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AP Photo/Jessica Hill
College basketball is officially back, and both the men's and women's regular seasons are underway. Games are spread across several networks and streaming services, but we've scoured them all so you don't have to. Keep reading to learn where to watch college basketball, including which live streaming services will allow you to watch the most games.
A little more than six months after the thrilling March Madness tournaments, which culminated in UConn winning the men's national championship and South Carolina winning the women's national championship, college basketball returns. Among the many highly-anticipated narratives this year is that of Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd, and the rest of the UConn women's team, who were bounced by Iowa in the Final Four last year.
While UConn's men's team started out the season hoping to threepeat their national championship status, they've hit a bit of a rough patch without Donovan Clingan, who departed for the NBA after last season and is now playing for the Portland Trail Blazers. On the men's side, Tennessee has led a stellar season so far, in addition to solid performances from Auburn, Iowa State, and Kentucky.
Below, we've put together everything you need to know about watching college basketball in the 2024-2025 season. All four cord-cutting cable-replacement services we recommend made our roundup of the best sports streaming services.
Men's and women's regular season games are spread across several networks and streaming services. The bulk of the regular season games will be available on ESPN Plus, the SEC Network, or the ACC Network. Select games will be shown on traditional TV networks like ESPN2.
ESPN, ESPN3, ESPNU, CBS, CBS Sports Network, NBC, FS1, FS2, FOX, TNT, Big Ten Network, and ABC will also get in on the action at various points this season, among other networks. Additionally, some games will stream on Peacock. Games will occasionally air on other networks, but the ones we've highlighted above will feature the bulk of the broadcasts.
The wide variety of channels and networks means that cord-cutting fans of college basketball looking to watch most men's and women's games will find the most success by combining an ESPN Plus subscription with a live TV package, like Sling TV, DirecTV Stream, or Hulu + Live TV (the latter of which includes ESPN Plus).
ESPN Plus is one of the more affordable sports streaming services out there. Subscriptions start at $12/month or $120/year. Through December 2, you can lock in an annual plan for just $100. The streaming service doesn't have every college basketball game, but it live streams the most men's and women's games out of any service or channel, including coverage that is exclusive to ESPN Plus. Our ESPN Plus guide has more information.
When it comes to watching non-ESPN Plus games, live streaming services like Sling TV, DirecTV Stream, and Hulu + Live TV have most of the relevant channels, although you'll need to subscribe to higher-tier plans or add-ons in most cases to access some niche channels, like the SEC and ACC Networks.
Sling TV is one of the cheaper live TV streaming packages out there. Subscriptions start at $40/month for the base tiers. Both Sling Blue and Sling Orange carry TNT. Sling Orange offers ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN3, while Sling Blue carries local channels (like ABC, NBC, and FOX) in select regions. Sling Blue also offers FS1. You can combine the two plans for $55/month and get add-ons like the Sling Orange Sports Extra (for $11/month) to access the SEC Network, ACC Network, and ESPNU, among other channels.
With the exception of ESPN Plus and regional games, DirecTV Stream will allow you to watch almost every college basketball game this season with the help of add-on packages and several subscription tiers. The streaming service has similar offerings to cable without the long-term contracts. Plans start at $87/month for the base Entertainment package, but college sports fans will want to get the Sports Pack, which includes the SEC Network, ACC Network, ESPNU, and tons of other sports channels. This costs an extra $15/month (making it about $102/month in total), but DirecTV Stream will knock $15/month off your first two months of service if you sign up for the package right now. All DirecTV Stream plans include a five-day free trial.
Hulu + Live TV is another popular live TV streaming package that includes ESPN Plus, Disney Plus, and on-demand Hulu in addition to its lineup of live channels. Subscriptions start at $83/month, but new customers can try out the service free for three days. In addition to the standard channels found in most live streaming cable alternatives, Hulu + Live TV also offers SEC Network and ACC Network options.
Select games, particularly men's college basketball, will air on Peacock. These will not be simulcast on NBC, so you'll need to get the app in order to watch. Subscriptions start at $8/month, but you can upgrade for $14/month to access NBC live streams (which will allow you to watch the NBC broadcast games) and ad-free on-demand content.
College basketball fans traveling outside of the US might have a hard time finding watch options while abroad. Fortunately, they can keep up with most of their usual streaming services with the help of a VPN (virtual private network). VPNs let people alter the virtual location on their electronic devices, meaning that they can access their go-to apps and websites from anywhere. They're also strong ways to boost online security and protect privacy on the internet, even if they're just being used at home.
Not sure where to start when it comes to VPNs? ExpressVPN is our go-to recommendation. It's easy to use, has lots of cybersecurity perks, and offers a hassle-free 30-day money-back guarantee if you find that it's not helping you out. Check out our ExpressVPN review for additional information, and keep reading to learn how to use a VPN.
Note: Using VPNs is illegal in certain countries, and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.
