Best Streaming Service for Sports

If you want the most sports channels you can possibly get, fuboTV gives you a sports experience you won't get anywhere else.

• fuboTV gives you all the sports coverage you need with 50 sports channels.
• You can get even more sports channels with the Sports Plus add-on.
• Every fuboTV plan offers unlimited DVR storage.

fuboTV is perfect for the Real Madrid CF, Kansas City Chiefs, and Rafael Nadal fans because fuboTV's Elite and Premier plans gives you close to 50 sports channels.

This service gives you NFL, NBA, MLB, college football, tennis, soccer, golf, and hockey all in one. Doesn't that sound dreamy?

We admit that fuboTV has recently added some sports channels that are new and (to me) never heard of. If we took out all of the fluff, fuboTV offers about 23 popular sports channels. The others are a bonus but I highly recommend getting the sports add-on below for more popular sports channels.

fuboTV's sports channels include the following:

fuboTV's Sports Plus add-on gives you 35 more sports channels for $11 per month.

You'll get channels such as the NFL RedZone Channel, MLB Network Strike Zone, Fight Network, all regional PAC-12 channels, Stadium, IMPACT!, and Game+.

If you want to see all of the exciting plays live during the Sunday football games, the $11 per month will be worth it just for the NFL RedZone Channel during the NFL season.

• fuboTV doesn't have Turner Network channel.

fubo TV no longer has Turner Network channels, so this will affect your ability to watch the NBA. You won't be able to watch the NBA games airing on TNT, but if you get the Elite plan, you'll have NBA TV.

And you can order NBA LEAGUE PASS with fuboTV and get all out-of-market games straight to your TV so you can watch every Boston Celtics game even if you live on the west coast. 

But we just hope you or your spouse don't absolutely love TBS or CNN. If this is the case, this service won't be for you.

YouTube TV is well-rounded with an excellent dollar-to-channel ratio, 15 sports channels, channels for everyone in the family, and the best DVR in the industry.

And now, YouTube TV is home to the NFL SUNDAY TICKET.

• YouTube TV has most of the top live sports channels in its lineup.
• YouTube TV has an unlimited Cloud DVR.
• YouTube TV is the only TV service to offer NFL SUNDAY TICKET.

YouTube TV is the second-best option for sports fanatics because it's the only live TV streaming service with the NFL Network, NBA TV, SEC Network, and ESPNU for only $83 per month.

We've named YouTube TV one of the best for streaming NFL games and for NBA games. And currently, it's getting a lot of hype for NFL Sunday Ticket. (But check out our Sunday Ticket review to see if it's worth your $400+.)

If you want to watch Undisputed, the San Antonio Spurs take on the OKC Thunder, and Monday Night Football all in one day, YouTube TV is for you.

YouTube TV has the following national sports network channels:

Bonus for sports fans: When you click the information button on your game, you'll get the details of the current score and the lineup. If you're watching a recording, you'll be able to see the final score and stats. 

YouTube TV offers NBA LEAGUE PASS for $40 per month. You'll want this subscription if you want to watch every single out-of-market NBA game of the season.

This live TV streaming service also has a Sports Plus add-on ($11/mo.) with 14 channels like the NFL RedZone Channel, GolTV, Fox Soccer Plus, PokerGO+, and Outside TV+.

If you're a Fantasy Football manager or a "players fan," you might find the RedZone Channel for $11 per month is more down your alley than Sunday Ticket. If you're like me, it's a yes. So check out my comparison on NFL RedZone Channel vs. NFL Sunday Ticket. 

If you get the Sports Plus add-on, your monthly bill will be $94. This is worth it for those who like the idea of an unlimited DVR storage space and don't mind 28 sports channels instead of 35–50 with fuboTV.

YouTube TV has one the best DVR's in the streaming world with unlimited storage space that will save for nine months in your Library.

Only this streaming service, Hulu + Live TV and DIRECTV have this feature.

You'll have the ability to record all of the Sunday football games, NBA and NCAAF games of the week, and Pardon the Interruption every day to binge over the following weekend.

You'll also be able to watch a great game you recorded in Week 1 of the NFL season or a 30 for 30 movie that aired on ESPN over the summer.

It's also the best sports streaming app because you and two of your Pittsburgh Steelers-loving family members can live stream the game simultaneously. And you can have a total of six accounts to tailor your individual sports streaming needs.

• YouTube TV doesn't have niche or international sports coverage.

While YouTube TV is an excellent option for national sports, it's missing a few popular sports channels that fuboTV has.

You won't find MLB Network, the Tennis Channel, NHL Network, or PAC-12 Network with YouTube TV, for example. fuboTV will be your best option if you're a diehard fan of the New York Yankees or if you like to watch reruns of professional tennis tournaments.

Hulu + Live TV is for sports fans who want to stream live channels and watch on-demand content like Originals, Disney, and sports analysis.

• Hulu Live has 12 sports channels.
• Hulu Live comes with ESPN+ and Disney+.

