Live sports coverage is a huge draw for cable subscribers, but you can enjoy the same content, if not more, from a dedicated streaming service. Although some on-demand video streaming services include occasional sports commentary shows, the best options for sports fanatics are the cable-replacement services that provide game streams from local, national, and international networks. If you’re looking to cut the cord, check out the best sports streaming services that we’ve tested, including Editors’ Choice picks Hulu, Peacock, and YouTube TV.
Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
EDITORS’ NOTE
October 25, 2025: With this update, our lineup of recommended sports streaming services remains unchanged. The existing picks have been vetted for currency and availability.
Best Mix of Live Sports and On-Demand Shows
Hulu
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Pros & Cons
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Excellent TV series selection
- Extensive live TV channel lineup
- Robust cloud DVR option
- Available on nearly every media streaming device
- Appealing bundle deals
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Base plan includes ads
- Offline downloads require a premium account
- Missing all Bally Sports and most SportsNet RSNs
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Why We Picked It
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Hulu is an excellent streaming service for sports fans. The service includes all the major broadcast networks and many sports-specific cable channels such as BTN, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, FS1, FS2, Golf Channel, and NBC Sports Network, plus NFL Network and NFL. You can pay for the Español add-on ($4.99 per month) to get international sports coverage.
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Who It’s For
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Cord-cutters who want a mix of live and on-demand programs. Hulu excels as a cable replacement, with nearly as many news and entertainment channels at your disposal. Plus, a subscription to Hulu + Live TV includes access to Hulu’s expansive library of on-demand shows and movies.
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Specs & Configurations
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Starting Price
$11.99 per month; $88.99 per month
Sports Coverage
International*, National, & Regional
DVR Storage & Retention
Unlimited; 9 Months
Concurrent Streams
2 or Unlimited (at home) and 3 (mobile devices)
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(Credit: YouTube)
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Best for National Coverage and DVR Storage
YouTube TV
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Pros & Cons
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Excellent lineup of sports, news, and entertainment channels
- Impressive viewing features for sports fans
- Robust and easy-to-use DVR features
- Intuitive interface
- Supports three simultaneous streams per account by default
- Excellent add-ons
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Expensive
- Lacks most SportsNet and all Bally Sports RSNs
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Why We Picked It
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YouTube TV offers a comprehensive selection of live sports channels, including all the broadcast networks, CBS Sports Network, several ESPN Channels, FS1, FS2, Golf Channel, MLB Network, NBA TV, Olympic Channel, and Tennis Channel. You can also pay an extra monthly fee for the Fox Soccer Plus ($15 per month), NBA League Pass ($39.99 per month), and Sports Plus ($10.99 per month package that includes NFL RedZone) add-ons. It’s the home for NFL Sunday Ticket, which adds to the appeal.
YouTube TV also has an incredibly cool, sports-centric feature: Key Plays. With it, you can see stats, clips of big moments, live scores, and the mobile-only fantasy football view.
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Who It’s For
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Sports-loving families who want the best video quality. YouTube TV lets you stream on up to three devices simultaneously and supports up to six user accounts. Those extra streams and accounts are particularly convenient when family members want to watch different programs that are set to air at the same time.
The service is also notably one of the few that streams a significant number of its live channels in 1080p/60fps. A $19.99-per-month 4K Plus add-on lets you watch live and on-demand content in 4K, stream on an unlimited number of devices via a home network, and watch DVR content offline on mobile devices.
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Specs & Configurations
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Starting Price
$82.99 per month
Sports Coverage
National & Regional
DVR Storage & Retention
Unlimited; 9 Months
Concurrent Streams
3 or Unlimited (at home)
Learn More
class=”mt-2 inline-block font-semibold leading-normal text-red-400 underline md:leading-loose” data-module=”Best_Product_Card” data-element=”Best for National Coverage and DVR Storage” data-item=”Best for National Coverage and DVR Storage” href=”https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/youtube-tv” aria-label=”{ $item->product_name }} Review” x-track-ga-click=””>YouTube TV Review
Best for Sunday Night Football and Premier League Soccer
Peacock
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Pros & Cons
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Many popular movies and network shows
- Live sports
- Flexible plan pricing
- Supports multiple account profiles
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Constantly changing movie library
- New users can’t create a free account
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Why We Picked It
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Peacock’s main draw for sports fans is its NBA, NFL,and Premier League coverage. In addition, it hosts IndyCar and WWE content, and recently debuted a live PGA Tour betting show. The service doesn’t have 4K content or DVR features for live sports, but you can stream to three devices simultaneously and use parental controls to filter content. The ability to download shows for offline playback is locked to Premium Plus subscribers.
