20 Best Services to Watch Sports on Roku

Sling Orange is for all cord-cutters who wish to save money, but it's especially for sports fans who watch ESPN channels as well as households that watch the Disney Channel.

Sling Blue has one of the best price-quality ratios for cord-cutters. For only $45.99, you get access to big networks like AMC, Bravo, TBS, National Geographic, and NBC. This package from sling makes the most sense for cord-cutters who don't watch ESPN or the Disney Channel, which are included in the "Sling Orange" offer.

DirecTV Stream’s cordless TV packages are pretty much the same as their cable counterparts. There’s Entertainment, Choice, Ultimate, and Premier, which are known to be some of the most expensive but complete plans out there. If you already have an account with DirecTV Stream and want to access it on your Roku device, you can actually do so using the Roku app, which serves as a control center of sorts. On your app, go to Apps on Roku, download DirecTV Stream, and add it to one of your channels. You should be able to watch DirecTV Stream on Roku after logging in with your DirecTV account details, but make sure your Roku device is upgraded to software version 9.4+. Otherwise, you might encounter some playback issues.

As one of the more affordable and customizable live TV providers out there, it’s no surprise that Sling TV is a popular choice among cordcutters. Depending on what you prefer, you can choose between Sling Orange (family friendly content) or Blue (more news and sports), each for $40/month, or you can combine the two plans for $55/month and select add-ons ala carte. If you own a Roku device, it’s possible that Sling TV already comes pre-loaded on the homepage since many Roku users are also on Sling. But if it’s not, then you can simply download Sling on the Roku store and add it to your lineup of channels. You might be asked for your Roku PIN and Sling credentials in the process. Some Sling users have reported that Sling occasionally crashes on Roku, but an upgrade or refresh usually does the trick.

Fubo is a live TV streaming service that offers up to 300 channels across three plans: Pro ($75/month), Elite ($85/month), and Premier ($95/month). The channels cover entertainment, news, and sports, but the latter is its specialty, so you’ll find plenty of local channels that cover everything from national leagues to college matches. Crucially, however, Fubo is missing Turner channels like TNT and TBS and A&E channels like History and Lifetime. But if you’re fine with its lineup, then you’ll be happy to know Fubo is compatible with most media players, including all models of Roku. You can download Fubo and either log in with your Fubo credentials or create an account and opt for In-App Billing so you can pay for Fubo along with your other subscription through Roku.

Hulu with Live TV is a comprehensive live TV package that comes with more than 80 live channels, including major local networks like ABC and NBC and sports channels like ESPN and CBS Sports. Plans start at $83/month, but Hulu with Live TV has a range of add-ons you can purchase. You can download the Hulu app on Roku to start watching on your Roku device and log in with your Hulu credentials if you already have an account. If you don’t, you can sign up through Roku, where you will be billed, but note that add-ons can only be managed directly on Hulu.com. If you’re on a basic tier, you’ll also want to update your plan on Hulu rather than Roku to enjoy bundle inclusions like Disney+ and ESPN+, which should come at no additional cost with Hulu with Live TV.

Solid selection of comedies. You can get access to shows like 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation, and Downton Abbey, to name a few. Live TV: With the premium service, you can get live sports (e.g. Premier League) and news on top of the on-demand platform.

The range of choice: Unlike other streaming sites, Prime gives you the option to watch shows that aren't available on-demand, by “renting” them for a short time or “purchasing” the media to rewatch at will. You have to pay extra for it, of course, but the option is there.

Convenience: Prime Video is available worldwide (except for Mainland China, Iran, North Korea, and Syria). And let's face it, Jeff Bezos is a trillionaire for a reason – for many, on-demand video is an added perk to the larger retail service, including free next-day delivery.

Offline content: Prime lets you download up to 25 titles to devices like your phone and tablet.

For the first time, Apple TV+, Peacock, and the usually deal-shy Netflix are partnering to create an affordable bundle exclusively available to Xfinity customers. Called the Xfinity StreamSaver, the bundle combines Peacock and Netflix's ad-supported plans with Apple TV+ for just $15/month, which is 30% less than the actual price of subscribing to them individually. Of course, each platform has its own set of popular originals, from Ted Lasso to The Traitors to Bridgerton, but this bundle is also a plus for live sports fans who'll get access to MLB on Apple TV+, Premier League and Big Ten on Peacock, and starting 2025, WWE and NFL on Netflix. You might have to cancel your current subscription to Peacock to enjoy this bundle, but you're free to use your login credentials for AppleTV+ and Netflix. And if you want more live TV options, you can also look to Xfinity's NOW TV StreamSaver bundle for $30/month.

