You can watch CBS Sports Network without cable on four live TV streaming services.
DIRECTV STREAM, fubo, Hulu Live TV and YouTube TV all stream CBS Sports Network live without a cable or satellite subscription.
There are seven plans that carry CBS Sports Network within those four live TV streaming services. Paramount Plus carries some live “CBS Sports” coverage, but not the full CBS Sports Network.
The streaming services that do carry CBS Sports Network have apps for just about any Smart TV or streaming device.
CBS Sports Network (CBSSN) is a key channel for watching live college football games, NCAA basketball, WNBA, and even UEFA Champions League.
The network airs 35 men’s and women’s college sports including baseball, hockey, lacrosse, soccer, wrestling and volleyball from every major conference. Mountain West Conference, the Atlantic 10 Conference, Conference USA, the Patriot League, Army football and Navy football are all on CBSSN.
You can jump down to the summary of how to watch CBS Sports Network without cable, check out Frequently Asked Questions below, or read through all your options.
DIRECTV STREAM, fubo and YouTube TV are the three live streaming services that have CBS Sports Network and offer a free trial.
How to Watch CBS Sports Network
Sports fans have been cutting the cord for years now, replacing their cable boxes with a Roku, Amazon Fire TV or Apple TV. But figuring out which live TV streaming service to use to avoid a hefty cable bill can be a pain.
If you are a sports fan in search of your ideal streaming service that has CBS Sports Network, chances are you want other sports channels too.
ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3, ACC Network (ACCN), Big Ten Network, SEC Network, NBA TV, NFL Network, Longhorn Network, MLB Network, ESPNews and ESPN Deportes cover NFL, MLB games and other professional and college sports.
Local channels such as ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX may also be a priority, especially as the Big Ten Conference begins airing more games on these networks in 2023.
Before signing up for a live TV streaming service, you can look over each channel lineup to make sure you are covered for cable networks and local broadcast channels.
Most of these services have widespread support across any device with a screen. A TV, iPhone or iPad (with current iOS) can be used to watch cable channels these days.
Smart TVs by Samsung, Sony Bravia, VIZIO and LG support most live TV services. Any Roku device, Amazon Fire TV, or Apple TV have apps for the streaming services in this guide.
Gamers can use an XBox and PlayStation console to watch TV as well.
DIRECTV STREAM
DIRECTV STREAM (formerly AT&T TV) has CBS Sports Network in its Ultimate and Premier channel packages. The two channel bundles are the most expensive among all the options for streaming CBSSN.
The Ultimate package has more than 140 channels, including locals, and sports channels such as ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBSSN, ESPN, ESPN2 and NHL Network. The Ultimate package is $109.99 per month.
A&E, BET, C-SPAN, CNN, CNBC, FOX News, History and HGTV are among the entertainment and cable news networks.
The Premier Package has over 150 channels, including premium channels such as Max, Cinemax and Showtime. A subscription is $154.99 per month.
You can look over the channel lineup or sign up for a free 5-day trial without any obligations.
Subscribers to Entertainment, Choice or Ultimate plans can get three months of Max, Showtime, Cinemax and MGM+ for free before the monthly rates kick in.
All subscribers get unlimited hours of Cloud DVR storage and 40,000 on-demand movies and shows.
You can watch live TV on unlimited screens within your home.
DIRECTV STREAM works on Roku, Android TV, Fire TV devices, Apple TV and smartphones and tablets. You can use apps on supported Smart TVs running on Google TV and Android TV. Subscriptions run month to month and so you can cancel whenever you want.
fubo
fubo (formerly fuboTV) carries CBS Sports Network in three of its plans.
The Pro channel package has more than 160 live TV channels, including local ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in most areas of the U.S. ESPN, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, FOX, FS1 and SEC Network are included and will cover you for college football.
HGTV, Disney and Discovery are among the entertainment channels. There are regional sports networks, including rare gems such as NESN and Marquee Sports Network.
Subscribers get 1,000 hours of Cloud DVR storage. You can watch live TV on 10 screens at once. If you miss a game, you can use fubo’s “look back” feature to watch sporting events that aired in the last 72 hours.
A subscription costs $74.99 per month, along with a regional sports fee. You can sign up for a free 7-day trial of any plan, or look over the channel lineup for all three plans.
The fubo Elite plan is $84.99 per month, and has 65 more sports, news and entertainment channels including Pac-12 Networks.
The Premier plan has 231 channels, including Showtime, for $94.99 per month.
You can watch fubo on a TV using a Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Android TV and Apple TV. FuboTV subscribers can also use a laptop or PC, an iPhone or Android smartphone to watch live TV.
Hulu Live TV
Hulu Live TV carries over 75 live TV channels including CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ACC Network and SEC Network.
