How to watch live sports on Sling TV: soccer live stream and more

Broadcasting rights. When they’re switched up between channels, they can be a menace. Where your favourite live sports will be aired can change year in, year out as a result. So, finding the right TV provider for coverage of events that you love is essential. 

Sling TV is a great option, particularly if you’re watching on a budget. Sling also has a variety of discounts available on subscription prices and local streaming equipment to bump up your savings.

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What is Sling TV

Sling TV is an internet streaming service, which offers an alternative to traditional cable or satellite TV, cheaper monthly subscription packages, and a flexible membership arrangement.

Three primary subscription packages are available:

Sling Orange

Categorized on site as the Sports and Families package. Sports channels include ESPN, TNT and MotorTrend. Comedy Central, Cartoon Network, Disney Channel and Nickelodeon Jr also feature in the family department. 

Sling Blue

Categorized on site as the News and Entertainment package. Channels include Bravo, USA, Fox 1, TLC, E! and Discovery Channel.

Sling Orange + Blue 

Contains all the channels available across the individual packages.

Which Sports Channels Are Available on Sling TV?

The sports channels currently available in each package can be found below:

Orange 

• ESPN
• ESPN2
• ESPN3
• MotorTrend
• TNT

Blue

• Fox
• FX
• Fox Sports 1
• NBC (in select markets)
• NFL Network
• TNT
• USA 

Orange and Blue 

• features all the above. 

Add-Ons and Extras

Sling TV features a Sports Extra subscription which offers 14 additional channels, including Tennis Channel, ESPNU and NBA TV for $11/Month, on top of your primary package.

Local Sports Coverage

Local sports coverage is currently not available via Sling TV’s primary subscription packages.

That said, it is possible to access local sports channels through the Sling TV interface if you purchase Air TV 2 and an antenna. Both pieces of equipment can be purchased via the website, though they rack up to $149.94 at full price, which is on the expensive side.

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Sling TV Subscription Plans & Pricing

• Sling Orange - $40/Month

Offers 31 channels, 50 hours of DVR storage and streaming to one device. 

• Sling Blue -$40/Month

Offers 41 channels, 50 hours of DVR storage, and streaming to three devices. 

• Sling Orange + Sling Blue -$55/Month

Offers 47 channels, 50 hours of DVR storage and streaming to three devices. 

The combined package saves subscribers $25, which leaves wiggle room for Sports Extra, or throwing in some premium entertainment with Discovery + ($4.99/Mo). 

Subscription Offers  

• Currently, all primary packages are running at half price for the first month of subscription. This puts Orange or Blue at $20 for the first month, while a combined package would be $27.50.

• One month of News Extra is available to new Sling Blue subscribers. 

• 30 days of MGM+, AMC+ and SHOWTIME are free upon subscription to any package. 

• Until June 30th, new subscribers can also receive a free Amazon Fire Stick Lite.

Equipment Offers

• A free Air TV Mini is available to new subscribers for two months of the subscription paid upfront. 

• Air TV 2 is being offered with an HD antenna to new subscribers for $49, with three months of the subscription paid upfront.

• Air TV Anywhere is being offered with an HD antenna for $99, with three months of the subscription paid upfront.

How can I sign up for Sling TV?

Signing up is quick and easy:

Register Online

Go to the Sling TV homepage at www.sling.com

Once there, click on “Try us today”. You’ll be taken to the registration page and asked to provide your email address, billing ZIP code and to set a password.

Choose your Services

Following registration, you’ll be asked to select your primary package (Orange, Blue, or Orange and Blue).

Once selected, your next choice is add-ons and extras. These are broken down into six categories:

• Popular 
• Extras 
• DVR (with DVR + storage can be increased to 200 hours ($5))
• Premium
• Latino
• International

Then, when you’ve finished selection, go to the checkout.

Checkout

You can choose to pay via credit card (Visa, Master Card, Discover, American Express) or express payment (PayPal/Amazon Pay). 

