The Cord Cutting Report

How to Watch ESPN3

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You can watch ESPN3 a few different ways without cable TV. 

Subscribers to DIRECTV STREAM, Hulu Live TV, Sling TV (Orange plan), Vidgo and YouTube TV can all access ESPN3 through the ESPN app. 

There also may be a way you can get ESPN3 for free through just an internet service provider (ISP). Some things have changed for ESPN3 since the launch of ESPN Plus so I did some research for 2023. Here is everything you need to know. 

Table of Contents

Can you watch ESPN3 on the ESPN app?

Yes. This is the primary way most people watch ESPN3 whether or not you are a cord-cutter without a cable TV subscription. 

Comcast, Spectrum and other cable TV subscribers have to do the same unless you already see ESPN3 in your channel guide.

Some live TV streaming services such as Sling TV have ESPN3 in the channel guide. If not, you can easily start watching ESPN3 from within the ESPN app. 

Over the years, ESPN3 has been largely a digital platform that has been crucial for fans of college football, NCAA basketball and FIFA World Cup.

What streaming services have ESPN3?

If you’re trying to watch ESPN3 without cable, here are some live TV streaming services to consider. 

  • DIRECTV STREAM
  • Fubo (formerly fuboTV)
  • Hulu Live TV
  • Sling TV
  • Vidgo
  • YouTube TV

How to Watch ESPN3 on any TV

You can watch ESPN3 without cable when you subscribe to DIRECTV STREAM, fuboTV, Hulu Live TV, Sling TV, Vidgo or YouTube TV.

Whether you are trying to watch ESPN3 on an LG Smart TV or a Roku, these steps are largely the same:

  1. Download the ESPN app to a Smart TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV or Google Chromecast with Google TV.
  2. Launch the ESPN app, and select the settings wheel in the top right corner of the main menu.
  3. Select the Account Information tab.
  4. Click on ‘TV Provider’.
  5. Under the ‘TV provider’ tab, select a cable TV or live TV streaming service. 
  6. Follow the instructions onscreen and visit espn.com/watch/activate 
  7. You will use your username and password from your pay-TV service to activate the app.

Note: You likewise need to go through a similar activation process with a web browser, iOS, and any Android smartphone that supports the ESPN app.

Does Hulu Live TV have ESPN3?

Hulu with Live TV gives you access to ESPN3 and over 75 live TV channels.

To start watching ESPN3 with Hulu Live TV, you need to use the ESPN app. The Live TV plan with Hulu includes ACC Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network and ESPNews.

There are plenty of other live TV channels that you would find on cable TV as well. CNN, TNT and USA are included. 

You can stream live TV on up to two screens at once. A subscription costs $69.99 per month, and now includes Disney+ and ESPN+. 

Hulu with Live TV comes with unlimited Cloud DVR so you can record sports, news, movies or whatever else you want.

Hulu’s channel lineup also has local NBC, ABC and FOX stations across the U.S. You can look over the channel lineup to see what locals and regional sports networks are available for your area.

Can I get ESPN3 on Sling TV?

Sling TV is still the cheapest way to watch ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN3.

Sling TV has ESPN3 within its channel lineup, so you don’t have to activate the ESPN app to start watching a college football or basketball game.

The Sling Orange plan has ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, A&E, History and TNT for $40 per month. Sling Orange has about 31 channels total. Subscribers get 50 hours of Cloud DVR. With Sling Orange, you can watch live TV on one screen at a time.

Sling TV has apps for Roku, Fire TV, Xbox One and AirTV Player. Use your membership to activate the ESPN app.

You can check the latest offer Sling TV is making to new and returning customers. There are no contracts, or extra fees like cable TV. 

Does fubo have ESPN3?

Fubo (formerly fuboTV) lets you watch ESPN3 when you subscribe to its entry-level Pro bundle. 

The Pro bundle has about 170 live TV channels, but you will need to access ESPN3 through the ESPN app. 

Open the ESPN app on a Smart TV or streaming devices such as a Roku or Fire TV to link your fubo subscription. Once you sign in, you can start watching ESPN3 live within the ESPN app.

Fubo subscribers also get local channels including ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in most areas of the U.S. HGTV, AMC, Big Ten Network and ACC Network are included in the Pro channel bundle.

Subscribers get 1000 hours of Cloud DVR. You can watch live TV on three screens at once. A subscription costs $74.99 per month. fuboTV has a library of on-demand movies, and TV shows. 

Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Smart TVs all have fuboTV apps so you can watch live sport on TV. You can try fuboTV free for a week, or look over the channel lineup for your area.

Can I get ESPN3 on Vidgo?

Vidgo supports watching ESPN3 through the ESPN app.

Vidgo has more than 110 channels in its live TV lineup. ACC Network, ESPN, and PAC-12 Network are among some of Vidgo’s most popular channels.

Subscribers can stream on up to three screens at once.

