GREENSBORO, N.C. — Ask any fan, the struggle to watch every game is real. You often can’t watch the game you want because you cut the cord or don’t have the right streaming service. What’s a fan to do?
Consumer Reports has a play-by-play of your options so you can decide if it’s worth the cost.
"Gone are the days of watching sports on your local channels, it seems. With leagues signing exclusive deals with networks and local blackout restrictions, it's not always easy to know which combination of subscriptions you need," said Nicholas De Leon, Consumer Reports.
And those often change, but now here’s a good breakdown:
Football fans, if your team is in your city, you might be able to watch it on your local TV stations for free. You can also stream these channels on many services, like DirecTV Stream, Hulu, and YouTube TV.
You might consider ESPN or ESPN+ for Monday night games. If you don’t live near your team, the NFL Sunday Ticket is an option for $349, offered by YouTube TV.
Baseball fans might consider MLB.TV’s single-team package, but you’ll get a better deal with the All Teams package for just $20 more. If you’re rooting for the home team, find the streaming service that offers the regional sports network the right to broadcast.
If you’re looking for NBA games, a TV package that includes national channels will cover many of them. You might find the game on YouTube TV or Hulu for less money. There’s also NBA League Pass for $14.99 a month, and WNBA is $12.99 a month.
"If you only want to watch one game, it’s tough to justify signing up for a monthly subscription. And if you do that, don’t forget to cancel it so you’re not charged the next month," said De Leon.
It might be cheaper just to watch the game at your local sports bar.
And in case you’re hoping to split the cost by sharing passwords with someone else – Many of these services are cracking down on the practice, so there’s a good chance your account will be suspended.