Hulu Live is our third option for a few reasons: you won't be bored with the entertainment variety.

Hulu Live has the most on-demand content among the live TV streaming services on this list, but you won't find all the major sports networks on its lineup.

Hulu Live still gives you pretty decent sports coverage with favorites like ESPN and FOX Sports. 

Check which channels are available in your area, but Hulu includes the following sports channels:

Not only does Hulu Live let you enjoy First Take on ESPN and the PGA Tour on the Golf Channel, but it also come bundled with ESPN+ and Disney+ for a complete entertainment experience.

So after you're done watching the Ohio State Buckeyes game on Hulu's Big Ten Network channel, you can throw on The Sandlot with Disney+.

And with ESPN+, you can watch live sporting events, like some Monday Night Football games, UFC fights, college football games, MLB games, and the list goes on. 

• Hulu Live doesn't have MLB Network or NBA TV.
• You'll have to pay a fee for more simultaneous streams.

If you're a hardcore fan of the MLB or NBA, Hulu + Live TV may not be the answer to your sports-streaming prayers. But it does have TNT, ABC, and TBS, and of course, all the other channels mentioned above.

If you need the league-specific channels, it'll be worth spending the extra dollars per month for fuboTV to have all major sports channels and about 50 other sports channels.

Or you could also pay $83 for YouTube TV to have NBA TV in your lineup.

Hulu + Live TV lets you stream on only two devices at once.

So, if you and two others want to stream a TV show at the same time, no can do. Unless you pay a $10 monthly fee to get unlimited simultaneous streams.

No other live TV streaming service offers the ability to have unlimited streams, but most other services allow at least three simultaneous streams.

And we're happy to say that Hulu Live upgraded their DVR storage space to unlimited (just like YouTube TV)!

This live TV service used to only give you 50 hours of DVR storage to possibly record eight NFL games, eight TV episodes, and seven movies. But now, you can record all of the NFL games, all of The Office and Friends episodes, and as many 3-hour long movies you want.

YouTube TV has all of the sports channels Hulu +Live TV has plus three more. 

YouTube TV has NBA TV, NBC Sports, and T2, but Hulu Live comes with ESPN+ which gives you access to live sporting events from NFL, MLB, NCAA football, UFC, and more.

Sling TV makes it possible for you to live stream a few sports channels for a low price.

• Sling TV tends to sports fans who want to save money.
• This live TV streaming service offers NBA LEAGUE PASS and NFL RedZone Channel

Sling TV has three inexpensive plans and an optional Sports Extra add-on for those who are saving money for a new home.

If you want to catch a few NFL and NBA games, Sling Blue might be sufficient for you. This sports package includes the following channels:

• FS1
• NFL Network
• TNT

If you absolutely cannot miss SportsCenter, you'll want to upgrade to Sling Orange + Blue which has these sports channels: 

• ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3
• FS1
• NFL Network
• TNT

If you're thinking "well, that's not enough," we thought the same thing. Luckily, Sling TV has a Sports Extra add-on.

For some, 3-6 sports channels isn't close to enough. So why not add 12 more sports channels to your lineup?

For an extra $11 per month, you can get the following channels added to your service with Sling's Sports Extra add-on:

Sling TV also keeps NBA fans in mind. It offers NBA LEAGUE PASS for $29 per month ($11 less than YouTube TV). There's also Team Pass for $18 per month if you are loyal to just one team.

• The upgraded DVR is an add-on option for an extra cost.
• Sling TV has fewer channels than the rest.

Sling TV gives you 50 hours of DVR storage and requires you to pay a fee for extra storage space. But at least Sling TV's fee is only $5 for 200 hours.

So if you choose the $61 per month package, select the upgraded DVR, and get the Sports Extra add-on, you'll have to budget for $77 per month.

With just 32 to 46 channels total, this streaming service offers the lowest number of channels of the bunch. But it's the only streaming service that gives you a cheap option for a few channels if you don't need 85+.

Besides Sling TV, most live TV streaming services offer at least 85+ channels for $70 per month.

This is why Sling TV is the best for money-savers, cord-cutters, and people who just want a few of their favorite channels.

You might recognize DIRECTV only as a satellite TV provider, but this TV giant now offers their packages via streaming app.

• Includes premium channels in all of its plans
• You can get up to 16 sports channels
• Save $10/month on some plans compared to satellite package prices

DIRECTV has plans not only for sports watchers but also for those who love a variety of entertainment and lifestyle shows.

Check out the complete channel lineup to see which sports package is best for you, but the biggest plus is getting a free three-month subscription to Max, Cinemax, STARZ, MGM+, and Paramount+ with SHOWTIME®.

And with the PREMIER package, you can watch Max, CINEMAX, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME®, and STARZ channels after a long day of work for as long as you keep this TV plan.

With DIRECTV, you can get up to 30 sports channels, which includes NBA TV, NFL, and MLB Network.