Vidgo has apps on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Android TV devices such as Google Chromecast. A Vidgo subscription costs $69.99 per month. You can look over the channel lineup before deciding whether to sign up.

Is ESPN3 included with DIRECTV STREAM?

DIRECTV STREAM (formerly AT&T TV) subscribers can access ESPN3 through the ESPN app. 

The Entertainment plan has more than channels for $74.99 per month. Subscribers can watch live TV on unlimited screens within the home. You can sign up for a 5-day free trial. 

ESPN, ESPN2 and FS1 are included in the channel lineup. You get unlimited Cloud DVR for recording sports and TV shows. There are more than 40,000 on-demand movies and shows.

Subscribers can get three months of Showtime, STARZ, Cinemax and MGM+ for free before the monthly rates kick in.  

DIRECTV STREAM works on Roku, Android TV, Fire TV devices, Apple TV and smartphones and tablets. Subscriptions run month to month and so you can cancel whenever you want. 

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

Is ESPN3 on YouTube TV?

YouTube TV has more than 128 channels, and you can stream ESPN3 live on your TV or a smartphone by using the ESPN app..

You’ll get local NBC, FOX and ABC in many parts of the U.S. A subscription is $72.99 per month. You can watch live TV on three screens at once.

Subscribers get unlimited Cloud DVR. ACC Network, FS1, and ESPNews are all in the channel lineup. 

YouTube TV has apps for Smart TVs, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Google TV. New customers can sign up for a free trial.

Does ESPN Plus include a ESPN3 live stream?

No. ESPN Plus is a standalone streaming service that has a variety of live sports, including college football, MLB and UFC fights.

The service does not get you the ESPN cable networks, including ESPN, ESPN3, ESPN3 or ESPNews.

But you can watch daily MLB, NHL and college basketball games. It’s now the home of docs like 30 for 30 and UFC Fight Night and pay-per-view events. 

ESPN+ streams live sports and on-demand shows through the ESPN app. Subscribers can watch ESPN+ on three screens at once.

An ESPN Plus subscription costs $9.99 per month. Subscriptions run month to month so you can easily cancel online whenever you like.

Can I watch ESPN3 with just an internet connection?

People often ask whether you can watch ESPN3 online for free. The answer was once a definite yes. In 2022, the answer is maybe. 

Back in 2006, Walt Disney Co. began charging Internet service providers (ISPs) for the right to offer a former iteration of ESPN3, called ESPN360.

Some ISPs such as Verizon and Charter signed on to the ESPN360 offering. Others balked and said no way, according to a 2006 article in The Wall Street Journal. 

ESPN360 re-launched to ESPN3 on April 4, 2010. ESPN3 remained available through ISPs that continued to pay the fee. But not every ISP kept paying and some customers have noticed. 

There is a list of “participating providers” that support ESPN3 that still exists online. 

So can you still watch ESPN3 with just an internet provider? Based on my own experimenting with this, it appears you can. 

I have a Sling TV subscription, and currently use Verizon FiOS as my internet service provider. As an experiment, I opened my ESPN app, and verified I could stream ESPN3 live with my Sling TV credentials. 

Then I logged out of my Sling TV credentials within the ESPN app so that I had no TV provider. When I went back to the ESPN3 tab, I still had a live stream, but I couldn’t watch ESPN or ESPN2. The app prompted me to sign in to my pay-TV subscription. 

Will this work for you? I don’t know. But you can try it just like I did.

For years, anyone using a college (.edu) or military (.mil) network could get complimentary access to ESPN3 content. That still appears to be the case.

Does WatchESPN still exist?

Not anymore. The WatchESPN app shut down on July 1, 2019 and was replaced with the ESPN app. But some people still call the current ESPN app WatchESPN. 

What’s the best way to watch ESPN3 without cable?

Sling TV is the cheapest option at $40 per month. Sling Orange has ESPN3 and 30+ other live TV channels. Subscribers get 50 hours of Cloud DVR and an on-demand library of movies, news and TV shows.

You can check the latest offer Sling TV is making to new and returning customers, or get a free streaming device by prepaying for a brief subscription.

There are no contracts, hidden fees or other obligations if you don’t like either service. Just cancel online before your trial ends.

NOTE: This article was published on September 9, 2022, and has been updated.

For more news on streaming, how-to guides and reviews, head over to the main page of The Cord Cutting Report or follow the CCR on Google News.

About Jim Kimble

Jim Kimble is a seasoned industry expert with over two decades of journalism experience. He has been at the forefront of the cord-cutting movement since 2016, testing and writing about TV-related products and services. He founded The Cord Cutting Report in 2016.

Major publications, including MarketWatch, Forbes, and South Florida Sun Sentinel, have interviewed Kimble for his years of expertise. He gives advice on the complexities consumers are navigating with streaming options, and over-the-air TV. Kimble has been a staff writer or correspondent for several award-winning, daily newspapers, including The Boston Globe. You can follow Jim on LinkedIn, YouTube and at X at @james_kimble