How to Stream Soccer, Football, Baseball & More Favorite Sports on TV
Streaming services have caught on to the huge audience for sports, so they’ve purchased the rights to a lot of the games that you used to be able to watch on local broadcast networks. But figuring out where to find your must-see games can be more complicated than a coach’s notebook full of diagrammed plays. Here’s a handy guide to the ever-widening world of streaming sports.
NFL Football
Thursday Night Football streams exclusively on Prime Video, and the platform has the NFL’s first Black Friday game, with the Miami Dolphins at the New York Jets on November 24. Monday Night Football can be seen on the ESPN app, with select games also streaming on ESPN+ and the ABC app. Sunday Night Football streams on Peacock, which will also carry an exclusive Wild Card playoff game in January. The NFL Sunday Ticket package of out-of-market regional games moves to YouTube this season, and Paramount+ and the Fox Sports app deliver Sunday games in viewers’ home markets.
College Football
The ESPN app and ESPN+ have loads of college football, featuring all ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNU games, exclusive ESPN+ games, and games from ACC Network, SEC Network, and Longhorn Network. Peacock has select Notre Dame football games, as well as a new package of Saturday primetime Big Ten conference games. The Fox Sports app streams live matchups from Fox Sports TV networks and BTN. Paramount+ offers live simulcasts of SEC, Big Ten, and Mountain West conference games airing on CBS.
(Credit: Getty Images)
MLB Baseball
Follow the pennant races in September with Sunday Night Baseball, streaming on the ESPN app. Peacock’s MLB Sunday Leadoff concludes September 3 with the Philadelphia Phillies at the Milwaukee Brewers. The TBS app streams a live primetime game every Tuesday. The Fox Sports app streams Saturday afternoon and primetime games, as well as select weeknight games (including Gleyber Torres and the New York Yankees at the Boston Red Sox on Thursday, September 14). Apple TV+ features a lineup of exclusive Friday night games. Out-of-market games stream on the MLB.tv package, and home games stream through regional sports networks like Bally Sports, Marquee, YES, AT&T SportsNet, and more. Prime Video has a package of exclusive Yankees games available to fans in the team’s home market.
NHL Hockey
The puck drops on the NHL regular season next month, with games streaming on the ESPN app, ESPN+, Hulu, and the TNT app. In home markets, viewers can follow the action through Bally Sports, MSG, MASN, AT&T SportsNet, and other regional networks’ streaming services.
(Credit: Getty Images)
NBA Basketball
The NBA regular season tips off in October, and the new In-Season Tournament begins in early November. NBA fans can stream nationally televised games all season long on the ESPN app and the TNT app. The NBA app lets viewers subscribe to the NBA LeaguePass out-of-market game package. Local market games stream on Bally Sports, MSG, Spectrum SportsNet and other regional sports services.
Golf
Events from the PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, PGA Tour Champions, and other leagues stream throughout the year on the ESPN app, ESPN+, the NBC Sports app, Peacock, and Paramount+. Services like ESPN+ and Peacock often have expanded tournament coverage centered around marquee player groups or featured holes.
Tennis
For Grand Slam tournaments, ESPN+ and the ESPN app are home to the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open; Peacock carries the French Open. Viewers can subscribe to Tennis Channel Plus for a variety of WTA and ATP events, and regional networks like Bally Sports stream much of Tennis Channel’s coverage.
Soccer
Peacock and the NBC Sports app have live games from the English Premier League. Major League Soccer fans can follow Lionel Messi’s journey with Inter Miami CF and stream matches with an MLS Season Pass subscription on Apple TV+. Spanish La Liga, German Bundesliga, FA Cup and more can be found on the ESPN app and ESPN+. Paramount+ carries games from the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, Italian Series A, and more. The Fox Sports app has games from Liga MX, plus events like the FIFA World Cup and the Concacaf Gold Cup.
This is an excerpt from TV Insider’s September issue. For more in-depth, reported coverage devoted to streaming shows from the publishers of TV Guide Magazine, pick up the issue, currently on newsstands, or purchase it online here. You can also subscribe to TV Insider Magazine here now.
