The last few years have seen a monumental transformation in how we take in sports. No longer do fans have to strap themselves to a television set to see their favorite teams in action. The emergence of live sports streaming services has completely upended the viewing experience and offered up an alternative that is—if not better—at least as good as what cable had to offer. But what these streaming services have to offer really isn’t common knowledge yet. This article will break down nearly a half-dozen streaming alternatives and tell you what each has to offer.
ESPN+ is a pay service that offers a good mix of live sporting events. Coming from the well-established ESPN brand that itself is part of the larger Disney umbrella, viewers can expect a very well-executed, user-friendly interface on the application. Especially with the bundle that offers a subscription to this service along with Hulu and Disney+, consumers can have a very comprehensive experience within the realm of entertainment at this point. Their library is a good hodgepodge of things sports fans would have a vested interest in on the original programming front. And it also contains a fair bit of on-demand content to go along with the live event offerings.
FuboTV is a live TV streaming service tailored to the needs of sports enthusiasts. It provides an extensive array of channels that encompasses all the major TV networks and offers a number of sporting event-specific channels. FuboTV’s channel line-up is so diverse and voluminous—over 100 channels—that it must surely come very close to being the definitive “go-to” option for a fan who wants to view any televised sporting event, say, from the North American continent or beyond. The apparent ease of use and level of customization with the FuboTV platform is also a plus. Covering a wide range of sporting events—indeed, almost all the events you might want to see—FuboTV is pretty much unchallenged for how much it shows and the kind of events it shows. Even so, you pay a premium for that virtual front-row seat.
YouTube TV is another well-liked live streaming service that offers a great array of channels, including and especially networks dedicated to sports, like ESPN, NBC Sports, and others. It boasts what amounts to an all-you-can-eat buffet of live sports … and an unlimited DVD … D, um, DVR to capture most of it. (More on that later.) Still, all that capturing and gorging can add up. While the channel lineup and focus on the live feeds of various sporting events might appeal to families, the monthly cost won’t play well with the family budget unless all the members of that family are regular live sports feed watchers.
Combining on-demand content with live television, Hulu + Live TV makes a versatile proposition for those who want to enjoy the wide world of sports. The service offers access to the major sports networks and a staggering library of movies and television shows. Subscribers can enjoy a range of on-demand content and, at the same time, revel in the available live sports. And live sports offerings aside, the service uses algorithms to suggest content based on one’s viewing habits. Users can simultaneously stream on several devices, allowing for that much more flexibility with this service. All of that said, however, the sports coverage offered by the service may not be as robust as that offered by some of the more dedicated sports platforms. And some users might find Hulu + Live TV’s interface to be a little less intuitive than that of some of its competitors.
DAZN is a streaming service that caters specifically to sports. Its focus on niche sports like boxing and MMA has made it a popular choice among fans who want to watch those particular sports. Exclusive deals for major events make DAZN a must-have for fight fans. The monthly price is attractive, especially compared with the platforms that cover en masse the types of sports we refer to as the “big four” (NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB). You can even dance with simulcasts this fall thanks to DAZN having the rights to show both the U.S. and Canadian Football Leagues. But what if you’re a soccer fan? Or a tennis fan? Or a rugby fan? Your top choice for those sports might not be DAZN.
Deciding on a live sports streaming platform, in the end, comes down to personal taste and the attributes of each service. For exclusive sports content—like that of the most recent 30 for 30 documentary—ESPN+ is your best bet. If you’re after a service with a wide variety of channels, from which you can access a number of live games, FuboTV and YouTube TV are your best bets in this regard. Now, if you want a blend of sports and entertainment, then Hulu + Live TV—with its 85 original series and nice channel lineup—is the service for you. Finally, if you’re a fan of niche sports that don’t get a lot of airtime otherwise, there’s DAZN.