But DIRECTV is our last choice for most sports fans because this live TV streaming service requires you to at least get the ULTIMATE package for $120 per month to get access to all 30 of those sports channels (that's a lot of dough compared to fuboTV or YouTube TV).

For some, the CHOICE package will be sufficient enough. So make sure you're getting the networks you want in whichever package you choose.

The sports channels in the ENTERTAINMENT package includes the following:

• ESPN
• ESPN2
• FS1
• FUEL TV (exclusively on internet plans)
• MotorTrend
• Pursuit Channel
• SportsGrid (exclusively on internet plans)

Along with the above three, these are the sports channels CHOICE includes:

And the ULTIMATE and PREMIER packages include the above sports channels and the following six:

• DIRECTV's highest-channel sports package is pricey. 

We'll be honest in saying that DIRECTV's TV service has one of the highest dollar-to-channel ratios in the TV industry.

We don't recommend getting the PREMIER package, because for $30 less, you can get 109 more channels with fuboTV (you'd save $360 per year!).

The CHOICE package is less than fuboTV's Elite package at $80/month, but PRO still has about 210 fewer channels.

DIRECTV needs to step up its streaming game if it wants to be competitive.

But we recommend you check out the full channel lineup to see if it's suitable for you and your streaming needs.

When it comes to sports streaming services, the "best" one will be different for each fan. But to find the best one for you, you'll want to consider how much you can spend, which sports channels are the most important, and if you want add-ons like NHL CENTER ICE.

• Lots of sports channels
• A fair price for the number of channels you receive
• Has sports add-ons and subscriptions
• A sufficient DVR storage space
• Includes channels for the family

Our top five streaming services for sports range from four to over 50 sports channels, and most include the basics like: ESPN, FOX Sports, and CBS Sports Network.

All of these services have decent pricing for the channels they offer. In some cases, you might need to upgrade to the second or third-tier plan to get the most sports channels possible.

Most of the services here also have some type of sports add-on and subscriptions, like NBA LEAGUE PASS or the NFL RedZone Channel.

You'll need a sufficient DVR storage for recording games while you're working, at your kid's soccer game, or running errands.

These services are for sports fans and your movie-loving family or roommates who love entertainment and lifestyle channels.

To stream your channels smoothly without lag, you're going to want a good internet provider. Our top internet provider picks for streaming include Xfinity, Verizon Fios, AT&T Fiber, Centurylink, and Windstream.

We also have a guide on how to prepare your internet for streaming live sports. 

There's no way to stream live sports for free legally, but you can certainly take advantage of the free trials that live TV streaming services offer.

You'll find the most sports channels with these services: fuboTV, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, DIRECTV, and Sling TV.

What is the cheapest way to watch live sports?

Sling TV will be your cheapest option when it comes to watching live sports. But for $40 per month, you'll only get three sports channels in your lineup (FS1,  NFL Network, and TNT (for NBA games)).

• fuboTV: Perfect for all sports fans, fuboTV gives you 50+ national and international sports channels for $95 per month with the Elite plan. It used to be known as a sports streaming service, but fuboTV has created a new name for itself by including loads of family-favorite channels like Disney Channel and HGTV. Its Pro plan also includes a great variety of channels (and 35 sports channels) for $85/month.
• YouTube TV: You can get NFL Network, NBA TV, and college sports channels with YouTube TV for $83 per month (which is the best price you're going to find for a service that includes those channels). YouTube TV sweetens the pot with a total of 28 sports channels for $94 (with the Sports Plus add-on), including a wide channel variety for everyone in the house, and an unlimited DVR storage space.
• Hulu + Live TV: Hulu Live gives you a fantastic entertainment bundle with ESPN+ and Disney+. You can get 12 popular sports channels with Hulu Live, and with ESPN+, you'll get even more live sports coverage.
• Sling TV: If you're a money saver but want to be up to date on sports, Sling TV is for you. For $46–$61 per month, you'll get a few sports channels while saving money for that car you've had your eye on.
• DIRECTV Streaming App + DEvice: DIRECTV's streaming packages will give you access to 30 sports channels (for $120/month) as well as a free three-month subscription to Max, Cinemax, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME®, MGM+, and STARZ with the PREMIER package. It is the priciest option on our list, so make sure the included premium channels are worth your money.

We compare and rank sports streaming services based on five key factors:

1. Number of sports channels
2. Price
3. Sports add-ons
4. Channel variety for the family
5. DVR storage space

For a streaming service to be named "the best for sports," it's got to have a sufficient number of sports channels for a fair price.

Most live TV streaming services don't have all of the sports channels in their lineup, so they give you the option to add more sports channels (yes, please). So we have to evaluate how many channels are offered in the add-on and at what price.

There can come the point when you want to watch something other than sports, so you need a variety of channels to keep you entertained. Who doesn't like to watch some movie, local, and lifestyle channels?

And lastly, you need a decent DVR for recording all of those games, right? No one wants to come home to a half-recorded game because their storage was full.