It doesn't offer the ESPN channels but it has a lot of on-demand content and is a good way to watch some sports live. Namely: UFC events, many soccer leagues (such as LaLiga and Bundesliga), Golf, Tennis, and MLB. For the price, ESPN+ is worth at least a try if you are a fan of any of these sports.

Over 140 channels, unlimited DVR and RSNs included - DirecTV Stream Ultimate is the most complete cord-cutting streaming bundle out there. Think of every sports network for example, ESPN, Fox Sports, CBS Sports, NHL Network, etc, you name it, you got it. You also get over 55,000 (15,000 more than the base Entertainment package) of on-demand movies and shows included. Of course, there is a price tag that comes with all of this that will rival the most expensive cable packages: over $100 a month.

With this package DirecTV is saying: if you want cheap, go to Sling. This is not cheap, but it has everything a family could need from a TV package.

You may know the YES Network as a sports cable channel dedicated to broadcasting New York Yankees games, but now it's also a streaming service. For $25/month (or $240/year), you can watch local games by the Yankees, as well as by the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Liberty, without having to sign up for tricky cable or satellite packages. The YES Network is available on most major streaming devices, but note that it can only be used in territories that the YES Network covers. Namely, these are New York State, Connecticut, northeastern Pennsylvania, and north and central New Jersey. If you're in the area and want to cheer for your local team, then YES's streaming option is worth considering.

ViX is an ad-supported streaming service by Univision, the largest Spanish-language content provider in the US. Spanning the usual movies, series, and telenovelas, the ViX library also boasts live TV, news, and sports programs. The latter, in particular, comes as a strong suit since the streamer covers events in conjunction with TUDN, Univision's sports arm, as well as hosts football events in many parts of South America. The free-to-watch service also has an on-demand section, meaning you can easily search for a title you want to watch instead of scrolling from the multiple channels available. Vix also has premium tiers that range from $5-$7/month if you want to get rid of the ads.

Univision NOW is a premium streaming service that specializes in Spanish-language content, both live and on-demand. Because it is operated by the largest Latino-targeted network in the United States, Univision NOW boasts a wide and varied catalog of movies, TV series, reality shows, and sporting events (the streamer has exclusive rights to air many football matches, making it a favorite among football fans). Aside from hosting exclusive content, Univision NOW also makes its cable and daytime programs available online and on-demand the next day.

Sling TV may be an affordable live TV streaming option, but because of its limited local channel offerings, it tends to be ignored by hardcore sports fans (especially football fans) hoping to cheer for their team. Thankfully, Sling's Sports Extra bundle, which costs $11/month, adds about 10-20 more channels depending on your plan. Popular channels include NHL Network, MLB Network, NBA TV, and NFL Redzone. If you want even more concentrated content, Sling TV also has a football season pass that allows users to pre-pay $219 for Sling TV Orange and Blue + Sports Extra, which lets you watch all the major league games on ESPN, ABC, NBC, and Fox (though notably no CBS).

NFL+ is the league's official streaming service that gives you access to live and local regular season and postseason games, on-demand programs, and even tools for your next fantasy football game. As of 2023, NFL+ also offers the NFL Network and NFL Redzone channels in its plans, making it a solid option for true-blue football fans hoping to finally cut the cord. A regular subscription costs $6.99/month and includes everything in the above, except for NFL Redzone and replays of full games, highlights, and all-22 coaches films, which are only available in NFL+'s premium subscription, priced at $14.99/month. Both plans offer free trials and are available on most major streaming devices, with the exception of live local and primetime regular season and postseason games, which can only be viewed on phones and tables.

