How to Stream ESPNU Live Without Cable

How can I stream ESPNU online?

Streaming ESPNU live is essential for watching college basketball and football games.

It’s a network made for a number of NCAA sports, and you don’t have to drop a lot of cash to see your favorite college teams in action.

My top pick to live stream ESPNU is Hulu with Live TV because you’re getting a live TV and an on-demand streaming service rolled into one package.

The cheapest option for getting ESPNU without cable is through Sling TV with the Sports Extra bundle.

I’ll outline all your other choices, and ways you can activate the ESPN app so you can stream ESPNU live to watch games.

I cut the cord years ago, and I’ve subscribed to every live TV streaming service at one time or another. Picking the right live TV service to watch ESPNU will likely depend on what other networks you want. If you’re a fan of NCAA sports, you may also want Big Ten Network, SEC Network and ESPN2.

Is ESPNU free?

A lot of people wonder if there’s a way to watch ESPNU for free because they don’t subscribe to cable TV. The answer is no. The closest (legal) option is take advantage of a free trial of a live TV streaming service.

A few live TV streaming services also allow you to activate live streams on ESPN.com, or the ESPN app on Roku and other streaming devices.

By the Numbers: Streaming ESPNU Without Cable

Watch ESPNU Live Stream on Hulu with Live TV

Hulu with Live TV has ESPNU and its sister channels, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNews. There’s Big Ten Network, FS1, FS2 and SEC Network as part of a 65+ channel lineup.

You can even look over what local NBC, CBS and FOX networks are in your area by entering your zip code. So if you’re out to replace your subscription to Spectrum or Comcast, Hulu with Live TV is a pretty easy transition.

Hulu’s Live TV package is my top pick because subscribers get 50 hours of Cloud DVR, and unlimited access to Hulu’s on-demand library that people pay $5.99 per month for. You’re getting two streaming services for the same price as Hulu’s competition. Hulu on-demand has thousands of movies and popular TV shows from networks such as A&E, NBC and HGTV.

Plus, Hulu subscribers can activate about 38 apps on streaming devices. So you can activate WatchESPN or the HGTV app without a cable or satellite TV subscription. 

You can watch Hulu with Live TV on Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, iPhones, Android smartphones and tablets.

Hulu with Live TV has no contracts or hidden fees. Just cancel online if you don’t like it. Subscribers pay $64.99 per month.

Hulu + Live TV has a free trial that lasts a week. Even if you already subscribe to Hulu on-demand, you can still use a free trial for the live TV service.

Watch ESPNU live without cable on Sling TV

Sling TV is the cheapest way to live stream ESPNU, and it’s my runner-up pick because of its rock bottom price.

For watching college basketball, the Sling Orange bundle with Sports Extra is going to get you the most channels with NCAA teams and players that matter.

The Sling Orange package has 34 channels including ESPN, ESPN2 and TNT. To get ESPNU, you’ll have to pay another $11 per month for the Sports Extra bundle.

The Sports Extra bundle has SEC Network, SEC Network+, Pac-12, ESPNEWS, NHL Network, beIN SPORTS, Outside Television, NBA TV and Tennis Channel.

(Note: The Sports Extra bundle gets you different channels with Sling Blue.)

Sling TV now gives all subscribers 10 hours of Cloud DVR for recordings. You get 50 hours of Cloud DVR space. For another $5 per month, subscribers can add 200 hours of Cloud DVR. Even with the add-ons, Sling TV remains one of the least expensive options out there to live stream ESPNU.

You can look over the Sling TV channel lineup, or try out a free 3-day trial.

ESPNU live stream on fuboTV

fuboTV now carries ESPNU in a couple of different add-on channel bundles.

But first you need to pick among one of two main channel packages. The least priciest of the two is the fubo standard plan, which gets you about 100+ channels covering sports, news, locals and entertainment.

ESPN and ESPN2 are included in the family plan. But the cheapest way to add ESPNU is through the fubo Extra add-on. The Extra bundle costs $5.99 per month and adds 40 channels to your subscription.

A subscription to fuboTV costs $64.99 per month.

You can also add ESPNU through the sports add-on is another $10.99 per month. You can look over the channel lineup to see what regional sports networks are available.

fuboTV works on all major streaming devices: Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick and Cube. It has mobile apps for Android smartphones and iPhone.

fuboTV has a free 7-day trial for new customers.

Is ESPNU on ESPN+?

ESPN+ does not carry any programming from ESPNU or its sibling channels on cable TV.

For 2020-21 season, ESPN+ will carry live college basketball games from more than 15 conferences including Big 12 and Atlantic 10.

It’s a supplemental service by ESPN Networks that carries live college football, Men’s NCAA basketball, boxing, UFC and soccer.

A subscription costs $5.99 per month — about the same as a movie rental — and adds live sports and a deep library of on-demand shows including 30 for 30, and ESPN+ Originals such as Peyton’s Place.

Before you sign up for ESPN+, you can look over all the NCAA basketball conferences with games on its platform for the 2020-21 season.

You can watch ESPN+ through the ESPN app.

Vidgo: Watch EPSNU without cable

Vidgo carries ESPNU as part of its core channel bundle.

This live TV service has apps for major streaming devices such as Roku and Amazon Fire TV. But it also has a ‘watch party’ feature on its mobile app.

Vidgo has 85+ channels, including ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ABC, FOX and FS1.

You can watch live TV on a Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Android TV devices such as Google Chromecast. Subscribers can watch on up to three screens at once. A Vidgo subscription costs $55 per month. You can look over the channel lineup before deciding whether to sign up.

ESPNU live stream on YouTube TV

YouTube TV is a popular live streaming service that has 85+ channels, including ESPNU for $64.99 per month. You’ll get ESPN, ESPN2 and other networks that carry NCAA division games like SEC Network, FS1 and FS2.

YouTube TV works with Apple TV, Roku and Android TV devices. It is not supported by Fire TV or Fire Stick because of its ongoing dispute with Amazon. If you own a Fire TV device, you need to look elsewhere to live stream ESPNU.

YouTube TV has focused on having local channels including CBS, FOX and NBC in just about every market in the U.S. You can try out YouTube TV free for a week.

What’s the best way to live stream ESPNU without cable?

I just threw a bunch of options at you, so let’s recap and narrow down your choices a bit.

Hulu with Live TV is the best deal for most people because you’ll be able to live stream ESPNU and watch 65+ other networks. Hulu carries ESPN, Big Ten Network, and most of the entertainment networks you’re used to having as a Comcast or Spectrum TV subscriber.

So you don’t have to worry about missing a game because the channel you need isn’t in the lineup. You’ll also get 50 hours of Cloud DVR and unlimited access to Hulu’s on-demand library. Get a free 7-day trial, or look over Hulu’s Live TV channel lineup, and see what you think.

Sling TV is my runner-up pick because you can put together a solid package of channels including ESPNU, ESPN, Big Ten Network and some entertainment networks like AMC for about $46 per month. Remember you’ll need to add the Sports Extra bundle to get ESPNU. Sling TV has a free 3-day trial.

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Jim Kimble

Founder and Editor of The Cord Cutting Report. Before launching the site in 2016, he worked for more than two decades as a staff writer or correspondent for a number of daily newspapers, including The Boston Globe. His enthusiasm for tech began with the Atari 2600. Follow @james_kimble