Who doesn't love a good sports match? Whether it's a major game like the Super Bowl or the World Cup Final or just a regular game between two good teams, there's nothing quite like the thrill of watching two teams go at it in real-time.
In the past, watching sports didn't require much thought. The networks broadcasted only a few games each week on a few select channels, but today, in 2022, it's the complete opposite.
Countless leagues and sports are broadcast at any one time. Since there are now more dedicated sports channels than ever, it's possible to watch a game at pretty much any hour of the day, no matter where you are in the world.
However, because there are so many choices, figuring out how to get access to all of your favorites sports can sometimes be a real pain. Between cable TV plans and streaming services, there is an infinite number of combinations. Since they all cost money, you might wind up spending lots of money and still not getting access to the sports you want.
To make sure this doesn't happen to you, we've taken a look at the many different TV packages for sports fanatics and come up with a list of the best. Each one is a bit different, though there are similarities. Read on to find out which is the best for you.
Before we go into specific packages, it's important to understand the landscape. Sports channels range in terms of how specific they are, and they're included in certain plans and left off others due to varying licensing agreements.
To be able to figure out what you want, consider the following types of sports channels:
Many sports are broadcast on network television, stations such as FOX, CBS, ABC, and NBC. Typically, these channels carry the marquee matchups taking place in a league. The only exception is the NFL, which is broadcast on FOX, CBS, NBC, and ESPN every week.
NBC carries special matches from all the different leagues, such as Sunday Night Football and Hockey Night in America.
Also, championship games are almost always carried on one of these networks.
These channels are included in all of the most basic cable plans, and they can also even be accessed for free if you use an antenna (which used to be very old school but is slowly making its way back into the mainstream).
In addition to these, other networks such as ESPN, TNT, and TBS also carry lots of sports and are often included in basic cable plans, though not always. ESPN is quite common, but you may need to go up one level to get TNT and TBS, covering lots of NBA and MLB games.
If you just stick with these channels, you will have access to lots of sports, but these networks also cover lots of other programming. So, if you're a real sports fanatic, then you're going to want to upgrade to get a little more.
Except for the NFL, which broadcasts on traditional network channels, almost all sports rely on regional sports networks. FOX and NBC are major carriers of regional networks, but some places have their own channels. For example, in New York, there is SNY and YES! (Yankees Entertainment Station), and Boston has NESN (New England Sports Network).
Some of the bigger market channels are now carried on national TV plans, so if you have access to these, you'll be able to see a lot more sports than if you just had the standard plan.
Regional sports networks are typically included in relatively basic cable plans, but not always. So definitely check if this is something you're interested in.
One thing to pay attention to, both with standard network channels and regional sports networks, is their availability on satellite plans. Sometimes licensing laws and agreements prevent satellite providers from offering these channels, so keep this in mind while shopping for plans. You should be able to find out what's actually available by entering your address or speaking with a customer service representative.
For those looking for a bit more, there are lots of league specific channels out there. These packages are ideal for those who like to watch sports and keep up with all the latest sports news. Examples include NFL Network, MLB Network, NBA TV, NHL TV, etc.
However, while these channels are interesting and give you lots of sports information, they don't carry many games. Of course, there are some, but they are more focused on news and analysis.
Often, they do live look-ins, which allows you to see exciting moments in a particular game while also getting news and analysis.
A few channels out there, such as NFL Redzone and MLB Strikezone, allow you to see more game action. These stations switch between the many games going on at one time to show you the most exciting moments. For example, NFL Redzone tunes into broadcasts when a team is on the brink of scoring. MLB Strikezone might show a game when a few people are on base during a critical moment of the game.
These channels are a lot of fun and keep you informed, but they don't let you watch entire games.
If you want to be able to watch entire games from leagues across the country or the world, then you'll want to sign up for one of the many all-access passes that are out there. Classic examples include the NFL Sunday Ticket. This package allows you to watch every single game that is being broadcast at a given time, no matter where you are.
Pretty much all the major leagues have one of these packages, but whether you can access it will depend on which cable service you use.
These packages also tend to cost a pretty penny; however, if what you really care about is not missing a minute of action, then the cost is usually worth it.