One of the many deals offered by Verizon's +play platform is the Netflix & NFL+ bundle, which is exclusively available to Verizon postpaid mobile, 5G Home, and LTE Home customers. The bundle combines Netflix Premium ($24.99/month) and NFL+ Premium ($14.99) and offers it at just $99.99 for an entire year, or $8.3/month! After that period, you'll be charged the regular prices of the services on top of your Verizon plan unless you cancel. If you're on the cheapest mobile plan ($30/month), this could mean paying a total of $38.3/month for your phone bill, Netflix, and NFL+ for a year. In case you didn't know already, Netflix Premium allows you to watch ad-free on up to four devices, with NFL+ has everything from all-22 coaches films to NFL Redzone. If you already have a Netflix subscription bought outside of the +play platform, Verizon allows you to transfer your billing to avail of this deal. If you did buy a subscription on the +play platform, however, you might have to wait till the end of your billing cycle before you can sign up for this deal. Existing NFL+ subscriptions can't be transferred to +play or linked to this bundle.  

If you're a hardcore baseball fan, you'll be glad to know you can tune in to your favorite pastime via MLB.TV, the league's official streaming service. Previously MLB.TV offered All Teams and Single Team packages, but it's replacing them with more affordable tiers that start at $5.99/month. The cheapest plan allows you to stream MLB Network 24/7 and tune into extensive baseball coverage and analyses, while the MLB.TV + At Bat plan, which costs $6.99/month, adds access to La Liga Dominicana (Spanish only), live Spring Training games, and archives from past seasons. An important reminder: if you're still on the cord and have the MLB Extra Innings cable TV package, you're likely entitled to a free MLB.TV subscription. Contact your provider to check whether you're eligible.

If you're looking to upgrade your ad-supported Max plan, you have two plans to choose from: Standard or Premium. Standard, currently $16.99/month, lets you watch on 2 devices and download up to 30 titles, while Premium, currently $20.99/month, lets you watch on up to 4 devices and has virtually unlimited downloads. Both Standard and Premium feature live sports. So, along with Max Originals and content from HBO, Discovery, and CNN, expect to see live coverage of MLB, NBA, NHL, and NASCAR games too. Max also has a dedicated section featuring March Madness every year.

Cord-cutters only interested in Spanish-language content will find much to like in Fubo Latino. Instead of the usual lineup, the Latino plan carries more than 65 channels in Spanish, including Unimas, Univision, BeinSports, Nat Geo Mundo, Sony Cine, and Discovery en Español. And since Fubo started as a soccer streaming service, it also has live sporting events featuring leagues like the UEFA Champions League, Bundesliga, and MLS. At only $33/month, it's Fubo's most affordable plan yet, but it still has base features like 250 hours worth of cloud DVR and two simultaneous streams. If you already have a Fubo base plan, Fubo also offers these channels as an add-on for $20/month.

Formerly Bally Sports+, FanDuel Sports Network is a streaming service that lets you access live and on-demand content from your local teams, including those from the NBA, WNBA, MLB, and NHL. Since it depends on RSNs, availability depends on where you live (you can check FanDuel availability on this website). Apart from letting you watch live games cordless, the platform offers on-demand replays, mobile viewing, and up to two concurrent streams. It's also available on most streaming devices.

For the diehard soccer fan, Fanatiz is a streaming service dedicated to Latin American and Spanish soccer. Here, you'll get access to live and on-demand matches held by La Liga and Copa Libertadores, as well as complete coverage of Brazil's intense local competition Brasileirão. It's available in most countries worldwide, but North American viewers, in particular, will be glad to know that Fanatiz carries beIN and TyC Sports—vital channels that have exclusive rights to stream select leagues. Fanatiz has an $8 and $10 monthly tier, the latter of which gives you access to even more leagues and hours of VOD content, but we suggest you try the platform first (free for a week) to really test its quality and see how it stacks up to other similarly inclined platforms like FuboTV.

When it comes to streaming, DirecTV has one of the most comprehensive sports bundles out there. Not only does it cover the essential live channels like NFL Redzone, NBA TV, and MLB Network, it also has over 30 out-of-market RSNs and multiple channels that cover specialty sports and top collegiate teams. The bundle itself costs $15/month, but needless to say, you need to be subscribed to one of DirecTV's packages, which start at $65/month, to purchase it. Do note that some of DirecTV's base packages already include some of the channels in this sports bundle, so make sure you double-check the channel lineup below to avoid too many overlaps.

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