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Who It’s For
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Peacock is for viewers who want sports as just one part of their mainstream entertainment. Besides Peacock NBA Monday and Sunday Night Football, Peacock’s on-demand library is most notably the home of The Office and other NBC shows, including 30 Rock, Cheers, Parks and Recreation, Saturday Night Live, Will and Grace, Law & Order: SVU, Superstore, and This Is Us. Peacock-exclusive originals fill out the library.
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Specs & Configurations
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Starting Price
$7.99 per month
Sports Coverage
International & National
DVR Storage & Retention
None
Concurrent Streams
3
Learn More
class=”mt-2 inline-block font-semibold leading-normal text-red-400 underline md:leading-loose” data-module=”Best_Product_Card” data-element=”Best for Sunday Night Football and Premier League Soccer” data-item=”Best for Sunday Night Football and Premier League Soccer” href=”https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/peacock” aria-label=”{ $item->product_name }} Review” x-track-ga-click=””>Peacock Review
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Pros & Cons
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Excellent original content
- 4K and HDR streaming
- Live Thursday Night Football and WNBA games
- Supports offline downloads, multiple viewer profiles, and audio descriptions
- Lets you rent or buy movies and TV shows
- Streams select movies currently in theaters
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Continues to lose third-party content to other services
- Not as many high-quality TV shows as competitors
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Why We Picked It
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Prime Video qualifies as a sports streaming service mainly for its coverage of Thursday Night Football, WNBA matchups, select Yankees games for New York residents, and the option to add several sports-focused channels to your subscription, such as NBA League Pass, Paramount+, and PGA Tour Live. Amazon also produces the All or Nothing series, which offers a behind-the-scenes look at various professional sports teams. NBA games now appear on Prime Video thanks to a deal with Amazon.
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Who It’s For
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People who dabble in mainstream sports and want original programming to go with it. Although it doesn’t cover nearly as many sports as some of its live TV competitors, Prime Video’s on-demand library of TV shows and movies (and especially its originals) adds significant value.
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Specs & Configurations
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Starting Price
$8.99 per month
Sports Coverage
Thursday Night Football, plus National sports (via Channel add-ons)
DVR Storage & Retention
None
Concurrent Streams
3
Learn More
class=”mt-2 inline-block font-semibold leading-normal text-red-400 underline md:leading-loose” data-module=”Best_Product_Card” data-element=”Best for Thursday Night Football” data-item=”Best for Thursday Night Football” href=”https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/amazon-prime-video” aria-label=”{ $item->product_name }} Review” x-track-ga-click=””>Amazon Prime Video Review
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(Credit: Fubo)
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Best Variety of Sports
Fubo
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Pros & Cons
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Many live sports and on-demand entertainment options
- Reliable streaming in testing
- Excellent web interface
- Capable DVR functionality
- Some 4K content
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Most live streams are limited to 720p
- Lacks A&E, Turner, and WBD channels
- Lookback mode limitations
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Why We Picked It
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Fubo is a fantastic option for any cord-cutting sports fans. For national sports events, there’s CBS, FOX, Golf Channel, ESPN, NBA TV, NBC, NFL Network, TBS, and TNT. Fubo includes Spectrum, Bally, and select Comcast RSNs, but lacks Turner’s offerings (TBS. TNT). Fubo even offers a dedicated, sports-only streaming plan for a cheaper price. For international sports, Fubo lets you stream beIN Sports, Fox Deportes, GOL TV, and TUDN.
