The Ultimate Cord Cutting Guide for Sports Fans


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Sports is still one of the main reasons people pay for cable TV. The desire to have access to live events is something many are willing to pay a lot for.

The good news is watching sports as a cord cutter is easier than ever. So here is our quick guide to being a cord cutting sports fan.

Sports Channels

The first thing many people want is access to their favorite sports channels. ESPN, FS1, BTN, and more are all available to cord cutters with services such as Sling TV, PlayStation Vue, and DIRECTV NOW.

Here is a quick chart on which service has what:

Channels Sling PS Vue DIRECTV NOW
ESPN X X X
ESPN2 X X X
ESPN U X X X
ESPN Goal Line X  X
SEC Network X X X
Big Ten X X
FS1 X X X
FS2 X X X
Campus Insider X
Pac -12 Networks X
NFL Network X X
NHL Network X  X
NBA TV X X  X

*Did I miss something or make a error? Send us a message.

Also many channels such as TNT, TBS, and others, which show sports as a secondary focus, are also included with most of these services.

Regional Sports Channels (Fox Sports, CSN)

If you want access to your local sports networks such as Fox Sports or Comcast SportsNet (CSN) we have good news for you. Sling TV, PlayStation Vue, and DIRECTV NOW all offer local sports channels just not all of them. Sadly you will have to do a bit of research to see what local sports network each has in your area. They all seem to have Fox Sports and the rest have a smattering of different regional sports networks. So make sure to visit their sites to find out what they have where you live.

NFL

The NFL is our most commonly asked for sport coverage. The good news is with an antenna 90% of Americans will be able to access their local CBS, FOX, and NBC stations. Add in a streaming service such as Sling TV or PlayStation Vue for ESPN and the NFL Network and you have the same coverage your local cable TV company can give you.

You can also watch Thursday night games from CBS and NBC for free on TWITTER.

CBS All Access now streams in-market Sunday games through its streaming service.

College Football

College football is our second most requested guide from sports fans. As you saw above many streaming services such as Sling TV, PlayStation Vue, and DIRECTV NOW offer access to popular channels for college football fans. SEC Network, BTN, and the Pac-12 Network are all now available to cord cutters.

ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC are available to more than 90% of Americans with an antenna. If you cannot get it over the air look into services such as Sling TV, DIRECTV NOW, and PlayStation Vue, which offer locals in many different markets. So make sure to visit their sites to see what you can get in your local market.

NBA

Both Sling TV and PlayStation Vue will give you NBA TV and networks such as ESPN and TNT. You can watch the games on ABC with an antenna or by using your login for WatchESPN apps.

Again you may need to shop around for the service that has your regional sports channel but most Americans should be able to get it from one of the services.

You may also want to look into NBA League Pass if you live outside of your sports team’s local market. For a one-time payment of $99.99 you can watch every game for your out-of-market team.

NHL

If you are an NHL fan then Sling TV is what you want. It has the NHL Network as well as the NBC Sports network for great NHL coverage. Add in an antenna for local NBC games or stream NBC games for free on NBC’s website.

Golf

Are you a golf fan? DIRECTV NOW, Sling TV, and PlayStation Vue all offer the Golf Channel along with ESPN and more. Again add in an antenna for locals such as CBS and you have your golf fix. If you have poor OTA coverage check out the streaming services. Over half of PlayStation Vue subscribers now get local CBS stations live.

Twitter will also now live stream some Golf events.

MLB

Currently only DIRECTV NOW offers the MLB Network.

If you want access to your local sports networks such as Fox Sports or Comcast SportsNet (CSN) we have good news for you. Sling TV, PlayStation Vue, and DIRECTV NOW all offer local sports channels just not all of them. Sadly you will have to do a bit of research to see what local sports network each has in your area. They all seem to have Fox Sports and the rest have a smattering of different regional sports networks. So make sure to visit their sites to find out what they have where you live.

UFC Fighting

If you are a fan of UFC you should look at the UFC Fight Pass for ultimate access to UFC fights. It will show a ton of fights but you will need a service such as Sling TV or DIRECTV NOW to watch fights on FS1 and FS2.

Do you have a sport we didn’t cover? Leave us a comment and we will work on adding it to the list.

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