Local ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX stations are included alongside A&E, Bravo and HGTV.
Subscribers can watch live TV on two screens at once. Unlimited Cloud DVR is included.
You also get unlimited access to ESPN+, Disney+ and Hulu’s on-demand library of movies and TV shows.
College football fans will be able to watch a lot more conferences and games with ESPN Plus.
There are more than 300 live college football games on ESPN Plus throughout the season. Southeastern Conference, LSU, Auburn, Kentucky, Missouri, Ole Miss and Tennessee are among the teams with select live games.
A subscription to Hulu Live costs $69.99 per month, and there are no contracts or obligations.
Hulu uses the same app for its on-demand and live TV service.
And it’s on pretty much every major streaming device out there — whether you’re a Fire Stick user, a Roku fan or a smart TV owner using Android TV.
You can look over the channel lineup to see what locals and regional sports networks are in your area.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV has about 128 TV channels, including CBSSN, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and NBA TV for $72.99 per month.
YouTube TV only has one way to get CBSSN through its base plan.
The YouTube TV base plan carries other key sports channels for fans such as TNT, SEC Network, ACC Network, FS1, FS2, NFL Network, and MLB Network. YouTube TV carries regional NBC Sports networks across the U.S.
You’ll be able to watch CNN, Golf Channel and FX. Unlimited Cloud DVR is included with a subscription. And you can create up to 6 profiles for a household per account.
The nice thing about YouTube TV is that you can watch CBS Sports Network online at home, or on your smartphone when you are traveling.
The service works with Roku, Amazon Fire TV, NVIDIA Shield TV, Apple TV and Chromecast.
You can get a free 7-day trial, or look over the channel lineup for your area.
How to Watch CBS Sports Network Without Cable FAQs
These are questions readers ask when they search for ways to stream CBS Sports Network live without a TV provider.
Is CBS Sports Network free?
CBS Sports Network is not free. You can sign up for a free trial of DIRECTV STREAM, fubo or YouTube TV to stream CBS Sports Network. Plans, prices and length of free trials vary.
CBS Sports Network should likewise not be confused with CBS Sports HQ, which is a free digital platform that delivers game highlights, sports news, and expert analysis.
CBS Sports Network has always been a cable network. The online platform for CBS Sports is cbssports.com.
CBS, which broadcasts NFL and other pro sports, is available for free as an over-the-air channel. CBS Sports Network was called National College Sports Network when it launched in 2002. It was later College Sports Television also known as CSTV.
Is CBS Sports Network on Paramount Plus?
No. CBS Sports Network is not on Paramount Plus as a live TV channel. But there are some live sports on Paramount Plus from “CBS Sports” that you can also find on CBS Sports Network.
UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League are available on the Paramount Plus Essential plan. The Essential plan costs $5.99 per month.
Paramount Plus with Showtime (previously the Premium plan) carries NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, Bellator MMA and the PGA TOUR. Paramount Plus with Showtime costs $11.99 per month, and includes a live stream of your local CBS station.
Paramount Plus has a free trial for new customers for both plans.
Is CBS Sports Network on Sling TV?
No. Sling TV does not carry CBS Sports Network in its channel lineup. The live streaming service costs $40 per month for a subscription. Sling carries a number of popular sports channels and cable networks such as ESPN, Big Ten Network, MSNBC and Nickelodeon.
Is CBS Sports Network on Amazon Prime?
No. CBS Sports Network is a cable TV and satellite channel that is owned by Paramount Global. The channel is available across cable, satellite TV providers, and live TV streaming services. Paramount Plus has CBS Sports programming, but not the live CBS Sports Network.
What streaming services carry CBS Sports Network?
There are four live TV streaming services that carry CBS Sports Network. DIRECTV STREAM, fubo, Hulu Live TV and YouTube TV all stream CBS Sports Network in their channel lineups. The channel is not available on Sling TV, Philo, frndly or Vidgo.
But for college football fans, you may want to consider a streaming service that also has FOX, ESPN, Big 10 Network, FS1 and ACC Network.
What’s the best way to get CBS Sports Network without cable?
Hulu Live TV is the least expensive option for watching CBS Sports Network at $69.99 per month. Hulu has ESPN, ESPN2, CNN and TNT.
Hulu’s TV service includes ad-supported versions of Disney+ and ESPN+, so you could save money if you are already paying for either or both streaming services.
There is no free trial. Before signing up, Hulu will show you what local channels and regional sports channels are available in your area.
If you aren’t ready to sign up for Hulu, then you can get a free trial of DIRECTV STREAM, fubo or YouTube TV.
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.
Note: This article was published on August 25, 2021, and has been updated to reflect new plans and pricing.
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
