Charlotte Hornets NBA schedule: TV channel, livestream & where to watch the games

The Charlotte Hornets are coming off a forgettable campaign, stumbling to a 19-63 finish in the Eastern Conference and extending their playoff drought to nine consecutive seasons. It was a tough debut year for head coach Charles Lee, though expectations are that things should improve slightly in the year ahead.

The franchise has injected fresh talent into the roster with rookies Liam McNeeley and Kon Knueppel, both of whom flashed potential during the NBA Summer League. If stars LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller can stay healthy, the Hornets’ youthful core might just be capable of turning the corner and putting together a more competitive season.

From regular season to the playoffs, here's a detailed guide to the broadcast options and how to watch, covering streaming services, over-the-air channels, and VPN options for the 2024-25 season.

Charlotte Hornets 2025-26 NBA TV Schedule

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Charlotte Hornets 2025-26 NBA results

How to watch Charlotte Hornets NBA games in local markets

While each NBA team has a Regional Sports Network that carries its local games, some will also air nationally on channels like ABC, ESPN, NBC, Peacock and Amazon Prime. 

All told, Charlotte will be showcased on national television 3 times — with one game each on ESPN, Amazon Prime and Peacock.

All local Hornets games will air on FanDuel Sports Southeast during the 2025-26 season. If you live in Hornets team territory and have a provider that includes FDSN Southeast, you can stream the Hornets.

Cable providers such as Xfinity, DISH, and DIRECTV offer FanDuel Sports North, as do streaming services such as DIRECTV STREAM and Fubo, both of whom provide more options for catching NBA teams' regional sports networks (RSNs) than other providers (see the table below) alongside the national TV channels. If you live outside of the local market, you can catch games with a subscription to NBA League Pass.

How to watch Charlotte Hornets NBA games With An OTA Antenna

Interested in watching Charlotte Hornets games for absolutely free? You can watch ABC for free by installing an over-the-air antenna.

To see which channels you can access, plug your zip code into the FCC's Reception Map Tool.

The best part? No monthly fees! Once you’ve got the antenna set up, you can enjoy local broadcasts as long as the device keeps going strong.

If you’d rather stream Charlotte games, you can also grab a free trial from a streaming service like DIRECTV STREAM.

How to watch the 2025-26 Charlotte Hornets season without cable

Streaming services are rapidly becoming the primary method for fans to watch NBA games, thanks to a growing array of providers in the market.

There is a wide selection of streaming options available, ranging from those that offer specific broadcast packages, such as ESPN+, Fubo and YouTube TV, to more flexible choices like Sling TV and Hulu Live TV, which allow users to customize their channel selection. No cable or satellite TV subscription needed. Start watching with a free trial.

In the United States, basketball fans have access to four types of streaming platforms this season. There are four multi-channel services offering both national and regional games (Fubo, DirecTV, Hulu, YouTube TV), two dedicated solely to national broadcasts (Sling, Max), multiple region-specific platforms (DTC platforms like MSG+, FanDuel Sports Network), and one service focused on out-of-market matchups (NBA League Pass). These categories represent the primary options for streaming basketball.

NBA teams provide direct-to-consumer streaming options, which can complement your existing TV provider, but based on our experience, the cost doesn't justify it. Fan DuelSports Network is priced at $20 a month, while MSG+ will set you back $30 per month. While it might seem like a way to cut expenses, you’ll likely feel frustrated when you're unable to watch nationally broadcast games, which occur at least once a month.

Moreover, not every team offers this streaming option, and if you frequently travel outside your local market, you'll lose access to your team's games altogether. This makes multi-channel services like DIRECTV STREAM or Fubo even better as they show both regional and national matchups.

How to watch Charlotte Hornets NBA games on DirecTV Stream

• Suggested Plan: CHOICE
• Price: $108.99 plus RSN fees (varies regionally)
• Free Trial: Yes (5 Days)
• Channels: FanDuel Sports Network, ABC, ESPN, TNT, NBA TV

DIRECTV STREAM boasts the widest range of Regional Sports Networks (RSNs), including FanDuel Sports Network Southeast, compared to other live TV streaming services. To access RSN livestreams, you'll need to subscribe to the DTV Stream Choice package or higher. The package starts with a five-day free trial and is priced at $108.99 per month, not including monthly RSN fees, which you can check here by entering your pin code.

It has 91 channels as part of their service, including sports channels like TBS, USA Network, TNT, FS1, ESPN, ESPN2, MLB Network, NBA TV, NFL Network, NHL Network, and Fox Sports 2.

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With DIRECTV STREAM, you'll still encounter blackouts for out-of-market games. However, you can sidestep these restrictions by adding NBA League Pass to your subscription for as low as $14.99 per month. This combo allows you to catch every NBA game, combining League Pass access with the channels provided by DIRECTV STREAM.

Every DIRECTV STREAM subscriber enjoys unlimited storage on their Cloud DVR, allowing for extensive recording capabilities, and up to 20 users can stream simultaneously.

DIRECTV STREAM is compatible with a variety of devices for watching the Charlotte Hornets, including Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Roku, Android TV, iPhones/iPads, Android phones/tablets, Mac computers, Windows PCs, and smart TVs from brands like LG, Samsung, Sony, and VIZIO. However, it's worth noting that DIRECTV STREAM is not accessible on gaming consoles such as PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo.

