How to watch ESPN without cable – Who says you have to pay a big cable bill just to watch your team dominate the playoffs? If you’re a big fan of sports, but you’re also a big fan of saving money, then look no further than streaming your favorite games instead of relying on a clunky cable box that mostly works . And yes, you can continue to watch the games LIVE as they air. But why bother going from paying one bill to another? Why not try to get it for free? Well, there are a number of problems with that.
The legalities of illegally obtained channels and content are quite clear: you can’t, unless you want to be fined more than what you were already paying or, even worse, thrown in jail (unlikely for those who only watch someone’s stream). And let’s not forget that the shows that can deliver free channels on LIVE TV are generally poorly optimized and too much trouble for their worth, requiring what some feel is bordering on rocket science territory. They are not fun to set up.
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How to watch ESPN without cable
Streaming, on the other hand, is better than paying for cable. It’s about what it offers as opposed to what the cable offers you. For starters, any decent cable package that includes ESPN will make you pay $100 and up. Ouch. And don’t forget that they will charge you for the equipment you use and any other hidden fees they decide to add. Streaming, like Hulu, will make you pay up to half that to access their entire library of content, as well as live TV. That’s a robbery.
What makes streaming move away from cable is the fact that cable keeps you stuck at home, streaming doesn’t. If you want, you can stream your favorite content, even LIVE content, while on your phone. And the best part? You don’t have to worry about any contract.
Watch ESPN with Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV is a godsend when it comes to watching ESPN without cable. The price is insanely good and the fact that it is compatible with a ton of different devices makes its cost that much sweeter. And if you want to give it a try, Hulu has a 7-day free trial you can sign up for. You’ll need to provide a payment method, but you won’t be charged if you cancel your trial before it ends.
With Hulu + Live TV, you have access to the entire library of Hulu shows and movies, as well as more than 50 channels, including ESPN. Can you guess the price? $44.99 per month. You see? Half of what you normally pay and you get benefits that aren’t always available in the packages you want.
The best part of having Hulu is the lack of equipment. You don’t need a bulky box sitting uncomfortably in your house. Of course, Hulu can’t stream to every TV, but if you have a smartphone or tablet, the most you’ll need is a USB to HDMI cable, which allows you to connect your smartphone or tablet to your TV (they usually cost between $7 .99 and $19.99).
Ver ESPN con Sling TV
Sling TV gets the award for being one of the cheapest options to watch ESPN. Did you like the idea of paying $44.99 for what Hulu + Live TV had to offer? Well, then you’ll like Sling TV because it’s even cheaper. For $25 a month, you can have access to ESPN and it’s also live.
To be fair, Sling TV doesn’t have the vast library that Hulu does and that’s definitely a knock against it, if you want to look at it that way. What matters, though, is that you only pay $25 a month for ESPN, among other channels.
Like Hulu, Sling TV is also available on a wide range of devices, including iOS, Apple TV, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Android, and Android TV, just to name a few. And of course, there’s no need to sign your name on the dotted line of a contract. Cancel whenever you want and wash your hands.
If you’re interested, consider signing up for Sling TV’s 7-day trial. You’ll need to sign up with a payment method, but you won’t be charged until after your 7-day trial. If you cancel before the 7-day trial, you will not be charged. Give it a try on the day of a big game and see how it feels for you. In the future, if you really like it, you can invest in the best packages, however, the lowest package already has ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN3 included.
Now, if you have more than one person looking to watch the game, but on separate devices, you’ll need to activate Sling Orange + Blue, which costs $39.99, and you’ll have the ability to stream ESPN on up to four separate devices.
Ver ESPN con YouTube TV
One surprising avenue to watch ESPN is YouTube TV. For $49.99 per month, you can have access to:
- ESPN
- ESPN2
- ESPN News
- NBC Sports
- Fox Sports 1
- Fox Sports 2
- Red MLB
- NBA TV
YouTube TV is a bit pricey, but it’s still cheaper than cable TV and the ability to stream to as many devices as you want, as long as you have a good enough network connection to do it, definitely makes it a viable option. It doesn’t come with a contract, you can cancel at any time, and it doesn’t require a cable. You can stream whenever you want.
The best thing about YouTube TV, however, is its DVR capability. According to the YouTube TV service feature: you have unlimited storage. So, go crazy saving those featured images. And if you want a personal library space, you can have one for each account. However, they will be kept for 9 months.
Although it doesn’t offer all of the sports channels, you might want to keep your eye on YouTube TV for now. He’s been promoting his streaming service for quite some time and it definitely has some meat, considering it also comes with over 70 channels. And who can go wrong with some local sports channels?
YouTube TV works on many major devices like Roku, Chromecast, iOS, and Android, just to name a few.
Mira ESPN con AT&T TV NOW
AT&T TV NOW used to be DIRECTV NOW, but it’s been remade into what it is now: a standalone streaming service that doesn’t need a satellite to bring you your favorite ball games. As for the sports channels it offers, it’s a bit lacking, offering even fewer sports channels such as YouTube TV with its cheapest $49.99 package. Channels like:
- ESPN
- ESPN2
- Fox Sports 1
While AT&T’s “Plus” is anemic with its sports channels, you’ll have to shell out $69.99 a month if you want access to more than that. At that point, you’re getting closer to a normal cable bill. To be fair, AT&T TV Now can be streamed to many different kinds of devices, you don’t have to work to a contract, nor do you need a satellite tethered to your home.
On the other end of the scale, to balance it out, AT&T TV NOW seems like the worst avenue here to watch ESPN, unless you upgrade to their “MAX” package, which includes:
- ESPN
- ESPN2
- ESPNNews
- ESPNU
- Fox Sports 1
- Fox Sports 2
- golf channel
- olympic channel
- And others…
What about ESPN+?
Who could forget, or who knew, that ESPN has its own streaming service? What better way to watch ESPN than from your own streaming service, ESPN+? And receive the prize for the cheapest option to watch ESPN for a measly €4.99 per month. You can’t beat that, especially if you only want ESPN. There’s no extra library of content you’ll probably never get to or channels you’ll never watch. It’s nothing but sports.
But why is it not a viable option?
This is what you will have access to:
- MLB
- NHL
- MLS
- A league
- EFL
- UEFA Nations League
- world rugby
- the highest rank
- ESPN College Soccer
- UFC
- World Rugby USBC Series of Sevens
- ESPN University Balance
- US Open
- CFL
- The Wimbledon Championships
So what’s the deal with ESPN+? It does not offer the ESPN channel. Of all the programs it offers, the ESPN channel is not an option. In contrast, ESPN+, while great for general sports fans, features sports and documentaries not seen on the ESPN network. In reality, ESPN+ should be seen as an additional source of sports, an enhancement rather than the main meal, if you will.
The best option to watch ESPN
The best option, if you only watch ESPN, is definitely Sling TV. That $24.99 price is hard to argue with, and while Hulu is certainly better on a technicality, it has a ton of content that could go unused if someone just wants ESPN. And as an added bonus, if you opt for Sling TV, you can subscribe to ESPN+ for exclusive content that you won’t get on Sling TV, bringing your monthly bill to a measly $29.98. That’s still cheaper than Hulu + Live TV.
However, if you’re looking for something other than ESPN and want a library of great content to watch, then Hulu + Live TV is a bargain that’s hard to pass up. And to sweeten the deal, you could add ESPN+ to your monthly bills and you’d only pay $50 a month for loads of sports channels and exclusive sports content. Even with that, you’ll still pay less than what AT&T TV NOW offers compared to their “MAX” package, but as much as their “PLUS” package and you’ll get more out of it.