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Who It’s For
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Fans who love multiple sports. Should contests overlap, Fubo’s DVR functionality lets you record unlimited hours of content. Other cool features include Lookback (which lets you watch select sports programs up to 72 hours after they aired) and Startover (which lets you restart certain live events from their beginnings).
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Specs & Configurations
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Starting Price
$84.99 per month
Sports Coverage
International, National, & Regional
DVR Storage & Retention
Unlimited
Concurrent Streams
2 or 10
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(Credit: DAZN)
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Pros & Cons
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Exclusive boxing and MMA broadcasts
- All fights that air on DAZN are available to replay
- Good performance
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Expensive
- Limited coverage of other sports
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Why We Picked It
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On the boxing side, Dazn streams fights from promoters such as Golden Boy Promotions, Matchroom Boxing, GGG Promotions, and World Boxing Super Series. In addition, MMA partners include Bellator, Combate Americas, and KSW.
Other sports on the service include cricket, darts, fishing, gymnastics, and J1 (Japan’s top soccer division) soccer matches. Dazn also produces original sports content, including its live, daily MLB commentary show, Change Up, and the weekly, fighter-focused show, Sweet Scientists: Ak & Barak. For viewers outside the US, Dazn offers NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL games. Live events stream in 720p and at 60 frames per second.
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Who It’s For
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Dazn caters mainly to fight fans and is a good value for that audience, since it does not require you to shell out pay-per-view (PPV) fees in addition to the subscription cost to watch premium fights. The service lacks traditional DVR features, but every streamed fight is available to restart, rewind, and scrub through as soon as it airs. In addition, Dazn users can stream content on up to two devices simultaneously.
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Specs & Configurations
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Starting Price
$30 per month
Sports Coverage
Boxing, MMA, Bar Sports
DVR Storage & Retention
All Fights On-Demand
Concurrent Streams
5
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(Credit: HBO Max)
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Pros & Cons
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Huge catalog of popular shows and movies from many sources
- Attractive apps
- User profiles and parental control tools
- Ad-free tier lets you download content for offline viewing
- Live news and sports
- Ultimate tier includes far more 4K content
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Relatively expensive
- Ad-supported tier doesn’t support offline downloads
- Potentially dramatic library changes
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Why We Picked It
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HBO Max’s sports offerings have live broadcasts of MLB, NHL, and U.S. soccer games on Warner Bros. Discovery channels, including TBS, TNT, and truTV. Not all competing services offer these channels, so it’s a compelling pitch. Live sports also come included with the ad-free tiers.
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Who It’s For
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HBO Max is one of the best, easiest, and most affordable streaming options for baseball, hockey, and soccer fans. It’s also a top all-around streaming service thanks to its modern features and a huge library that includes prestige TV, live news, excellent animation, and the world’s most irresistible reality TV garbage.
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Specs & Configurations
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Starting Price
$10.99 per month
Sports Coverage
NBA, NHL, US Soccer, MLB, NCAA
DVR Storage & Retention
None
Concurrent Streams
4
Learn More
class=”mt-2 inline-block font-semibold leading-normal text-red-400 underline md:leading-loose” data-module=”Best_Product_Card” data-element=”HBO Max” data-item=”HBO Max” href=”https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/hbo-max” aria-label=”{ $item->product_name }} Review” x-track-ga-click=””>HBO Max Review
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(Credit: ESPN)
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Best for NHL, College Sports, and UFC Coverage
ESPN Select
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Pros & Cons
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Lots of live sports, particularly college sports
- Reliable streaming performance in testing
- On-demand access to ESPN’s high-quality archives
- Supports offline downloads on mobile
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Does not include most of ESPN’s core programming
- No live NBA games
- Lacks DVR functionality
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Why We Picked It
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ESPN Select features daily live sports events, including MLB and NHL games, national and international soccer league matches, and various NCAA sports events. If you want to purchase streaming access to PPV UFC events, ESPN Select is the only way to do so. The service does not include Monday Night Football broadcasts or live NBA coverage.
