Sports Streaming Deals and Free Trials

Table of Contents

• How streaming deals work for sports fans
• Types of streaming deals
• Black Friday and Cyber Monday streaming deals
• When sports streaming deals show up during the year
• How to choose the right deal for your sport
• What to check before you sign up
• How we find and check deals
• Streaming deals FAQ

How streaming deals work for sports fans

Watching sports without cable often means paying for more than one service, because national games, your local team and out-of-market games can all live in different places. That's why streaming deals matter more for sports fans than for anyone else. A discount on the right service at the right time can cover a whole season. A deal on the wrong one just adds another bill.

The offers in the table change all the time, but the way they work doesn't. Once you know the main types and their fine print, it's easier to tell a good deal from one that only looks cheap for the first month.

Types of streaming deals

Free trials

A free trial lets you test a service's app and channel lineup at no cost for a short period, and it can be a smart way to catch one big game or a weekend tournament. Trials are typically limited to new subscribers, and most services ask for a payment method when you sign up. That means the trial turns into a paid subscription automatically unless you cancel in time.

Student discounts

Student discounts are some of the most generous streaming deals around, and several of them include live sports. To get one, you normally verify your enrollment through a third-party service such as SheerID or UNiDAYS. Expect to re-verify periodically, often once a year, and remember that the discount ends when you're no longer a student. Some services also run similar offers for young adults who aren't enrolled.

Military, teacher and first-responder discounts

Some services offer discounts for military members, veterans, teachers, nurses and first responders, usually verified through a service like ID.me or SheerID. On a live TV service, even a modest monthly discount adds up over a season.

Bundles

Streaming bundles combine two or more services for one monthly price, usually for less than paying for each one separately. For sports fans, the most useful bundles pair a sports-heavy service with entertainment apps the household already uses, or combine two sports services that carry different leagues. A bundle is only a deal if you'd pay for the services in it anyway.

Annual vs. monthly plans

Many services charge less per month if you pay for a full year up front. That's a good deal if you watch year-round, but sports are seasonal. If you only follow one league, a monthly plan you can cancel in the offseason can end up cheaper than an annual one.

Ad-supported plans

Ad-supported tiers are often the cheapest way into a service. For sports, the gap can be smaller than it looks, because on some services live sports carry ads even on the ad-free plan.

Seasonal sales

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the best-known sales for streaming, but services also run promotions around big moments in the sports calendar, such as the start of a season or the playoffs. Seasonal deals are usually limited-time intro prices for new subscribers.

Returning-subscriber and win-back offers

If you've canceled a service before, you may not qualify for the same deal as a brand-new customer. Some services make separate offers to returning subscribers, and some send discounts when you try to cancel or after you've left. These offers vary widely, so read the terms carefully.

Carrier, credit card and partner perks

Your phone plan, internet provider or credit card may already include a streaming service or a credit toward one. Check those perks before you sign up for anything new. It's easy to end up paying for a service you already get through another bill.

League and season passes

League packages give you games outside your local market for a specific league. NFL Sunday Ticket, NBA League Pass and MLB.TV are the best-known examples. They're usually sold as a season pass, sometimes with a monthly option, and their prices can change during the season. Because they're built for out-of-market viewing, they're a great fit if you follow a team from another part of the country and a poor fit if you mainly want your local team.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday streaming deals

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving, and Cyber Monday is the Monday that follows. For streaming, that long weekend is one of the biggest promotional windows of the year, and many people search for Black Friday streaming deals well before the day itself. Offers can appear earlier in November and sometimes run past Cyber Monday, so the dates on each deal matter more than the name of the sale.

For sports fans, the timing is good: football and basketball are in full swing, and the bowl season is just ahead. A holiday deal on the right service can cover the most important stretch of the season.

A few things to keep in mind:

• Holiday prices are usually intro prices. They often apply for a set number of months and then switch to the regular rate.
• Most offers are for new subscribers. If you're already a member, the deal may not apply to your account.
• Don't wait if you already have a good offer. Some regular promotions end before Black Friday, and there's no guarantee a better one will come along.

We add each Black Friday and Cyber Monday streaming deal to the table above as soon as it's confirmed on the provider's site.

When sports streaming deals show up during the year

Deals can show up at any time, but it helps to think in seasons. The moments you're most likely to want a subscription are the moments to compare offers rather than sign up on impulse.

