For sports lovers, attending the games of their favorite teams or events is always paramount. But instead of subscribing to cable or satellite TV providers and having them customize your package to include all the sports channels you need, it can become very costly. If you are willing to let go of some of the channels that you have been using and you do not want to get rid of sports programming, there are some other cheaper methods that you can use to watch live sports. This guide will discuss the most cost-effective ways for sports lovers and will show you how to save whilst not missing any game action.
Sling TV – $35 per month at its basic package
Speaking of the sports channels, Sling TV is relatively cheap offers live TV streaming, and includes popular sports channels such as ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, FS1, and the NFL Network. While Sling TV base packages cost at least $35 a month, which is significantly cheaper than a traditional cable service. The blackout is that certain regional sports networks and local channels are not available. Although if you largely tune in only to football, basketball, baseball, hockey, and others on nationwide televised telecasts, Sling offers you a reasonable choice of sports-related shows at a fairly reasonable monthly cost.
Pros
- The packages for the services offered start from $35 per month.
- Acquire some of the leading sports stations in the country including ESPN, TNT, and FS1
- Can also add channels on specific options for $5-15 more per month.
- Most of the positions are non-employment which means that you will not be signed for a long-term contract.
Cons
- Only the national channels are available and regional sports networks.
- However, some blackout restrictions come with this kind of tree.
Hulu + Live TV has a monthly subscription price of $69. 99 onwards.
If the users want more extensive live sports streaming, Hulu + Live TV has more than 75+ live channels available at a starting rate of $69. 99 every month. In addition to local ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC stations in all the major markets, you also have ESPN, TNT, TBS, and a variety of other regional sports networks that air local professional and college games. While Hulu is more costly compared to Sling TV, it provides you with access to more sports content from various leagues and conferences both at the national level and in your region.
Pros:
- Get ESPN, TNT, regional local, and sports networks.
- It has a vast array of full series and movies in different genres and is updated with Hulu's original content.
- Pay-per-view so viewers can record live games in a DVR without a storage limit.
- This can include additional packages for extra channels such as HBO and Showtime.
Cons:
- The basic package is cheaper as it costs $59. 99 per month while the base package costs $69. 99 per month
- These restrictions may include streaming limitations for some live sports.
FuboTV – $69. 99/month up for the most basic package
If you want to get the best of live sports, the FuboTV may be the best bet. The starting price of $69. 99 per month is equal to Hulu + Live TV, but Fubo has more than one hundred channels, predominantly sports ones. Expect several NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, and college football/basketball with NFL Network, MLB Network, NBA TV, CBS Sports Network, PAC 12 Network, Big Ten Network, and many regional networks. It offers a massive amount of sports content that makes it one of the best options for cord-cutters looking for sports streaming.
Pros:
- Every sports channel you could think of.
- Some choices of the international soccer, rugby, and much more.
- Here, the features are the 500-hour DVR and the lookback options.
- For instance, it can be used on several devices at once
Cons:
- Costlier than the other plans with a price range of $69. 99 or more per month.
- Lacks non-sports entertainment channel list
- Some of the reasons include the following; Local channels are available in a limited manner in certain markets.
Streamed Sports Packages
In addition to general live TV streaming services, there are now a lot of specialized sports streaming services where you can subscribe to a specific set of streaming packages by leagues and networks. This makes it possible to pay based on the interest in the sports and not the traditional cable packages. For example:
- NFL+: Pricing for Spot-on is as low as $9. 99 per month or $79. 99 per year.
- NBA League Pass: $14. 99-$99. 99 per month/$99. 99-$199. 99 per year
- TV: 26. 46-139. 95 monthly / 129. 95 yearly
These are direct packages, as they do not include other live TV packages and require an additional subscription, but they provide out-of-market live games from each league for a reasonable price. You may save your money when your favorite sport is in season since the subscription costs less per month.
To receive local sports, the Antenna is the primary option that comes to people’s mind.
If watching local professional and college sports games that are aired on channels such as ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox is important to you, then you do not have to spend a dime since you can watch these sporting events with the aid of a good over-the-air HD antenna. You will not be able to watch ESPN and other cable sports networks but to do away with the monthly fee altogether, getting an antenna will help you follow your home-town teams in some selected games only. So if you watch it with a streaming service such as Sling TV, you can watch both national and local sports in the comfort of your home for cheap.
The Bottom Line
Thus, all the companies mentioned in the list offer cheaper options for live TV streaming compared to traditional cable and satellite services while offering a more diverse and customizable channel list that can be essential for diehard sports fans. Sling TV has the cheapest price to access the cable channels like ESPN at $ 35 per month. While FuboTV offers the most extensive sports coverage across several channels with 119+ for $69. 99 per month. And, using an HD antenna, you enable the enhancement of streaming packages with specific local broadcasts. Understanding the options of the sports that one needs to watch and thus leveraging these cheaper options mean that one will not be paying for the expensive cable bills but still get all the sporting events that one wants. Thanks to the advancements in technology and the increase in cord-cutting, sports programming has rarely been more versatile and cheap.
