FORT WORTH, Texas — The cost of watching live sports is increasing, even for those who have cut the cord. Viewing games that were once easily accessible on TV is now more expensive due to the rise of streaming services, making it a costly endeavor to stay up-to-date on all your favorite teams.
The upcoming 2024 NFL and NCAA football seasons, as well as the NBA, NHL, and MLB games, will require a significant financial commitment for fans who want to watch all the action on their preferred devices. Major networks have shifted towards streaming services, leading to higher costs and complex bundling options.
For residents of the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area, accessing all the games through an internet connection can be a pricey endeavor. With a base monthly cost of $30 for Wi-Fi and additional fees for streaming services, the total expenses can add up quickly.
NFL
NFL games are increasingly being streamed on exclusive platforms due to the high demand from consumers. Broadcast partners like NBC and Amazon are willing to pay premium prices for streaming rights, leading to a proliferation of streaming options for fans.
This season, some NFL games will only be available on platforms like Netflix, Amazon, Peacock, and ESPN+, further diversifying the viewing options for fans.
For NFL Sunday Ticket, fans can subscribe for $379 per month exclusively through YouTubeTV.
NCAA Football
With the expansion of major college football conferences like the Big Ten and SEC, fans now need a wide array of networks to watch all the games. Channels like NBC, CBS, ABC/ESPN, Fox Sports, and conference-specific networks are required to catch all the action.
Popular streaming services like YouTube TV and Spectrum offer comprehensive coverage of college football games, but will not cover all the games available.
For Spectrum users, the cost is approximately $79.99 per month, with internet subscription required to access the app.
Dallas Stars/NHL
The Dallas Stars have shifted to a free app for streaming their games, setting a trend for other sports franchises. Fans can download the “VICTORY+” app to watch Dallas Stars games on their devices.
Texas Rangers & MLB
Viewing Texas Rangers games can be challenging, as they are only available on Bally Sports Southwest through select TV providers. Subscriptions to the Bally Sports app are required to stream the games.
Dallas Mavericks & NBA
After the upcoming season, NBA games will be streamed on platforms like Amazon Prime and NBC’s Peacock. For Mavericks fans, the Spectrum app currently offers the best option for accessing regular-season games.
FC Dallas & MLS
MLS matches are available on Fox and Fox Sports 1, accessible through standard TV packages. To watch all FC Dallas matches, fans can subscribe to the MLS partnership with Apple TV, which offers exclusive coverage of all MLS games.
The Apple TV subscription costs $9.99 per month, with an additional $49.99 for the MLS season subscription.
The future of sports on TV
With the proliferation of streaming platforms and exclusive deals, the future of sports viewing on TV is evolving rapidly. While there are challenges in consolidating all channels into one subscription, the landscape is constantly changing with new options for fans to access games.