Now that you know what's out there, here are some of the best TV packages for sports fanatics. On this list, you will find standard cable plans that offer you tons of different sports channels in addition to all your other favorites. 
On its own, DirecTV has a pretty strong reputation for sports. Being a satellite provider, they can pump in lots of channels from all over the country.
The most basic package – Entertainment – has most of the standard sports channels (network programming, ESPN, NBC Sports, Fox Sports, etc.), but if you're a sports fan, you'll probably want to go for the Ultimate plan.
It costs $84.99 per month when you sign up, but this will go up after a year. It includes NFL Network, NBA TV, MLB Network, NFL Redzone, MLB Strikezone, and a whole host of other sports programming that will let you watch soccer, tennis, golf, fishing, skiing, and so much more.
As of writing, you will also get a free subscription to NBA League Pass for one year, which will give you access to all the NBA games being aired across the nation. Typically, DirecTV throws in one of these all-access passes for free when you sign up, but it just depends on the season. When the NFL is in full swing, expect to be able to get NFL Sunday Ticket for a year.
Be careful, though, since these packages usually cost between $150-$300 per year, so if you're not a huge fan of this particular sport, make sure to drop this from your plan after the first year to avoid any excessive charges.
For those looking to go to the next level, you may want to consider the DirecTV Sports Pak. For just an additional $14 per month, you can add all of these channels to your existing lineup.
As you can see, this gives you access to lots of regional sports networks, something you are not going to get with really any other cable TV plan. However, you may not be able to access ALL of these channels on this plan. Some blackout restrictions may apply.
However, all things considered, DirecTV and its additional sports package is still a great deal and gets you access to more sports than any other plan out there.
One downside is that this is a satellite connection, meaning you may have limited access to local channels, but this isn't usually the case. You'll want to check the conditions of your local area to be sure. Plus, there is also the chance you will lose connection during bad weather, though this isn't as big of an issue as it once was.
Overall, DirecTV offers you the best value and most comprehensive selection of channels, making it the ideal TV package for sports fanatics.
For those living within Cox's service area (which is relatively small compared to that of Xfinity), consider going with their Contour TV subscription plan. New customers can expect to pay around $70 per month for this service.
On its own, it offers you all the standard sports channels, much like Xfinity's plans. Yet you can add on the Sports and Information Pak for $10 per month to get the following channels:
If this isn't enough, you can go a step further and add the Sports Pak 2. This includes all of the channels listed above as well as these:
Overall, this is a nice collection of sports channels that will allow you to watch most of the live sports going on in the country at any given moment. Also, both of these packages are for both sports and information. This means that you will also get access to things such as CNN International, FOX News, Telemundo, Univision, and much more, in addition to all these sports channels.
If you like this package but want even more, all of these channels are included in the Cox Contour TV Ultimate package. However, this package starts at $168 per month. With it, you get more than 250 channels, but if it's just sports you're after, it's probably best to get the standard Contour TV plan and then add on the packages that are most relevant for you.
The only issue with this package is that Cox is not widely available across the country. If you live in an area where you can get it, we say go for it. However, it's likely a lot of you reading this won't be able to. DirecTV would be the best alternative, or you could try one of the other major providers.
For those who want to stick with a traditional cable company, your best bet is the Xfinity Preferred or Premier Plan. This includes all of the first and second-level sports channels.
What's missing from here is MLB Strikezone and some of the more well-known soccer channels, such as beIN sports. Also, because Xfinity is a traditional cable provider, it's not possible to get access to regional sports networks outside of your area, which is going to limit how much you can see.
However, as we'll discuss in a moment, you can add league-specific all-access passes, except for NFL Sunday Ticket, which is exclusive to DirecTV. This would allow you to see a lot more sports, but it would undoubtedly add to your bill.
Overall, Xfinity's sports offerings are more than enough, but DirecTV is the better option if you want to get as many sports as possible.
One big thing Xfinity has going for it is that it's available in almost the entire country, which means pretty much anyone can access these packages.
Next to Xfinity, AT&T is the nation's largest cable provider. However, AT&T owns DirecTV, so if you want sports but also want to keep AT&T because you use them for mobile or internet service, then your best bet is going to be to add on a DirecTV plan and create your bundle that way.