Your order summary will be displayed on the page alongside your payment details, with the date of your next subscription payment at the end. T&Cs are also featured at the bottom of the page. 

When you’ve filled out your details, click finish and submit. 

Log in and Stream 

After you’ve made your payment, it’s time to log in. Return to the homepage, click on the account icon in the top right corner and you’re ready to go. 

General Live Sport Streaming 

Categorized as Sling TV’s sports package on the website, Orange subscription is the best option for general live sports streaming at an affordable price. It includes ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN3. ESPN coverage tends to offer the most for basketball fans, as NBA, WNBA and NBL matches air regularly. Various baseball, hockey, and cricket games are also available across the three channels.

Motorsport fans can watch all 24 hours of Le Mans via Motor Trend, as well as live interviews and footage from the 2023 NASCAR Championship.

TNT also provides Golf coverage for professional competitions, including Capital One’s ‘The Match’.

However, for soccer lovers looking to watch international league matches, Orange subscription will prove disappointing. 

Soccer streaming

For soccer fans, a subscription to Blue is the better option, offering TNT, USA, and NBC channels. 

Turner Sports now owns most broadcasting rights for national soccer matches, so the SheBelieves Cup and the CONCACAF Champions League can be watched live on TNT. Meanwhile, many Premier League games can be viewed over USA and NBC channels. 

Not all Premier League games are aired on USA and with NBC availability dependent on where you’re streaming from, Blue subscription may still fall short. 

A handy solution to this is combining your Blue subscription with an alternate service provider like Peacock. Peacock is a streaming platform owned by NBC and typically airs the Premier League matches that are unavailable in the USA. Priced at only $4.99/Month, it’s a cost-effective pairing with your Sling package. 

Unfortunately, if you’re looking to watch women’s league matches live, Sling TV isn’t the right platform. Rights for airing the WSL and NWSL are currently held by CBS, which doesn’t feature in either Sling package. 

Sling TV Pros & Cons

To make your decision a little easier, here are some helpful pros and cons to consider:

Pros

• Affordable Monthly Subscription

Regardless of whether you take advantage of the current promotional offers, the monthly subscription is cheaper than most competitors at full price. 

• Customisable Content through extras and add-ons

The likes of Sports Extra, Discovery + and SHOWTIME let you build the viewing experience you want, while remaining cheaper than premium sites per month. 

• Flexible membership

You can cancel your monthly membership at any time which gives you full control over your account, and flexibility if your budget changes. 

• Promotional offers

The many offers currently available give you the opportunity to try new channels at no extra cost, and access equipment at lower prices.

• Simple decision making

With only three packages to choose from, Sling TV have made it quick and easy to see what you get for your money. 

Cons

• Limited channel availability

The channels available are less varied than a premium service. 

• Channels split between packages.

However, for $15 more, the joint Orange and Blue package is worth considering to resolve this. 

• Local coverage requires a HD antenna.

Even with promotional deals, purchasing an antenna can be costly.

Sling TV Compared to Other Live Sports Streaming Services

Compared to other live sports streaming services like YouTube TV, FuboTV, Hulu + Live TV and DirectTV, Sling TV is the most affordable, even with its most expensive package.  

You can find each service provider and their price lists for primary packages in the table below:

*All information has been pulled directly from the streaming service websites, and costs have been quoted at full price.

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The Bottom Line

Sling TV is a great option for those seeking an affordable and customizable live sports streaming service. Membership is also flexible, giving you full control of what you pay for. 

It does have its limitations. Particularly for fans of local teams, as local networks don’t currently feature in Sling TV packages. The split of sports channels between Orange and Blue, can also make deciding between them tricky. However, for only $15 more, the combination pack is available, solving that problem. 

Ultimately, while the number of channels on offer is trimmed down, so is the price, and many core sporting channels and networks are available with the click of a button. 

So, whether you’re waiting with bated breath for the 2024 English Premier League season following Man City’s win, or the women’s CONCACAF cup next February, 

Sign up today and enjoy your first subscription payment for Sling TV at half price.