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Who It’s For
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ESPN die-hards. ESPN Select does not fully replace ESPN’s regular channels; instead, it offers select ESPN programs (like 30 for 30 and E:60) and original shows (Man in the Arena and Peyton’s Places). For more, you can upgrade to the pricier ESPN Unlimited, which does include access to ESPN channels.
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Specs & Configurations
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Starting Price
$12.99 per month
Sports Coverage
MLB, MLS, NCAA Sports, NHL, Tennis
DVR Storage & Retention
None
Concurrent Streams
3
Learn More
class=”mt-2 inline-block font-semibold leading-normal text-red-400 underline md:leading-loose” data-module=”Best_Product_Card” data-element=”Best for NHL, College Sports, and UFC Coverage” data-item=”Best for NHL, College Sports, and UFC Coverage” href=”https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/espn-plus” aria-label=”{ $item->product_name }} Review” x-track-ga-click=””>ESPN Select Review
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(Credit: DirecTV)
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Best for Simultaneous Streams
DirecTV
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Pros & Cons
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Reliable streaming performance
- Supports 20 simultaneous streams
- Lineup includes RSNs from Comcast, Sinclair, and Spectrum
- Parental control options
- No longer has a two-year subscription requirement
- More affordable Genre Pack options
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Expensive
- Some interface quirks
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Why We Picked It
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DirecTV offers good national sports coverage if you’re willing to pay for its higher-priced plans. For instance, DirecTV’s Choice plan ($114.99 per month) includes CBS Sports Network, four ESPN channels, FS1, FS2, Golf Channel, NHL Network, Olympic Channel, and SEC Network. In addition, it is notably one of the only services we tested that offers RSNs from Comcast, Sinclair, and Spectrum. However, it is missing several of the NBC RSNs and the NFL Network. DirecTV users can now even subscribe to a cheaper MySports package if they don’t care about any other channels.
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Who It’s For
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With its local and national channels, DirecTV helps you navigate the tricky world of regional sports networks. Regarding DVR features, DirecTV offers unlimited DVR storage and keeps recordings for up to nine months. Sports fans will appreciate the Lookback and Rewind capabilities, which let you watch previously aired content (up to 72 hours in the past) and restart live streams from the beginning, respectively. These features are only available for select channels and programs. In addition, you can simultaneously stream to 20 devices on your home network, which is impressive. We also like that the service includes parental control settings.
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Specs & Configurations
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Starting Price
$101.98 per month
Sports Coverage
International*, National, & Regional
DVR Storage & Retention
20 hours or Unlimited, nine months
Concurrent Streams
20 (at home) and 3 (away from home)
Learn More
class=”mt-2 inline-block font-semibold leading-normal text-red-400 underline md:leading-loose” data-module=”Best_Product_Card” data-element=”DirecTV” data-item=”DirecTV” href=”https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/directv-stream” aria-label=”{ $item->product_name }} Review” x-track-ga-click=””>DirecTV Review
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(Credit: Paramount)
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Pros & Cons
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Broad library of on-demand content across many genres
- Premium tier now includes Showtime
- Live sports coverage
- Supports offline downloads and 4K streaming
- Allows three simultaneous streams and six profiles per account
- Excellent closed captions options and parental control tools
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Fewer high-quality originals than competiing services
- Offline downloads and 4K streaming are restricted to premium tier
- Only premium subscribers get local CBS broadcast channels
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Why We Picked It
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Paramount+ lets you stream a live CBS channel as part of your subscription, though only if you pay for its $12.99-per-month ad-free tier. That means fans can watch live NFL games in their local market, the NCAA March Madness tournament, and select PGA Tour events. Paramount+ also includes tons of national and international soccer (Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, Concacaf, Liga Profesional de Fútbol, National Women’s Soccer League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, and UEFA Europa Conference League).
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Who It’s For
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Love sports and non-sports programs? Paramount+ is your service. You’ll get Sunday pigskin action plus Criminal Minds, NCIS, Reno 911!, The Twilight Zone (classic and current), Twin Peaks, and the latest Star Trek shows, including Discovery, Picard, and Strange New Worlds.
