Earlier this week, cord cutters were introduced to a new way to follow every big game without paying for full cable, with the new streaming bundle from ESPN and FOX. The upcoming ESPN DTC and FOX One apps will be available to bundle for $39.99, beginning on Thursday, October 2.
The individual launch date for each app is set for Thursday, August 21, with a monthly subscription price of $19.99 for FOX One and $29.99 for ESPN. The upcoming bundle saves nearly $10 per month and provides viewers with access to all content on each platform. For fans of collegiate and professional sports, this bundle offers thousands of hours of content without the hefty price tag and long-term commitment of traditional pay-TV options.
We’ve touched on How Much the ESPN-FOX One Bundle Would Cost Combined with Peacock, HBO Max & Paramount+ in the past. If you’re looking to skip the other streamers for their network TV options, here’s how.
How to Watch Sports for Free on NBC, CBS, The CW & Other Networks
With the ESPN-FOX One bundle you can watch live sports on ESPN’s family of networks, including ABC, and FOX’s networks, including the FOX broadcast network. This service has you covered for all of the action across two of the Big Four Networks.
If you want to forgo adding subscriptions to Peacock and Paramount+ to your streaming setup, then an antenna is a good option to watch live sports on NBC and CBS. An antenna will also give you free access to live sports that air on The CW and ION.
Local over-the-air broadcast antennas are a big cost-saver for cord-cutters and are a single one-time purchase. With the right antenna setup, it will deliver local games, playoff windows, and marquee national broadcasts without the recurring monthly fees of a subscription. Beyond sports, these networks offer thousands of shows, movies, events, and live breaking news throughout the year in most markets.
A decent indoor/outdoor HD antenna commonly costs $30–$80, and a site like Antennas Direct can help you find which affiliate stations are in your area and the right antenna at a great price. Pairing an antenna with the FOX-ESPN bundle gives you access to major leagues and entertainment without typical cable bills, which commonly run $100+ per month for similar sports access. Plus, you can pause, rewind, record, and rewatch your favorites subscription-free with Tablo DVR, Plex media server, and other devices and services.
Add HBO Max for Even More Sports
Combining the FOX One-ESPN bundle with an antenna and HBO Max is one of the cheapest ways to watch live sports on major broadcast and linear networks. For $16.99 per month, the Standard plan from HBO Max gives you all of the sports that stream across the platform, including sports documentaries and sports-adjacent originals. Combined with the ESPN-FOX bundle, you’re looking at $56.98 per month for national sports coverage and hours of premium programming the HBO brand is known for.
Bottom Line for Penny-Wise Sports Fans
For under $60 per month, ESPN-FOX One bundle with an antenna and HBO Max covers most national games and some local games for the upcoming fall sports season. This lineup gives you access to ESPN’s family of networks, ABC, FOX, CBS, NBC, The CW, ION, TNT, truTV, TBS, and more local channels for far less than a cable package or subscribing to multiple services.
Your fandom will affect pricing, as you can drop your costs even further by choosing a cheaper streaming service when needed, or just relying on free local broadcasts. Netflix, Prime Video, and Apple TV offer national sports in their lineup, and RSNs like FanDuel Sports Network provide affordable streaming options for in-market fans.
For many viewers who prioritize live sports, these streaming options replace more expensive multi-channel bundles. But those services may still be worth a try for some. New subscribers can get free trials of DIRECTV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV, or half off the first month of Sling TV.
