How to watch Monday Night Football & college games without DirecTV: Streaming guide
DirecTV customers have lost ESPN and ABC at the start of the college and NFL football season because of a contract dispute between the satellite and streaming carrier and The Walt Disney Co., which owns the channels.
But the show must go on. Football will not stop because two major companies are trying to hammer out an agreement.
Here’s how to watch the games if you’re a DirecTV customer who has temporarily lost access to ABC, ESPN (which broadcasts the premiere of Monday Night Football) and ACC Network.
Use a digital antenna
Antennas, which pick up signals and transmit them to televisions through a cable, can be used when cable or satellite services stop working.
In a previous interview, Jayme Hanzak, a television engineer with PBS North Carolina, told The News & Observer that many antennas can find signals from towers within 30-40 miles, but there are some antennas that have a longer range.
A decent antenna should cost about $75-$100, and they’re available online or in stores, Hanzak said.
However, antennas aren’t foolproof. Weather events such as wind or lightning can affect signal reception. Also, if your home is located in a valley, antennas may not be able to pick up signals.
Plus, residents may have to also purchase cables, radio frequency filters and amplifiers along with an antenna.
Try a streaming service
There are plenty of streaming companies that allow subscribers to watch sports. (Note that the streaming service DirecTV Stream is affected by this outage.)
Here’s a roundup of the options, along with how much they cost.
- Sling TV: The streaming service’s Blue plan allows subscribers in the Raleigh area to watch ABC11 and FS1. The plan costs $20 for the first month and $40 for all following months. If you need access to ACC Network you’ll have to get Sling Orange & Blue ($27.50 for first month) + Sports Extras ($15 monthly), which is $42.50 for the first month. If the DirecTV-Disney disagreement continues past one month, that Orange & Blue + Sports Extras bundle will cost $70 a month.
- Fubo: Fubo’s Pro plan includes ABC, ACC Network and FS1. The plan costs $50 for the first month and $80 for each following month. Fubo offers a free trial for new customers.
- Hulu + Live TV: This service includes ABC11, ACC Network and FS1, along with Disney+ and ESPN+. There’s a three-day free trial, and the monthly cost is $77 for the version with ads. For ad-free viewing on Disney+ and Hulu, the price is $90 per month.
- YouTube TV: The Base Plan includes ABC, ACC Network and FS1. YouTube TV is offering a special of $8 off each month for the first four months ($32 value) for new customers. The starting monthly price is $65 each month. After the first four months, the fee increases to $73 each month.
In other words:
- If you just need ABC and FS1, and only for a month, the cheapest option is Sling TV’s Blue plan ($20).
- If you want ACC Network just for a month, the most affordable option is Sling TV’s Orange & Blue + Sports Extras ($42.50).
- If the Disney-DirecTV contract issue isn’t resolved within a month, the cheapest option is YouTube TV ($65 for four months). That includes ABC, FS1 and ACC Network.
- But, if you don’t need ACC Network, and Disney-owned programs aren’t restored to DirecTV customers within a month, Sling’s Blue plan is the most affordable, at $40 per month.
This story was originally published September 4, 2024 at 4:17 PM with the headline "How to watch Monday Night Football & college games without DirecTV: Streaming guide."
