier League matches are broadcast per season for UK viewers. In addition, if you’re in the US, Prime members can watch Thursday Night Football for no additional cost.
Streaming Live Sports for Free
Not all sporting events need a subscription service to stream online. Significant sporting events like the Super Bowl, The Masters, FIFA World Cup, Rugby League World Cup, Wimbledon and the Olympics are frequently available to stream for free online.
Take a look at my list of Free Sports Apps for some recommendations.
Wrapping Up
Plenty of sports streaming services allow you to watch your favourite sports and games from the comfort of your home.
ESPN+ is known for its extensive coverage of sports ranging from soccer to college football and offers exclusive content and original programs. FuboTV is a great choice for soccer fans, as it covers all the major European leagues, MLS, and international matches. Sling TV offers a range of packages that cater to different sports fans and is particularly popular for its NBA and NFL coverage.
Hulu with Live TV and YouTube TV are two other popular options that provide access to live sports from major networks like NBC, CBS, and FOX. Both services have a wide range of channels and DVR capabilities, making them an excellent choice for those who want to watch live sports and catch up on games they missed.
When choosing a sports streaming service, consider factors like the sports you’re interested in, the channels you need, and the cost of the service. Researching and comparing different options can help you find the streaming service that best fits your needs and budget.
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