AT&T does have traditional cable plans, but they are quite similar to those from Xfinity and, therefore, a bit lacking. Real sports fanatics will want to jump for a DirecTV plan so that they can get all the sports they want and need in their life.
If you're a fan of one particular sport and want to make sure you don't miss any of the action, then you'll want to add on a league specific sports package. These plans allow you to watch every single game in a season. There are hardly ever any blackouts. The only time this may happen is if a game is being broadcast on a local network, but when this is the case, you can just watch the game on your regional affiliate.
These packages are particularly popular amongst people who root for teams other than those in their local areas. Still, many people who simply love sports enjoy them because it allows them to catch everything that happens throughout the entire season.
Here are all the plans that are out there as well as their subscription prices.
The NFL Sunday Ticket was the first of these types of packages to emerge onto the market, primarily because of how popular the NFL is. It gives you access to all the games across the NFL throughout the entire season.
A one-year subscription to NFL Sunday Ticket costs $293.96. You can also get NFL Sunday Ticket Max. With this you get access to DirectTV Fantasy Zone and NFL RedZone; however, it is a bit more expensive. A year subscription costs $395.99.
The only downside to this plan is that you must be a DirecTV subscriber to get it. Currently, it is not available to customers of other TV providers.
The NBA has a similar service called NBA League Pass. It gives you access to the entire league's games and costs $29.99 per season for League Pass Premium (which we recommend). It can be added to traditional cable plans and is not exclusive to any one provider like the NFL Sunday Ticket.
The NBA does it differently because it offers you the chance to sign up for the NBA Team Pass, giving you access to all the games from just one team. It's only slightly cheaper – a season subscription costs $14 per year – so it may be worth it just to get the whole thing. Still, if you're only interested in one team, this is a great way to save some money and not get bogged down with all the other games.
MLB's service is called Extra Innings, and it costs either $129.99 or $139.99 per season, depending on what deal you can score and the cable provider you work with. It can be added to most cable plans, including DirectTV.
Considering how many baseball games there are each year – a little more than 2,300 – this certainly represents the best "value" of all the packages. Of course, you need to be a baseball fan for this to make sense.
One nice feature of MLB Extra Innings is that it allows you to split your screen and watch up to 8 games at once. You can do this with the MLB simply because there are always so many games going on at once.
MLB.TV is the streaming version of Extra Innings and is something separate. It costs $129.99 for the entire season and allows you to watch from anywhere.
The one downside to this is that it doesn't yet come with a cable option, so there are blackouts. So, if you're in Boston and want to watch a Red Sox game, it will be blocked out on MLB.TV If you have a cable subscription, this is no issue as you can watch it there, but if not, then you'll be out of luck. Therefore, it's most relevant for those who want to watch games outside of the market they currently reside in.
NHL Center Ice is for those of you looking to catch an entire season's worth of hockey. It costs $59.99 per season and is added through your cable subscription. If you want a streaming option, you can get NHL Gamecenter Live and watch many games on your laptop or phone.
If you're looking to watch lots of sports but don't want a cable plan, you have lots of options (YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Amazon Prime), but because of licensing agreements, you're not going to get anywhere near as much as with traditional cable plans.
Probably the best alternative is Fubo TV, but this is only a sold option for people who want to watch lots of soccer. It is the only streaming service with multiple channels in its lineup that are dedicated entirely to soccer.
Currently, the base plan costs $54.99 per month, but this will go up if you add on additional packages.
The one channel that's obviously missing from this service is ESPN, which makes this plan not ideal for a lot of sports fans. However, if your focus is on soccer, you will likely be more than satisfied with this package.
For fans of international soccer, ESPN+ is going to be the service for you. It costs just $5.99 per month, but it gives you access to a lot of college sports, golf, wrestling, rugby, cricket, lacrosse, and auto racing programming.
However, where ESPN+ really thrives is in soccer. It carries games from:
The big ones that are missing are the English Premier League (carried by NBC), the Spanish La Liga (aired on beIN Sports), and the UEFA Champions League (carried by FOX). However, this is still an impressive lineup of soccer leagues for $5 per month.
Now that you know which packages will give you access to all the sports you want to watch, it's time to sign up for your plan and let the games begin! Many services offer free trials, so if you are unsure, give one a try and see if it scratches your itch for some live sports action.
