The Stream Report
Posts
Sports Streaming in 2022

Sports Streaming in 2022

Here's Your Sports Streaming Action Guide for 2022

July 12, 2022

Last week we talked a bit about the difficulties that sports streaming faces in the coming years. The writing is still on the wall for traditional sports streaming and the industry will need to change before it creates an all-out rebellion. This week, we'll offer some helpful advice on the best way to access some sports as we head into the 2022/2023 sports seasons.

How to Watch 2022 Sports Seasons - Quick Guide

The 2022 sports season has already started for some sports. Baseball, for example, launched its season on April 7. The NBA summer season zoomed-in last week on July 2 with the California Classic and continues with a few short seasons until October. The upcoming NFL season will begin on August 11 (preseason) and September 8 for the regular season.

Here's a short primer on where to get what you want from the top sports this year.

1. Where to Stream 2022 NBA Games

The NBA's streaming contracts are a bit scattered right now. As with most major league sports, there are games broadcasting nationally, and games you can only get if your service has a channel with local broadcast rights (otherwise, you'll face

broadcast blackouts

). Blackouts are an unfortunate part of the way leagues work these days, and may be on the chopping block in coming years as cable TV declines. Until then, your options are either pricey cable TV packages or a selection of options that include:

NBA League Pass + NBA TV
Sling TV
FuboTV
Hulu + Live TV
DirecTV Stream (best for RSNs)
YouTube TV

Again, your options will vary by location. We recommend you check out our

2022 NBA Season streaming guide,

which breaks down where to stream content by team and includes updated schedules for every team.

2. Where to Watch 2022 NFL Games

The NFL is a bit of a weird one. Positively, it has more streaming options than the NBA. Negatively, it has more streaming options than the NBA, which means you may end up having to piecemeal your way around streaming services if you don't want to pay the high price of traditional cable TV.

Like the NBA, NFL games have local blackouts. Our

2022 NFL Season streaming guide

offfers helpful advice on where to watch your favorite local teams and what services you'll need to watch them. From a high level, all of the following services may be an option for you:

NFL Game Pass (great for out-of-mark and blackout games)
Sling TV
Hulu + Live TV
DirecTV Stream (best for RSNs)
fuboTV
YouTube TV
Amazon Prime Video (yes, you read that right!)
Tubi TV (completely free and owned by Fox with some deals in place)

Amazon Prime Video is the more interesting addition. The company has been securing rights for the past few years and expanding the games it offers. Note that sometime in the next few years, Amazon may well be the largest rights holder for NFL broadcasts

3. Where to Stream 2022 MLB Games

The baseball season has started, so if you're a fan you may already be watching. But you might not be getting your cheapest options or even all the options available to you. Baseball is notorious for having some of the most scattered broadcast rights around and a large amount of regional sports networks commanding local broadcast rights on the RSNs. Your options are going to be very, very regionally based instead of broad.

For that reason, we definitely recommend you turn to our

2022 MLB Streaming Guide

for the most detailed information on each team. At a high level, though, you best options include:

Sling TV
Hulu + Live TV
DirecTV Stream (best for RSNs)
fuboTV
YouTube TV
MLB.tv (great for out-of-market broadcasts and single-team subscribers)
Tubi TV (Fox now owns it and has secured some deals)

4. Sports Streaming in the US Is Still Terrible

Nothing's changed since last week. Sports streaming in the US still needs some significant innovation that's consumer-friendly in terms of accessibility and pricing.

This Week's Streaming Guide

1. 'Bob's Burgers' Movie Shifts to Streaming

If you couldn't justify the cost of watching it in the theaters, you're in luck. The 'Bob's Burgers' movie shifts to streaming TODAY (July 12) on both HBO Max and Hulu. -

Watch on Hulu

Watch on HBO Max

2. Netflix 'Resident Evil' Series Premeires

Continuing its march toward video-game-to-show dominance, Netflix's 'Resident Evil' series begins streaming this Thursday (July 14). -

Watch on Netflix

3. Hulu Documentary on Victoria Secret Streaming Thursday

From Hulu: "Truth is not what it seems; as the underworld of fashion, the billionaire class, and Jeffrey Epstein are revealed to all be inextricably intertwined with the rise and fall of this legendary brand." -

Watch on Hulu