Welcome to the 1st annual Streamy Awards, Sports Edition. We are living in the Brave New World, where we can watch almost anything from soap operas to Supergirl anytime, anywhere, on any device. Sports, however, has been a bit of a straggler They are inching their way into the future because the past has been so lucrative for them.
But things are starting to change for the better. Every major sports league has some kind of streaming option. This completely fair, totally official and absolutely unbiased article will reveal the league that does the best job at beaming their games into the eyeballs of their fans. Before the award is given, here is a quick look at the finalists:
NFL Sunday Ticket
Strictly speaking, DIRECTV’s Sunday Ticket is not a streaming service. The NFL has a service called NFL Game Pass. Compared to other services, it’s not very good. You can get mobile apps for it. But those apps will only work on Verizon. You can watch on set-top boxes like the Apple TV. But at that point, you are already in your living room in front of your TV.
What keeps the NFL in this race is DIRECTV. Even Huston Texan fans can keep up with every game of football their team plays, even the occasional wins, when they have Sunday Ticket exclusively through DIRECTV. Houston satellite TV providers often have deals that include the current Sunday Ticket football season free for the first year.
The streaming component is all in the outstanding Sunday Ticket app. Whether at home or away, you can watch every out of market game directly through the app. Not only can you watch all the live games and follow the action of your favorite teams, you can keep up with the game stats of your favorite players. There is a special channel devoted to the fantasy game.
Perhaps the best part is that you do not have to be on any particular carrier network to enjoy all the benefits this app and service has to offer. Skip Game Pass and go directly for Sunday Ticket. It’s all the streaming football you can handle.
MLB TV
One of the best things about Major League Baseball’s streaming service is that you can buy the off-season for just $25. That will get you most of Spring Training if you’re into that sort of thing. You can also watch all of the previous season if you like.
But, of course what you are really interested in is the current season of baseball. MLB TV has you covered. But the apps are what makes this service really shine. From box scores to camera views, this app has it all. It is the way all sports apps should be. And the Number of devices you can get this service on is off the chain. You can watch MLB TV on just about anything with a plug, a screen, and access to apps.
NBA League Pass
At just $200 for the entire season, NBA League Pass offers one of the most affordable ways to stream every game of your favorite sport. You can pick up a single game for $6.99, and a years worth of audio only for $9.99. There is even an option to follow only your favorite team for $119.99 NBA League Pass is one of the most versatile options available.
NHL GameCenter Live
If your blood runs cold with ice, ice, baby, don’t worry. We’ve got you covered. Hockey fans need look no further that NHL GameCenter Live. It is by far, the least expensive sports streaming service worth caring about. At $131.49, you simply can’t beat it. They even offer a monthly package for just $25 a month.
And the Winner Is…
The NFL with Sunday Ticket. Full disclosure: I’m a football fan, and couldn’t care less about the other sports. That may have effected my judgement just a bit. That said, the best app goes to MLB At Bat. The most flexible service award goes to the NBA. And the most affordable goes to the NHL. So in a very real way, they are all winners.
Bottom line: whatever sport quickens your pulse, there is a streaming service for you.
Featured image credit: ShutterStock
