Growing up in Florida, college football was something of a religion that many of us belonged to. And when I started adulting up in the DC burbs, during the days of my Series 2 TiVo, I’d solely subscribe to analog cable TV during the four-to-five months of the college football season — for access to ESPN, the regional sports networks, and reliable reception of local channels.
Today, of course, there are a multitude of streaming options for cord cutters. Yet Disney’s ESPN remains the 800-pound gorilla, commanding a steep premium. For those who primarily want that ESPN, it generally comes bundled with a bunch of other stuff we may not want — further driving up the price while reducing the value. But there are compelling deals to be had … and I believe I’ve found both the best option for those on a tighter budget and a more premium solution for those willing and able to spend a bit more.
Sling Essentials | $19.99/mo → $8 first month
The cheapest way to get ESPN is thru the Sling Essentials skinny bundle at $19.99. But you can bring your first month down thru Rakuten cashback, currently sitting at a whopping 45%. Also check your credit card offers — I currently see an additional 15% cash back from Chase. So you’d initially get ESPN, ESPN2, and Disney Channel for about 8 bucks. Which is the absolute best deal I’ve been able to pull together.
(Of course, it’ll be interesting to see what happens later this fall, when Dish’s retransmission agreement with Disney is up for renegotiation. Disney hasn’t looked kindly on Sling’s day passes and slim bundles, with the companies having launched competing lawsuits.)
YouTube TV Sports | $45/mo → $25 first month
For the more serious sports enthusiast with the larger budget, there’s the well-rounded YouTube TV Sports package — that includes ESPN, Fox Sports, Big Ten, ACC, and, for many of us, all our local affiliates. Plus, beyond ESPN, you get access to the corresponding ESPN Unlimited and Fox One streaming services. YouTube TV Sports typically runs $65/month, but is currently on sale for $45 (for up to six months!). And with the right credit card offer, you could potentially shave another $20 off to drop the first monthly payment down to $25. Which is the path I’ve taken this fall.
Regardless of where you land, in this era of streaming options and no long-term commitments, you’re not locked into anything. If a better deal comes along, or you simply don’t like a service’s interface, you can switch month to month to get your sports fix somewhere else. Yeah, it’s probably tedious to flip around just to catch some games, but at least we have that flexibility should we want it — and that’s a massive improvement over the old cable lock-in days.
Your mileage may vary: Promotional pricing, cashback rates, and credit-card offers are subject to eligibility and can change or expire. Be sure to review the terms to confirm you qualify before signing up! (My deal went thru as documented.)
Another compelling offering is the ESPN Unlimited + Fox One bundle which runs $40/mo. But the extra $5/mo for the locals and everything in a single location, along with that $20 cashback, pushed me towards the YouTube TV Sports package.
Since I only want to watch my college team play once a week, I go with the Sling Day Pass. It’s $5, plus another dollar if I need ACCN or ESPNU. I have an antenna, so I don’t have to pay out if the game is OTA (or it’s a bye week). When college basketball begins, I switch to ESPN Unlimited.
As a content provider, offering that Day Pass is risky business. As a content consumer, it’s a great solution — and one I’ve used several times since launch.