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How to watch Charlotte Hornets NBA games on Fubo

• Recommended Plan: Pro
• Price: $84.99 plus RSN fees ($15)
• Free Trial: N/A
• Channels Included: FanDuel Sports Network, ABC, ESPN, NBA TV

To catch Charlotte Hornets games, you can tune in via FanDuel Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, and ABC with their Pro package, priced at $94.99 per month. However, it's important to mention that TNT is not included in this lineup.

Fubo markets itself as a haven for sports enthusiasts, especially those who enjoy international soccer, NFL, MLB, NASCAR, and F1. After a free 7-day trial, subscribers can subscribe to Fubo for as low as $84.99 per month, gaining access to nearly 200 channels, as well as the ability to stream on up to 10 devices simultaneously.

You can also purchase the fuboTV Sports Plus package for an additional $11/mo. The add on package includes access to NBA TV, which carries around 90 NBA regular-season games, which are subject to local blackout restrictions, as well as analysis shows and documentaries. NBA TV also has live out-of-market games and highlights.

Fubo’s lineup boasts 90 channels, offering a robust mix of sports options such as ESPN, USA Network, FS1, ESPN2, Fox Sports 2, ABC, NFL Network, MLB Network, NBA TV, NHL Network, and NFL RedZone.

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How to watch Charlotte Hornets NBA games on Peacock

Hornets fans will be able to catch plenty of action on Peacock this season. The Wolves are slated for six broadcasts on NBC/Peacock, with four games streaming exclusively on Peacock's platform.

Peacock has quickly carved out its place as a go-to sports streamer. In addition to its extensive Olympic coverage, it’s already a must for Premier League supporters and WWE followers, while also serving as the digital home of Sunday Night Football and other NBC NFL programming.

The value proposition isn’t bad either — for under $17 a month (for the ad-free Peacock Premium Plus pack), subscribers get far more than just basketball. Starting in October and running through April, Peacock will stream NBA games every Monday night, creating a prime slot for high-profile matchups.

On top of hoops and football, the service has stacked its lineup with Big Ten football, MLB Sunday Leadoff, Notre Dame football and hockey, NASCAR, IndyCar, cycling, golf, rugby, U.S. soccer, track and field, figure skating, horse racing, SuperMotocross, snow sports, IMSA racing, and more.

Sports fans can also tack on Regional Sports Networks (RSNs) to a Peacock Premium or Premium Plus subscription. That add-on unlocks access to 24/7 live channels from NBC Sports Bay Area, NBC Sports Boston, NBC Sports California, and NBC Sports Philadelphia — giving local fans another way to stay plugged in.

How to watch Charlotte Hornets NBA games on Sling TV (Not recommended)

You can watch Charlotte Hornets games on NBC, ESPN2, ESPN, NBA TV, and ESPN3 with Sling Orange's Sports Extra package, which costs $56 per month. However, Sling doesn't offer FDSN North.

The budget-friendly options let you save money while customizing your plans to fit your viewing preferences. Based on your location, you may have access to local channels like ABC, Fox, and NBC. However, if you live in an area where these are available, your monthly cost will rise by $5. For sports enthusiasts, you can enhance the limited selection by adding a Sports Extra package to your subscription.

How to watch Charlotte Hornets out-of-market NBA games

If you're looking to catch Charlotte Hornets games outside of your local market during the 2025-26 season, NBA League Pass offers the most comprehensive access. It features all games not blacked out nationally or locally as well as the channel NBA TV.

For those seeking more features, NBA League Pass Premium includes everything from the standard pass, plus the ability to stream games live and on-demand on up to three devices at once. You’ll also get exclusive access to the in-arena feed for any game of your choice.

The current cost for NBA League Pass is $16.99 per month, while the Premium version is priced at $24.99 per month. If you purchase either plan directly on NBA.com, you'll also get NBA TV at no extra cost. That's an additional savings of $6.99 a month for a channel that airs basketball coverage 24/7, including exclusive regular season NBA and WNBA fixtures.

Nationally televised games are blacked out for all NBA League Pass subscribers. This applies to matchups aired on ABC, ESPN, NBC, and NBA TV in the U.S., as well as those broadcast on Sportsnet and TSN in Canada.

Due to this limitation, you won’t be able to stream any All-Star Weekend events, the NBA Play-In Tournament, or any NBA playoff games via this service. To watch those, you'll need to find alternative ways to access the channels broadcasting the game you're interested in.

You do get to listen to the local radio broadcasts for all live games through NBA League Pass, so if you are interested in a game that is blacked out to you, you are not completely shut out from following the action live.

Watch Charlotte Hornets Games With A VPN

For those living abroad or just outside of Charlotte TV market, another dependable way to watch Hornets in action is via a VPN.

Regardless of whether you use DirecTV Stream, Fubo (formerly FuboTV), or another streaming platform, you can supplement it with a VPN to watch out-of-market games. It enables you to alter your virtual location, letting you access games as though you're in a different state or even abroad (NBA League Pass is the ticket you need if you're overseas).

NordVPN is our pick for the best VPN service in 2024 when streaming live sports. You can even try NordVPN risk-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Useful links

• How to watch regional games live on FanDuel Sports Network

• How to watch live sports on DirecTV Stream
• The best streaming services for sports fans in 2025