Copyright Variety
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. Sports fans looking for ESPN this weekend will have to look elsewhere if they’re subscribed to YouTube TV. The live TV streaming service announced Friday that it was removing ESPN, ABC and other Disney-owned channels from its lineup, after the two sides failed to come to a new carriage agreement, with a reported rate hike being the main sticking point. The loss of ESPN is the latest snag to hit YouTube TV — the streamer was on the verge of losing all NBCUniversal channels in September, before a last-minute short-term extension averted a total blackout. Other streamers are using YouTube TV’s recent woes as an opportunity to introduce their own offerings to customers. One of these companies is Sling, which offers ESPN as part of its Sling Orange and bundled Sling Orange & Blue packages. Right now, Sling is offering the Orange & Blue package for up to 50% off for new users. Regularly $65.99, users can get the package starting from just $33 for their first month. The deal gets you access to 50+ live TV channels, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3 and a local ABC feed. ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN3 are also available on the Sling Orange plan, which starts at $45.99/month for 35+ channels that you can stream on your phone, computer, tablet or smart TV (rates vary by region and you can check current deals and offers here). Sling is currently one of the best YouTube TV alternatives online. If you’re just hoping to catch one of the college football games or any of ESPN’s other weekend offerings, Sling also offers affordable Day Passes, which get you access to Sling Orange for 24 hours with unlimited streaming. A Sling Day Pass is just $4.99. A Weekend Pass (Friday-Sunday) costs $9.99 for unlimited streaming across one device of your choice. Sling also carries ESPN channels like SEC Network and ESPNU; both are available by adding on the Sports Extra pack to your Pass, starting at $1. This is one of the best ways to watch and stream ESPN online without YouTube TV, and the Day and Weekend Passes allow you to test out Sling’s offerings without commitment. See more Sling deals and offers here.
