Can I still get ESPN3 if I cut cable?

[IamHeisenberg]

Crazy question. If I drop Comcast cable but still keep Comcast Hi Speed Internet could I still access ESPN3?

I look at cable and ask myself why bother. You can get HBO go now. Netfliz, Amazon, and Hula.

The only down side is the sports part of it.

But so many games are on ESPN3 I wondered if you could still access that with just internet. I ask because every time I watch something on ESPN3 it asks who is my cable provider.

 

[Jeffburgh]

Good questions ... We are DONE with expanded cable when our contract is up, but I might keep basic for Steelers games.

But, this might help make the decision.

 

[Zaratoughda]

Yeah, this is a question I have asked myself a number of times... and investigated as best I could.

Right now I get Verizon Internet and ESPN3 is offered so.. no problem right now.

But, if I went back to my local Internet provider.... ESPN3 would be gone and I thus would lose, like the first two football games of the season, various basketball games, etc.... and I don't see any way of getting around the fact that just SOME Internet providers offer ESPN3.

ROKU offers WatchESPN... so that is a possibility conceptually but.. I doubt it will pan out.

Here's the link to the Wikipedia article on ESPN3. Yeah, better to go there for info on ESPN3 than to attempt to get such info from ESPN3 itself.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ESPN3

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Crazy question. If I drop Comcast cable but still keep Comcast Hi Speed Internet could I still access ESPN3?

I look at cable and ask myself why bother. You can get HBO go now. Netfliz, Amazon, and Hula.

The only down side is the sports part of it.

But so many games are on ESPN3 I wondered if you could still access that with just internet. I ask because every time I watch something on ESPN3 it asks who is my cable provider.

No. That would be quite stupid of Comcast, wouldn't it? This where they get you and why people still need cable.

Sports fans are going to be the last to leave cable for these reasons. Believe me, if I could pay a la carte and get the ESPNs, FS1, Root (for ACC games), and at least one news channel, I'd go to because although we watch certain TV series, I dont have to watch them live or the day after. I can wait till they make it to Netflix or Hulu or whatever.

Oh by the way, Comcast is charging $1 per month now for Root Sports. You dont have a choice or anything as there is no getting rid of Root Sports but its just an extra $1 on your bill now.

I know the watchESPN app is offered through Amazon's new device but you need an ISP that allows it which Comcast would not.

One option could be Sling TV. Its only $20 and offers ESPN and ESPN2 as well as a few other channels but it doesnt come with the watchESPN app and since this is Dish Network product, I'd guess you'd have to use one of their affiliated internet providers.

 

[Jpripper88]

Crazy question. If I drop Comcast cable but still keep Comcast Hi Speed Internet could I still access ESPN3?

I look at cable and ask myself why bother. You can get HBO go now. Netfliz, Amazon, and Hula.

The only down side is the sports part of it.

But so many games are on ESPN3 I wondered if you could still access that with just internet. I ask because every time I watch something on ESPN3 it asks who is my cable provider.

Look into Sling TV. For $20 a month you can get ESPN, ESPN2, AMC, Food Network, A&E, History, TNT, HGTV, IFC, Disney, Polaris, TBS, Travel, adult swin, CNN, Bloomberg, History 2, Cartoon Network, ABC Family, and Lifetime. Plus, you can get ESPN3 through the WatchESPN app and add a sports extra package for another $5 a month, which delivers Universal Sports, BEIN sport, ESPNU, ESPNNews, ESPN Bases Loaded, ESPN Buzzer Beater, ESPN Goal Line, and SECN.

Also, they have promotions to get 50% off Roku 3s or a free Roku stick when you buy 3 months. Amazon has run the same discounts offers with their Fire TV and FireTV stick.

https://www.sling.com/package

 

[Jpripper88]

No. That would be quite stupid of Comcast, wouldn't it? This where they get you and why people still need cable.

Sports fans are going to be the last to leave cable for these reasons. Believe me, if I could pay a la carte and get the ESPNs, FS1, Root (for ACC games), and at least one news channel, I'd go to because although we watch certain TV series, I dont have to watch them live or the day after. I can wait till they make it to Netflix or Hulu or whatever.

Oh by the way, Comcast is charging $1 per month now for Root Sports. You dont have a choice or anything as there is no getting rid of Root Sports but its just an extra $1 on your bill now.

I know the watchESPN app is offered through Amazon's new device but you need an ISP that allows it which Comcast would not.

One option could be Sling TV. Its only $20 and offers ESPN and ESPN2 as well as a few other channels but it doesnt come with the watchESPN app and since this is Dish Network product, I'd guess you'd have to use one of their affiliated internet providers.

You get the watchESPN through Sling now.

http://blog.sling.com/announcements/watch-espn3-with-sling-tv/?cvosrc=social.fb.espn3

 

[IamHeisenberg]

Look into Sling TV. For $20 a month you can get ESPN, ESPN2, AMC, Food Network, A&E, History, TNT, HGTV, IFC, Disney, Polaris, TBS, Travel, adult swin, CNN, Bloomberg, History 2, Cartoon Network, ABC Family, and Lifetime. Plus, you can get ESPN3 through the WatchESPN app and add a sports extra package for another $5 a month, which delivers Universal Sports, BEIN sport, ESPNU, ESPNNews, ESPN Bases Loaded, ESPN Buzzer Beater, ESPN Goal Line, and SECN.

