The last few years have seen a revolution in TV. It is no longer necessary to be tied to a cable provider with a long contract. There are many live TV streaming services that are as good, or better, than what the cable companies provide. All this for a lot less money.
In a hurry? There’s lots of information below, but if you just want to start enjoying TV more while spending less money, you can’t go wrong with these services:
- Fubo (formerly FuboTV): Known for its outstanding sports coverage, Fubo’s 150+ live TV channels provide a broad selection that appeals to most people. Fubo allows you to try out its service with a free trial.
- Sling TV: Offers 40+ channels, including a couple of local network affiliates, for just $40.00/mo. Save 50% on Sling TV now!
- DIRECTV STREAM: The king of RSNs, this is the streaming service for MLB, NBA, and NHL fans. Check out its Choice Plan if you want to watch every game! A 5-day free trial is now available for DIRECTV STREAM.
- Hulu + Live TV: This industry leader in on-demand streaming offers 85+ live channels, covering a broad range of sports, entertainment, and family content. Try one month for $76.99.
Table Of Contents
MLB Opening Day!
Opening Day of the 2024 MLB season starts Thursday, March 28th!
Date | Time (ET) | Teams | TV |
---|---|---|---|
Fri Mar 29 | 6:50 pm | Blue Jays vs Rays | |
Fri Mar 29 | 7:10 pm | Pirates vs Marlins | |
Fri Mar 29 | 8:10 pm | Yankees vs Astros | Apple TV+ |
Fri Mar 29 | 9:40 pm | Rockies vs Diamondbacks | |
Fri Mar 29 | 9:40 pm | Red Sox vs Mariners | |
Fri Mar 29 | 9:40 pm | Guardians vs Athletics | |
Fri Mar 29 | 9:40 pm | Giants vs Padres | |
Fri Mar 29 | 10:10 pm | Cardinals vs Dodgers | Apple TV+ |
March Madness Sweet 16 Starts Thursday!
March Madness is down to the top 16 men’s and women’s teams as we head into the Sweet 16 this Thursday!
Date | Time (ET) | Teams | TV |
---|---|---|---|
Fri Mar 29 | 2:30 pm | Oregon State (W) vs Notre Dame (W) | ESPN |
Fri Mar 29 | 5:00 pm | U Indiana (W) vs U South Carolina (W) | ESPN |
Fri Mar 29 | 7:09 pm | NC State vs Marquette | CBS |
Fri Mar 29 | 7:30 pm | NC State (W) vs Stanford (W) | ESPN |
Fri Mar 29 | 7:39 pm | Gonzaga vs Purdue | TBS/truTV |
Fri Mar 29 | 9:39 pm | Duke vs Houston | CBS |
Fri Mar 29 | 10:00 pm | Gonzata (W) vs U Texas (W) | ESPN |
Fri Mar 29 | 10:09 pm | Creighton vs U Tennessee | TBS/truTV |
What’s Streaming Now?
We provide simple but detailed information for cord-cutters to get the best possible experience without cable. You will learn where and how to stream different channels, what individual streaming services offer, and how to be cost-effective with your chosen streaming device.
Whether you’re a sports fan, movie buff, parent with curious kids, or just a general TV consumer, we provide you with everything you need to leave your cable contract behind.
Here’s the stuff we think deserves attention. It’s by no means complete, however! All times are Eastern.
Sporting Events This Week
Right in the middle of March Madness, the 2024 MLB regular season has started! And as you probably already know, watching your local team compete mostly depends upon getting access to one or more local channels.
Which channel(s)? We have complete information in our MLB Viewer’s Guide. But the bottom line is that in most areas, there are only two streaming services that have you covered. Luckily, they are both excellent: Fubo and DIRECTV STREAM.
Given there are 38 games this weekend, we aren’t going to list them. You can find that in our viewer’s guide. But don’t miss out!
Other Sporting Events This Week
- Oct 10 – Apr 18: NHL Regular Season (NHL Guide)
- Oct 24 – Apr 12: NBA Regular Season (NBA Guide)
- Mar 19 – Mar 31: Miami Open – WTA (Tennis Guide)
- Mar 20 – Mar 31: Miami Open -ATP (Tennis Guide)
- Mar 25 – Mar 31: Texas Children’s Houston Open (Golf Guide)
- Mar 27: Nicholas Walters vs Joseph Adorno (Boxing Guide)
- Mar 27 – Mar 28: Quaterfinals second leg (UEFA Women’s Champions League Guide)
- Mar 28: Premier League Darts: Night 9 – Belfast (Darts Guide)
- Mar 28: Mike Guy vs Vladimir Shishkin (Boxing Guide)
- Mar 29: Oscar Valdez vs Liam Wilson (Boxing Guide)
- Mar 29: Virginia is for Racing Lovers 150 (NASCAR Whelen Modified Guide)
- Mar 30: ToyotaCare 250 (NASCAR Xfinity Series Guide)
- Mar 30: West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame 150 presented by NAPA Auto Parts (NASCAR ARCA West Guide)
- Mar 30: UFC Atlantic City: Blanchfield vs Fiorot (UFC Guide)
- Mar 30: Tim Tszyu vs Sebastian Fundora (Boxing Guide)
- Mar 30: Gilberto Ramirez Sanchez vs Arsen Goulamirian (Boxing Guide)
- Mar 30: Kubrat Pulev vs Manuel Charr (Boxing Guide)
- Mar 31: Fabio Wardley vs Frazer Clarke (Boxing Guide)
- Mar 31: Toyota Owners 400 (NASCAR Cup Series Guide)
Movies and TV Shows This Week
In honor of Max’s fantastic deal — over 40% off when you pay annually — we’re featuring new releases from HBO this week, all streaming on Max:
- The Truth vs. Alex Jones (Tuesday): This documentary follows the court battles between the parents of the slain Sandy Hook children and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.
- Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show (Friday): A darkly comedic examination of the comedian’s personal relationships and his search to find intimacy and connection.
- The Synanon Fix (Monday): A first-hand look at the visionary organization that started as one of the first drug rehab programs, but over decades morphed into a violent cult.
- Curb Your Enthusiasm: The Final Season (new episodes Sundays): Straight from the horse’s mouth: “As Curb comes to an end, I will now have the opportunity to finally shed this ‘Larry David’ persona and become the person God intended me to be – the thoughtful, kind, caring, considerate human being I was until I got derailed by portraying this malignant character.” Series finale April 7.
Not to mention all the other great content on Max:
- HBO classics like The Sopranos
- New Max Originals like The Flight Attendant
- Bingeable reality from Discovery like 90 Day Fiancé
- Popular exclusive series: The White Lotus, Euphoria, Mare of Easttown, Succession, Barry, and The Last of Us
- The all-new B/R Sports Add-On, currently free with your Max subscription
Offer expires April 9 — what are you waiting for?
Why Get Rid of Cable TV?
Some reasons for getting rid of cable are obvious. But there are some that may not have occurred to you.
- Time: Too much television is a waste of time. If you cancel cable and only watch your favorite TV shows, you can spend more time with your friends and family.
- Money: A cable or satellite subscription costs many times more than it does to grab a simple on-demand plan with Hulu and Netflix. Cable is also more expensive than online cable replacement services with live TV channels, like Fubo and Hulu + Live TV.
- Technology: Video streaming is the future of TV. Soon, all video entertainment will be via an online connection. You might as well get on board now, learn the tricks, and save money in the process.
- Information: Be more informed. Rather than be at the mercy of local news anchors, you will revert to more reputable news feeds like PBS, Bloomberg, CBS News, and LinkTV. For example, FuboTV provides 13 news and information channels, along with all the local affiliates in its base plan.
- Freedom: Cable and satellite providers normally tie you into a long contract, only to give you prices that are still higher than comparable streaming services. Getting rid of cable means getting rid of the contract. Go month-to-month and be flexible.
- Dignity: Stop getting ripped off! Calling up the cable company and canceling your cable will simply make you feel good.
Looking for missing conservative news channels? Check out Sling TV!
Best Streaming Services
Choosing the right streaming service is probably the most important decision that a cord-cutter will make. There is no absolute “best” streaming service. It all depends on what you want with your live TV streaming plan.
Some streaming services are free, like Peacock TV (although they have a premium plan). Sling TV offers value plans that are low-cost but offer a lot. And the full-featured plans of Fubo, Hulu Live TV, and DIRECTV STREAM) provide what you would expect from a standard cable plan, but with different bonus features designed to appeal to all sorts of viewers’ needs.
Get access to all our detailed and up-to-date reviews of the major streaming services. You will also get links to free trials so you can make sure a service suits you before you buy.
Internet Without Cable?
Most cable TV subscribers also get their internet access from the same place. In many cases, there are other options for the internet. In some cases, cable is literally the only game in town.
We’ve put together everything that cord-cutters need to know about getting internet service. Even if your cable provider is tied in with your internet, you can probably get a reasonably-priced internet-only plan via a downgrade.
Cord-Cutting Wisdom
There are a lot of aspects of cord-cutting that newbies may be faced with. These range from what’s worth watching, to getting access to particular channels, to buying and installing specialized streaming and recording devices.
We discuss it all. Here are some of our most popular articles:
- How to Watch Local News Without Cable
- Setting Up your Streaming Service Parental Controls
- The Best DVR Without Subscription Fees
- The Best Ways to Get Internet Without Cable for Cord Cutters
- Watching Television in Spanish Without Cable.
Stream Major Events
Major TV events are still a big part of our social lives — just look at Facebook and Twitter during the Super Bowl or Academy Awards. Cord cutters have full access to these events.
For those just starting out, we have primers on how to stream the biggest happenings:
Stream Sports
Most major streaming services offer good access to live sports. The standout is Fubo. But a good low-cost newcomer to the industry is Vidgo. We have articles about everything related to live streaming sports like:
Stream TV Shows
With live TV streaming, you never have to miss your favorite shows, mini-series, and films when they are broadcast live. Here are some of our articles about streaming some recent must-see TV titles:
Get Started Now
We understand that dumping cable is intimidating. So we’ve written a detailed step-by-step guide to the process on How to Watch TV Without Cable.
It also gives you an overview of all the top streaming services, desirable features to look for, and answers to the most frequently asked questions from to-be cord-cutters.
What are you waiting for? Get started now!
Ditch “Big Cable” Now – 3 Simple Steps to Cut the Cord
- Pick the right streaming service
- Get the content you deserve with the best VPN.
- Supercharge your internet provider
That’s it — you’ll save money, take back control, and enjoy TV more!
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