Paramount+ supports up to three simultaneous streams per account. There’s no DVR feature, but subscribers to the ad-free tier can download on-demand titles for offline viewing. The service supports 1080/60fps live streams for owned-and-operated and large stations, and 720/30fps for others. A few on-demand titles are available in 4K, but only if you pay for the more expensive tier.
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Specs & Configurations
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Starting Price
$7.99 per month
Sports Coverage
National & Regional
DVR Storage & Retention
None
Concurrent Streams
3
Learn More
class=”mt-2 inline-block font-semibold leading-normal text-red-400 underline md:leading-loose” data-module=”Best_Product_Card” data-element=”Best for NFL and PGA Tour Broadcasts” data-item=”Best for NFL and PGA Tour Broadcasts” href=”https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/paramount-plus” aria-label=”{ $item->product_name }} Review” x-track-ga-click=””>Paramount+ Review
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(Credit: Sling)
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Best for Add-On Sports Channels
Sling TV
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Pros & Cons
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Good channel selection
- Flexible subscription options
- Free tier
- Reliable streaming performance
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Prices continue to increase
- Limited offering of local channels and regional sports networks
- Confusing channel distribution
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Why We Picked It
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Sling TV splits its sports coverage across its Orange and Blue plans, with ESPN channels on the former and NFL Network and NBC Sports on the latter. You have to pay for the combined Orange & Blue Package ($66 per month) to get all of its sports channels. Sports fans should also consider adding the Sports Extra add-on ($11 per month) to get beIN Sports, ESPN U, Golf Channel, MLB Network, NBA TV, and NHL Network. It also offers an NHL Center Ice add-on.
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Who It’s For
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Sling TV empowers viewers who want to customize their streaming packages, but it falters in terms of its local channel coverage. For example, you do not get CBS affiliates or local ABC channels; instead, you get FOX and NBC affiliates in most major markets. In addition, Sling TV includes no RSNs from Spectrum or Sinclair, but it has a couple from Comcast.
Sling TV’s Orange plan supports one simultaneous stream, while the Blue plan lets you stream on up to three devices simultaneously. The Sling Orange & Blue plan allows you to stream on up to four devices simultaneously. Sling TV now allows you to record up to 50 hours’ worth of content to DVR storage, but you can pay an extra $5 per month to expand the storage to unlimited hours.
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Specs & Configurations
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Starting Price
$46 per month; $66 per month
Sports Coverage
International*, National, & Regional
DVR Storage & Retention
50 hours or unlimited; Indefinitely
Concurrent Streams
1 (for Sling Orange channels), 3 (for Sling Blue channels)
Learn More
class=”mt-2 inline-block font-semibold leading-normal text-red-400 underline md:leading-loose” data-module=”Best_Product_Card” data-element=”Best for Add-On Sports Channels” data-item=”Best for Add-On Sports Channels” href=”https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/sling-tv” aria-label=”{ $item->product_name }} Review” x-track-ga-click=””>Sling TV Review
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Buying Guide: The Best Sports Streaming Services for 2025
What Streaming Service Do You Need to Watch Sports?
Before you sign up for a sports streaming service, take time to decide which channels you need. NFL fans have the easiest job. All NFL games air on local broadcast affiliates (CBS, FOX, or NBC), ESPN, or NFL Network. You don’t have to deal with regional sports networks (RSNs) to watch games. However, the games that air on your local broadcast affiliates will almost always feature local teams; if you are a fan of an out-of-market team, NFL+ and YouTube’s Sunday Ticket are your best options. Other sports programming, such as PGA Tour events (CBS, Golf Channel, or NBC) and NASCAR races (FOX, FS1, NBC, or NBC Sports Network), also air on national channels.
Some MLB, NBA, and NHL games air on national channels, too; for example, you can watch NBA games on ABC, ESPN, or NBC. Many of the games from these leagues air on RSNs owned by Sinclair (Bally Sports, previously known as FOX Sports), Comcast (NBC Sports), or SportsNet (formerly AT&T). The RSNs vary by location. Check out each RSN’s listing page to see which teams they cover and which RSNs these services support. Note that Warner Bros. Discovery is selling off the former AT&T SportsNet RSNs.
