Forget the days when ESPN was guarded under lock and key by cable and satellite providers. Now over-the-top (OTT) streaming services provide all the live TV you’d get with traditional TV, along with broadcasts of games from other sports-centric and regional sports networks (RSNs). Sling TV is one such OTT service that delivers sports coverage on top of popular national networks, from A&E to TLC, and everything in between. And the way Sling TV lets you customize the channels in your package ensures that you’re not just paying for “filler” channels.
There’s more to ESPN than a single channel. Much more. For instance, there are additional channels operated by ESPN — like ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPN Deportes, ESPNews, and SEC Network. If you want to find out more about Sling TV and what it offers, we recommend checking out our complete review. Or, dig deeper into the finer details of channels, packages, and pricing with our step-by-step breakdown.
So, does Sling have ESPN? Fortunately, yes, Sling TV has ESPN — but you’ll need to choose the right plan. Here’s how to watch ESPN on Sling TV.
Sling TV plans for ESPN on Sling TV
| Sling Orange | Sling Blue | Sling Orange + Blue | |
| ESPN | ✔ | ✔ |
Sling TV rolls out two primary plans in Sling Orange and Sling Blue. Both plans begin at $30/mo. and share a few channels, but that’s where their similarities end. Where Sling Orange only allows you to stream on 1 device at a time and has a little over 30 channels, Sling Blue lets you stream on 3 screens simultaneously with 45+ channels. So, on paper, it appears that Sling Blue is the better of the two. But not necessarily — it depends on your needs. For instance, Sling Orange carries ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN3, while Sling Blue doesn’t.
If you like what both plans have to offer and wish you could combine the two — good news! Sling TV’s most premium plan Sling Orange + Blue blends both for $45/mo.
One of the reasons Sling TV’s base plans are so scaled-down is to give you the opportunity to build a package that best fits you. Channel bundles and premium bundles are available starting at just $5/mo. The Sports Extra add-on delivers over 15 channels that include key sports networks like ESPNews, MLB Network, NBA TV, NHL Network, and SEC Network.
Sling TV offers some pretty good deals when you add multiple Extras to your package. The 4 Extras Deal combines Comedy Extra, Kids Extra, Lifestyle Extra, and News Extra for $12/mo.
You can also upgrade your features with additional add-ons. All of Sling TV’s plans come with 10 hours of cloud DVR storage. As a sports fan, you probably already know that 10 hours is easy to burn through. Luckily, you can upgrade your storage to 50 hours with Cloud DVR Plus for $5/mo. Now, if you want it all, you can have it with the Total TV Deal for $20/mo. It packs in all of the Extras along with the upgraded Cloud DVR Plus into one solid deal.
Watching ESPN on Sling TV
ESPN and its sister channels like ESPN2, ESPN3, and ESPNews are 24-hour sports networks. There’s a wide spectrum of programming that includes commentary, live games, news, and pregame shows that are all focused on providing the latest on collegiate and professional sports.
ESPN televises many popular shows like First Take, Monday Night Countdown, Outside the Lines, and of course, SportsCenter. The ESPN networks broadcast live games. So, you’ll need ESPN, or one of its sister networks, to tune into ACC Wednesday, Big Monday, ESPN College Football Primetime, ESPN Major League Soccer, Monday Night Baseball, Monday Night Football, NBA Friday, and Wednesday Night Hoops.
How to watch ESPN content
Not sure how to start watching Sling TV? Don’t worry, it’s relatively simple. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how to log in and watch Sling TV.
- First, sign up for one of Sling TV’s plans via Sling.com or the Sling TV app.
- Navigate to the app store of the device from where you’d like to watch.
- Download the Sling TV app to your device, then open it.
- Log in with your email address and password.
- Watch ESPN by navigating to the menu and selecting Guide, Sports, or simply searching “ESPN” with the search tool.
Sling TV doesn’t require any invasive equipment like cable boxes or bulky satellites. All you need is your computer, phone, smart TV, or a streaming device in order to start streaming live TV. That’s because when you stream content, you do so through a Wi-Fi connection or mobile data.
Sling TV is compatible with Android and iOS devices, including smartphones and tablets plus Android TV and Apple TV products. Luckily Sling TV also works with streaming devices like Amazon Fire TV, Google Chromecast, and Roku, not to mention Oculus Go. And you can always watch Sling TV directly on your computer or laptop by simply navigating to Sling TV’s website from your web browser. Below is a complete list of the devices compatible with Sling TV.
- Amazon Fire TV devices
- Android devices
- Android TV
- Apple TV
- Google Chromecast
- Google Nest
- iOS devices
- LG TV
- Oculus Go
- Portal TV
- Roku
- Samsung
- TiVo Stream 4K
- Web browsers
- Xbox
- Xfinity Flex
The final cut
Sling TV is a great way to watch ESPN because not only will you also gain ESPN sister networks, but the ability to add-on other sports channels like NFL RedZone and NHL Network. Just remember, Sling Blue doesn’t carry the ESPN networks, so you’ll need Sling Orange or Sling Orange + Blue to tune in.
ESPN’s popular streaming app ESPN+ streams live sports. And since ESPN is under the flagship of the Walt Disney Company, ESPN+ has been made part of the Disney+ bundle along with Hulu. That way, when you’re finished with the game, you can tune into movies with harrowing sports stories, like Safety on Disney+.
But the best way to know for sure is to try Sling TV out for yourself. When you subscribe to Sling TV via its website, you’ll get a three-day grace period before being charged. That way, you can see if Sling TV is right for you.