DirecTV gave ESPN viewers a rude awakening this weekend.
If you're like me, you were on DirecTV trying to tune into the college football game between LSU and USC on ESPN this past Sunday (Sept. 1) only to find that it wasn't working. It turned out that just minutes before this marquee game, the carriage fee dispute between DirecTV and Disney had turned ugly (h/t CBS News), with the former pulling the latter's entire TV lineup — including ESPN.
This isn't the first time this has happened. DirecTV pulled ESPN last year during the U.S. Open, which was also ongoing when DirecTV shut ESPN down this Sunday. Eventually, DirecTV did add ESPN back last year, and it will probably add ESPN back this time around too, but as of this writing, the "Worldwide Leader in Sports" is still off the air for DirecTV customers.
So if you have DirecTV, you might be wondering how you can get ESPN live right now. We've got you covered. Here are five streaming services that will give you ESPN live right now.
5 ways to get ESPN without DirecTV
Sling
Sling is a great option to get ESPN at a budget friendly price. Sling Orange gives you ESPN, ESPN 2 and ESPN 3 for just $40 a month. That's a big reason why Sling TV is our top choice for the best cable TV alternative, and it's an equally good DirecTV alternative.
If you want more channels, you can add Sling Blue to Sling Orange, giving you access to the NFL Network, in addition to local network affiliates from ABC, FOX and NBC (availability varies by market). This starts at just $55 a month, and right now you can get your first month of Sing for 50% off.
Fubo
If you want a bit more than Sling's slimmer channel offering, there are some great options. Atop the list is Fubo. This cable TV alternative is great for cord-cutters who love all things sports, as Fubo has all the broadcast channels (Fox, CBS, ABC, NBC), plus ESPN and NFL Network. It also offers CBS Sports Network, along with every other channel you could want for watching college football.
It's even got a 7-day free trial so you don't need to pay upfront. If you want a channel selection similar to your DirecTV plan, Fubo is probably the best choice for streaming ESPN without DirecTV.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is the best streaming service out there for sports fans. Sling may be cheaper and Fubo may have the most sports on offer but YouTube TV’s user experience and features give it a significant edge. That's why it won the Tom's Guide Award for Best Sports Streaming Service this year. Watching up to four games at once with multiview and catching up with key plays are a must for any sports fan.
YouTube TV has ESPN and NFL Network, as well as local CBS, FOX, NBC and ABC affiliates. It currently starts at just $64.99 a month for the first four months and then is full-priced at $72.99 a month. Plus, subscribers get $100 on NFL Sunday Ticket. If you're a big NFL fan, then this is the best DirecTV alternative to ensure you get ESPN and nearly every other NFL game this year.
Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV is a great option if you enjoy live TV and streaming services. This cable TV alternative offers all the channels you need — including ESPN — and gives you an ESPN Plus subscription. You even get Disney Plus and the Hulu streaming service all for the monthly price of $76.99.
If you want this option to replace your DirecTV subscription though, you should hurry. Disney is raising the price to $82.99 this October, at which point this bundle becomes much less of a screaming deal.
Disney Bundle and ESPN Plus
This option comes with a heavy caveat — it doesn't include ESPN. But, it does include ESPN Plus, which might be enough for you depending on your needs. Especially if you're just trying to wait for DirecTV to add ESPN back to your current subscription.
Annoyingly, ESPN Plus doesn't provide you with an ESPN live stream feed. But, this streaming service does offer a ton of live sports, including NFL, college football, NHL hockey and more.
On it's own, ESPN is a little pricey. ESPN Plus starts at $10.99 per month and a price hike is coming in October. We recommend signing up for the Disney Bundle Trio, which also gives you Hulu and Disney Plus for just $4 a month more, which is better value for your money.
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