How to watch NBC Sports Chicago live without cable

Live stream NBC Sports Chicago on Apple TV, Fire TV or an iPhone

NBC Sports Chicago is available on a number of live TV streaming services.  

So you don’t need cable TV or a satellite provider to watch Chicago Blackhawks, White Sox games or even the Bulls. 

What’s the cheapest option?

Right now, it’s between Hulu with Live TV and fuboTV.

If you’re a casual NHL or MLB fan, then you might want to consider ESPN+ as a cheap alternative for watching live games. A subscription costs only $5.99 per month. ESPN+ has 14 NHL games per week, and MLB games daily during the regular season.  

Comcast SportsNet Chicago is NBC Sports Chicago

By the way, NBC Sports Chicago was called Comcast SportsNet Chicago (or CSN Chicago) until late 2018 when it was re-branded.

Only the name changed, not the programming.

This guide is aimed at Chicago-area sports fans living in Indiana, Wisconsin and Illinois. Game coverage for certain teams or leagues largely depends on where you live.

What do I need to stream NBC Sports Chicago live?

There’s a good chance that you already have what you need to watch NBC Sports Chicago live.

You’ll need an Internet connection. I can show you how to negotiate for an inexpensive one with my guide on getting Internet without cable.

A Smart TV or a streaming device like a Roku, Apple TV, or Amazon Fire TV Stick supports most live TV streaming services discussed here. You watch live TV on an iPhone, tablet or computer, too.

Using a TV antenna to watch free MLB games

Chicago White Sox fans can also catch some nationally televised games on FOX using a TV antenna. But for most of the season, you’ll want NBC Sports Chicago for home games, and ESPN and FS1 to watch games currently listed on MLB’s National Broadcast Schedule.

Are Chicago Blackhawks on ESPN+? 

You should check out ESPN+ if you are a Chicago Blackhawks fan. For $5.99 per month, ESPN+ gets you about 50 NHL games a month.

Last season, many of the same games broadcasted on NBC Sports Chicago were also live streamed on ESPN+. Game schedules aren’t as solid this year because of COVID-19, but ESPN+ still plans on having 14 NHL games per week. And each NHL teams is playing 56 games.

Watching ESPN+ on your TV is pretty simple. Once you subscribe to ESPN+, head over to the ESPN app on your Roku, Fire Stick or Samsung Smart TV. Click on the ESPN+ tab on the top menu in the ESPN app and sign in to your account. 

So before you plunk down your hard earned cash on a live TV streaming service, check out the cheap option first.

Hulu with Live TV: Watch Chicago White Sox Without Cable

Hulu with Live TV has a well-rounded channel lineup that includes ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, local networks such as NBC and CBS and entertainment networks. Bravo, Food Network and National Geographic are part of the channel lineup.

Subscribers have 50 hours of Cloud DVR to record shows and can add more space if needed. 

And if you’re using a Roku, Apple TV or Fire TV, you can use your Hulu subscription to activate individual apps for the channels in your subscription. A subscription costs $64.99 per month. 

Live TV subscribers get the on-demand library as part of a subscription, which includes Hulu Originals. People pay $5.99 per month for a subscription to Hulu’s on-demand service. So you’re essentially getting two streaming services for the price of one. 

You’ll also get access to Hulu’s massive catalog to on-demand content as part of your subscription. Hulu works with all major streaming devices, including Roku, Apple TV and Fire TV devices. Check out Hulu’s Live TV channel lineup in your area before deciding which streaming service to try. 

Hulu + Live TV has a free 7-day trial that works even if you already subscribe to Hulu on-demand.

fuboTV: Live Stream NBC Sports Chicago Without Cable

fuboTV has been carrying regional NBC Sports networks — including NBC Sports Chicago — among its roster of RSNs available across the U.S.

The 118+ channels on fuboTV aren’t just for sports fans. AMC, A&E, IFC, and Sundance TV are part of the channel lineup.

fuboTV also carries ESPN, ESPN2, PAC-12 Networks, beIN Sports, CBS Networks, FS1 and FS2. Local NBC and FOX stations are available in many markets across the U.S., too.

If you’re looking for a service that lets you sign into TV Everywhere apps on a Roku or Fire TV, fuboTV gives you access to more than 30 of them. That includes the NBC Sports app, which also lets you stream NBC Sports Chicago live.

The fubo family plan costs $64.99 per month. You can start off with a free 7-day trial to see if the service is a good fit. Just cancel online before the trial is up if you don’t like fuboTV.

You’ll be able to record games using the 30 hours of Cloud DVR that comes with a subscription. The “lookback” feature also maintains an on-demand style menu for games that aired in the last 72 hours. fuboTV has apps for pretty much every device, including Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Fire Stick and NVIDIA Shield TV.

Look over the channel lineup to see what locals and regional sports networks you’d get before deciding whether to try out fuboTV. 

DIRECTV STREAM: Watch NBC Sports Chicago Live Stream Online

DIRECTV STREAM has NBC Sports Chicago in the Choice plan.

A subscription costs $84.99 per month for 90+ channels.

ESPN, Nickelodeon and HGTV are included in the channel lineup. You get 20 hours of Cloud DVR and 50,000 on-demand movies and shows.

Subscribers get three months of HBO Max, Showtime, Cinemax and EPIX for free before the monthly rates kick in. You can watch live TV on up to 20 screens at once.

When you sign up, you can subscribe month to month and cancel whenever you want. DIRECTV STREAM works on Roku, Android TV, Fire TV devices, Apple TV and smartphones and tablets.

You can look over the different channel lineups before deciding whether to sign up.

YouTube TV: Live Stream White Sox Games Online  

YouTube TV has a long roster of regional sports networks. A subscription will cost $64.99 per month for roughly 75 channels. ESPN, FOX, FX and IFC are part of the channel lineup. Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast and Xbox One are among the supported devices. You can try out YouTube TV free for 7 days.

What’s the best way to get NBC Sports Chicago live without cable?

There are a number of options out there to watch NBC Sports Chicago, so let’s review some highlights and narrow down your choices. 

ESPN+ airs a large number of Chicago Blackhawks games throughout the regular season. Check out a subscription to ESPN+ for $5.99 per month. 

fuboTV has NBC Sports Chicago as part of a 120+ channel lineup. It’s the largest channel lineup out there in the streaming world. You’ll have entertainment channels such as AMC and HGTV, local channels and ESPN for sports. You can try out fuboTV free for a week. No contracts or obligations necessary. 

So how are you going to watch NBC Sports Chicago without cable or satellite TV? Tell fellow readers in the comments below.

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