Baseball, basketball, and hockey fans should check out our roundups of the best MLB streaming services, the best NBA streaming services, and the best NHL streaming services for all the details on streaming these sports without cable.
How to Stream League-Specific and International Sports
Many individual sports leagues have dedicated streaming services. MLB.TV, NBA League Pass, NFL+, NFL Sunday Ticket, and NHL.TV are the best-known examples. Even poker has its streaming service with PokerGO. Many of these services restrict viewing until after the matchups air in their entirety on regular channels, so most aren’t ideal for sports fans who want to watch their local team’s drama unfold live.
Many services have major sports channels for international markets, such as BEIN, ESPN Deportes, Fox Deportes, and Univision Deportes. Still, some require you to subscribe to extra packages for more regional and international sports content.
Dazn, on the other hand, is better for users in international markets (such as Germany, Italy, Japan, and Switzerland) who want to watch mainstream US sports. However, it provides a mix of Boxing, MLB, and MMA content for US subscribers.
Which Streaming Service Is Best for Live Sports?
We restricted this roundup to those services that regularly stream live sports events. After all, there’s no point in cutting the cord if you can’t watch your favorite teams live. That means you’ll find a lot of overlap with our top picks for overall live TV streaming, including Fubo, Hulu, and YouTube TV.
Like cable broadcasts, streaming services are subject to coverage blackouts, so it’s a good idea to find a service with both RSNs and local broadcast affiliates, in case one outbids the other for broadcast rights.
The Best Streaming Service With More Than Sports
It’s likely that not everyone in your household wants to watch sports exclusively. Therefore, you should consider whether a service has general appeal. For example, many of the best sports streaming services, such as Hulu + Live TV, Paramount+, Peacock, and Prime Video, have extensive libraries of shows and movies in addition to live sports content. Depending on the package, many options cost upwards of $70 per month. Add-ons can easily push that monthly price even higher.
You won’t find esports on any of these services, but many game companies broadcast major events for free online. Twitch is your best bet for video game live streaming.
Streaming Sports: DVR, Simultaneous Streams, and Resolution
Sometimes sports coverage, like international or Olympics highlights, doesn’t air at a convenient time. If you can’t watch the game for whatever reason, finding a service with good DVR functionality is worthwhile. Many streaming platforms specify the number of hours you can record (some have unlimited recording), which you can keep in storage for a set amount of time or until you stop paying for your subscription. However, no service we reviewed lets you watch those recordings offline, as some on-demand video streaming services allow.
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What if two programs are airing at the same time? Make sure that the video streaming service you pick supports simultaneous streaming. Most services support at least two simultaneous streams, but many have add-ons that increase that limit for an extra monthly fee.
However, a streaming service’s picture quality may not always match cable’s. The upper streaming resolution depends on the broadcast, so you may occasionally find games or channels limited to 720p. To enjoy smooth 1080p streaming, ensure your internet connection reaches the service’s minimum bandwidth requirement. Hulu + Live TV, Paramount+, and YouTube TV are the services we tested that support 1080p/60fps streams on select platforms. Streaming at 4K resolution requires even more bandwidth (as well as a compatible screen), and few services even support that resolution. Fubo and YouTube TV are exceptions: Both broadcast some live events in 4K, though the latter requires you to pay an extra monthly fee for that capability.
Video Streaming Services: What You Should Know
How Can I Stream Live Sports for Free?
Not all sports events require a subscription to watch them online. Major sports events, such as the Super Bowl or The Masters, are typically free to stream. You can also purchase a TV antenna for free over-the-air local channels, though the number and quality of said channels may vary wildly based on your location. NFL+ has replaced previous free apps with a paid, albeit affordable, tier. Peacock includes select sports in its free tier. In general, though, sports viewers should be prepared to pay.
Yes, illegal options are available too. For example, there’s likely a sketchy subreddit (if it hasn’t already been shut down) or sports streaming site with several dozen hosted links for whatever matchup you want to watch. We do not condone the use of these sites.
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