Sports fans looking to cut the cord and watch the teams they love are blessed with several options in Montana, making it easier than ever before to get your fix of the Grizzlies, Bobcats and big four teams from across the country.
You'll find some solid packages with Fubo, DirecTV Stream and Sling TV, providing you with all the top sports channels, regional sports networks and more.
Cable Channels - DirecTV Stream vs Fubo vs Sling TV
| Channel | DirecTV Stream | Fubo | Sling TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| A&E | ✔* | ✖ | ✔ (Blue + Orange) |
| AMC | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ (Blue + Orange) |
| BET | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ (Blue + Orange) |
| Bravo | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ (Orange) |
| Cartoon Network | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ (Blue + Orange) |
| CNN | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ (Blue + Orange) |
| Comedy Central | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ (Blue + Orange) |
| Discovery | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ (Orange) |
| Disney Channel | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ (Blue) |
| Disney Junior | ✔ | ✔ | ✔* |
| E! | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ (Orange) |
| ESPN | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ (Blue) |
| ESPN2 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ (Blue) |
| Food Network | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ (Blue + Orange) |
| Fox News | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ (Orange) |
| Freeform | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ (Blue) |
| FS1 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ (Orange) |
| Fox Sports 2 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔* |
| FX | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ (Orange) |
| FXX | ✔ | ✔ | ✔* |
| Hallmark Channel | ✔ | ✔ | ✔* |
| HGTV | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ (Blue + Orange) |
| History | ✔* | ✖ | ✔ (Blue + Orange) |
| Investigation Discovery | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ (Blue + Orange) |
| Lifetime | ✔* | ✖ | ✔ (Blue + Orange) |
| MSNBC | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ (Orange) |
| MTV | ✔ | ✔ | ✔* |
| Nickelodeon | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Paramount Network | ✔ | ✔ | ✔* |
| Syfy | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ (Orange) |
| TBS | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ (Blue + Orange) |
| TLC | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ (Orange) |
| TNT | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ (Blue + Orange) |
| Travel Channel | ✔* | ✖ | ✔ (Blue + Orange) |
| truTV | ✔ | ✖ | ✔* (Orange) |
| USA Network | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ (Orange) |
| VH1 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔* |
| WE tv | ✔ | ✖ | ✔* |
*Needs an upgrade or extra package to access this channel.
Best online streaming service for live sports in Montana
For sports fans following teams in Montana, you're going to want access to the ESPN Network. DirecTV Stream, Fubo and Sling TV can all provide you with access to this, although some do require add-ons.
Both Fubo and DirecTV Stream are considered to have the more extensive sports packages overall, with virtually all the national sports networks, as well as regional sports networks for your area too. Prices start from around the $79.99 per month mark.
Sling TV does provide a cheaper alternative, however, and could be a good option, particularly for those who do just want ESPN, making a saving of around $15 per month.
How to watch Pioneer League Baseball without cable
If you're looking to watch one of Montana's four independent baseball teams (Billings Mustangs, Great Falls Voyagers, Missoula PaddleHeads, Glacier Range Riders) then you're going to need a subscription outside of your live streaming package. The Pioneer League can be found on FloBaseball, part of the FloSports network.
To access this, you can download the FloSports app to your smart TV, with a subscription costing $29.99 per month or $150 for the year.
How to watch Montana college sports without cable
The ESPN network is what you need if you follow one of Montana's college teams. The Montana Grizzlies and Montana State Bobcats are both in the Big Sky Conference, broadcast across the ESPN Network and ESPN+. While you'll need a separate subscription for ESPN+, the network's online streaming service, Fubo, Sling TV and DirecTV Stream all provide access to the full ESPN Network.
Sling TV provides the cheapest package for this, with Sling Orange and the Sports Extra package, which is priced at $51 per month.
Alternatively, Fubo is another good option, with the Pro plan giving access to the ESPN Network, as well as many major sports channels, such as CBS Sports, FOX, NBC and more.
How to watch Seattle Mariners and Utah Jazz without cable
For fans of professional top four teams outside the state, MLB side Seattle Mariners and NBA team Utah Jazz can both be watched in Montana through Root Sports Northwest.
It's available with the Fubo Pro plan, priced at $79.99 per month, as well as DirecTV Stream choice, which starts at $89.99 per month.
Alongside being able to watch the teams mentioned through the regional sports network, you'll also have access to a wide range of national sports channels, which broadcast NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL games almost daily.