• NFL (September to February): The weeks before the regular season are when most fans decide how they'll watch. League packages and live TV services compete hardest for football viewers around this time, and some package prices can look different once the season is underway.
• College football (late August to January): Games are spread across many networks and conferences. Check which services carry your team's conference before the season starts, and again before the bowl season and the playoff.
• NBA and NHL (October to June): Both seasons are long, so the cost over eight months matters more than the first month's price. Monthly plans give you flexibility, and full-season prices can be worth comparing.
• College basketball and March Madness: Interest peaks in March, which makes it a natural time to compare short-term options for tournament games.
• MLB (late March to October): Baseball's long regular season rewards a plan you'll use every week. Offseason packages focus on replays and winter leagues rather than live MLB games.

How to choose the right deal for your sport

Start with the league, not the deal. The cheapest offer in the table is only useful if it carries the games you care about.

NFL: Local Sunday afternoon games air on broadcast networks, while primetime and some exclusive games stream on specific services. Out-of-market Sunday games require a league package. Decide whether you mainly follow your local team or a team elsewhere, and choose accordingly.

NBA: National games, local games and out-of-market games are often on different services. League Pass is designed for out-of-market fans, and local and national games may be blacked out there.

College football and basketball: Coverage depends on the conference. Fans of one team are usually best served by the service that carries that conference, while fans of the sport in general may get more from a bundle.

NHL: Your location decides a lot. Local games are carried by regional networks or team services, and out-of-market games go through the league's out-of-market options. Read our local NHL guide before you subscribe.

MLB: As with hockey, in-market and out-of-market games work differently, and blackouts apply to league packages. Some nationally televised games are exclusive to a specific streaming service.

Soccer, UFC and boxing: Soccer competitions are split across several services, so pick the one that carries the competition you watch most. For combat sports, check whether the big events are included or sold separately.

Not sure who carries a game? Our TV schedules list the channel or service for every game.

What to check before you sign up

The fine print decides whether a deal is actually good. Before you subscribe, go through this short list.

• Auto-renewal: Free trials and intro prices almost always roll over into a paid plan. Set a reminder a day or two before the trial or discount ends.
• Eligibility: Check whether the offer is for new subscribers only, or whether returning subscribers qualify too. "New" can mean you've never had the service on that account, email or payment method.
• Verification: Student, military and other group discounts need verification before the price applies. Do it before you start the subscription, not after.
• Intro price vs. regular price: Look at what you'll pay after the promotional period, not just the first month.
• Blackouts and local channels: League packages usually black out local and some national games. Live TV services include local channels only where they have agreements, so check your ZIP code.
• Cancelling and re-subscribing: Many services make it easy to cancel in the offseason and come back later. Some season passes can't be canceled once bought, so know which kind you're getting.
• Paying twice: Bundles, add-ons and partner perks can overlap. If two services give you the same channels, you're paying twice for the same games.
• Who carries your league: Rights change between seasons. Confirm that the service has your league this season, not last season.

How we find and check deals

Every deal in the table comes from the provider's own offer page, plan page or terms. Before we add one, we check the price, how long it lasts, who qualifies and when it ends. We don't copy codes from coupon sites, and we never list a promo code that the provider hasn't published. When an offer expires, it comes off the table. Because LSOTV tracks which channel and service carries each game, we can also tell you which sports a deal actually gets you.

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Streaming deals FAQ

What are the best streaming deals for sports right now?

The best deal depends on the league you watch. The table at the top of this page lists every current offer we've verified, with who qualifies and when it ends.

Do streaming services have promo codes?

Sometimes, but public promo codes are rarer than coupon sites suggest. Many discounts are applied automatically through a special offer page. Student and other verified discounts often give you a unique one-time code after verification. We only list codes that the provider itself has published.

Do free trials require a credit card?

Most do. You usually need to add a payment method to start a trial, and you'll be charged automatically when it ends unless you cancel first.

When do Black Friday streaming deals start?

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving, and Cyber Monday is the following Monday. Offers can start earlier in November and sometimes run past Cyber Monday, so check the dates on each deal.

Can returning subscribers get streaming deals?

Sometimes. Many offers are for new subscribers only, but some services make separate offers to returning customers or send win-back discounts after you cancel.

Are streaming bundles cheaper?

Usually, if you'd pay for every service in the bundle anyway. If you only need one of them for sports, a single subscription is often the cheaper choice.

What's the cheapest way to stream sports?

Start with the league you watch most and find the cheapest service that carries it. Student discounts, ad-supported plans and monthly plans you cancel in the offseason are the most reliable ways to pay less. An antenna can also pick up local broadcasts of many games for free.