Also, they have promotions to get 50% off Roku 3s or a free Roku stick when you buy 3 months. Amazon has run the same discounts offers with their Fire TV and FireTV stick.

https://www.sling.com/package

Thanks JRipper. That seems like a reasonable alternative.

 

[wbrpanther]

Crazy question. If I drop Comcast cable but still keep Comcast Hi Speed Internet could I still access ESPN3?

I look at cable and ask myself why bother. You can get HBO go now. Netfliz, Amazon, and Hula.

The only down side is the sports part of it.

But so many games are on ESPN3 I wondered if you could still access that with just internet. I ask because every time I watch something on ESPN3 it asks who is my cable provider.

Why don't you call Comcast and put the question to them? I would imagine you would still get ESPN3 but not sure.

 

[The Loaded Italian]

If you know anyone that has cable you can use their passcode to get espn on roku or playstation or one of those as well.

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

Crazy question. If I drop Comcast cable but still keep Comcast Hi Speed Internet could I still access ESPN3?

I look at cable and ask myself why bother. You can get HBO go now. Netfliz, Amazon, and Hula.

The only down side is the sports part of it.

But so many games are on ESPN3 I wondered if you could still access that with just internet. I ask because every time I watch something on ESPN3 it asks who is my cable provider.

Depends on your internet provider.
For instance- I have TimeWarner internet- but not cable- so I can't get ESPN3 channels without having a TV service.

so, check with your ISP first...because it depends.

 

[Harve74]

Yeah, this is a question I have asked myself a number of times... and investigated as best I could.

Right now I get Verizon Internet and ESPN3 is offered so.. no problem right now.

But, if I went back to my local Internet provider.... ESPN3 would be gone and I thus would lose, like the first two football games of the season, various basketball games, etc.... and I don't see any way of getting around the fact that just SOME Internet providers offer ESPN3.

ROKU offers WatchESPN... so that is a possibility conceptually but.. I doubt it will pan out.

Here's the link to the Wikipedia article on ESPN3. Yeah, better to go there for info on ESPN3 than to attempt to get such info from ESPN3 itself.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ESPN3

Unless things have changed with Roku, having WatchESPN is not enough to get ESPN3. You have to have provider and code to get it. DirecTV now offers ESPN3 and I get ESPN3 thru ROKU that way, but my ISP doesn't.

 

[Zaratoughda]

Unless things have changed with Roku, having WatchESPN is not enough to get ESPN3. You have to have provider and code to get it. DirecTV now offers ESPN3 and I get ESPN3 thru ROKU that way, but my ISP doesn't.

Yeah, I was figuring along those lines. In accessing WatchESPN I had to put in a code or something and I did and it worked. I have DirecTV but I believe it was the Version Internet code I put in. Apparently either will work.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Unless things have changed with Roku, having WatchESPN is not enough to get ESPN3. You have to have provider and code to get it. DirecTV now offers ESPN3 and I get ESPN3 thru ROKU that way, but my ISP doesn't.

This is correct. Having Roku or any other device for that matter doesn't do anything for you unless your ISP allows you to access their apps. Comcast won't let you access watchESPN unless you have cable through them. I cant speak for other ISP's but I'd imagine most cable ISP's are similar.

My question on SlingTV is:

What internet do you use with it? Is it Dish Network's Internet? Is Dish an ISP also? If I pay $25/month and get those 20 Sling channels plus the sports stations, how much would I have to pay for internet?

The other thing I dont like about dumping cable though is I have invested a lot in my "man cave" TV/surround system area and you just can't get the same picture or sound quality with streaming content. The good news is that Millenials don't care about HD or Surround Sound as they stream everything but I do.

 

[Zaratoughda]

This is correct. Having Roku or any other device for that matter doesn't do anything for you unless your ISP allows you to access their apps. Comcast won't let you access watchESPN unless you have cable through them. I cant speak for other ISP's but I'd imagine most cable ISP's are similar.

My question on SlingTV is:

What internet do you use with it? Is it Dish Network's Internet? Is Dish an ISP also? If I pay $25/month and get those 20 Sling channels plus the sports stations, how much would I have to pay for internet?

The other thing I dont like about dumping cable though is I have invested a lot in my "man cave" TV/surround system area and you just can't get the same picture or sound quality with streaming content. The good news is that Millenials don't care about HD or Surround Sound as they stream everything but I do.

Correct me if I am wrong (or not)... but I believe the ROKU connects through your wireless connection and your modem/router. You have to put in your password but if you have Comcast and you get ESPN3 through your ISP, you can get the password from your ISP and get WatchESPN with that.

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

Correct me if I am wrong (or not)... but I believe the ROKU connects through your wireless connection and your modem/router. You have to put in your password but if you have Comcast and you get ESPN3 through your ISP, you can get the password from your ISP and get WatchESPN with that.

Like I said above...it entirely depends on your ISP.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

How does Sling TV get around the fact that Comcast internet doesnt offer the watchESPN app unless you have cable through them?

 

[LeftCoastPanther]

I cut cable in 2014 and was able to get Pitt football and basketball games on espn3. My provider is AT&T. The only games I couldn't watch were the ones that were actually on ESPN, like Iowa in football or Duke since that was on another ESPN channel.