How to Watch Bally Sports Without Cable in 2026

Contains affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure

If you want to watch your local MLB, NBA, or NHL team without a cable subscription, FuboTV and DirecTV Stream are your two viable options. Both carry FanDuel Sports Network — the channel formerly known as Bally Sports — in applicable markets. YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, and Sling TV do not carry it on any plan.

The catch: availability depends entirely on your local market. If your team's regional sports network is part of the FanDuel Sports Network family in your area, you can get it through one of those two services. If you're out of market, league packages are your best bet.

What Happened to Bally Sports?

Diamond Sports Group, the company that operated the Bally Sports regional sports networks (RSNs), rebranded the entire portfolio to FanDuel Sports Network in 2024. The channels themselves didn't change — same local teams, same broadcasts, same regional coverage. Only the name changed.

Diamond Sports Group had been operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection since 2023. The FanDuel Sports Network rebrand was part of a broader restructuring and partnership deal. If you see references to Bally Sports, Bally Sports+, or FanDuel Sports Network online, they're all referring to the same set of regional channels.

The rebrand created a lot of confusion because search results, streaming guides, and even some service provider pages still use "Bally Sports" interchangeably with "FanDuel Sports Network." For practical purposes: if a service carried Bally Sports before the rebrand, it now carries FanDuel Sports Network.

Which Teams Are on FanDuel Sports Network / Bally Sports?

FanDuel Sports Network covers local games for dozens of MLB, NBA, and NHL teams across specific regional markets. Coverage is not national — it's tied to your local television market, meaning you can only watch your team's games if you're in that team's designated market area (DMA).

Some of the major teams covered include:

MLB: St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Guardians, Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Rays, Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, and others depending on regional network.

NBA: Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans, San Antonio Spurs, Sacramento Kings, Utah Jazz, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons, and others.

NHL: St. Louis Blues, Nashville Predators, Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Minnesota Wild, Detroit Red Wings, Anaheim Ducks, and others.

To confirm your team is covered: check the FanDuel Sports Network website and enter your zip code. The in-market rule is strict — a VPN will not reliably unlock these streams, and most services actively check your location.

Which Streaming Services Carry FanDuel Sports Network (Bally Sports)?

Here's the current state of every major live TV streaming service and whether it carries FanDuel Sports Network channels:

FuboTV — Best Streaming Option for FanDuel Sports Network

FuboTV is the strongest overall option for cord-cutters who want FanDuel Sports Network. Starting at $79.99 per month, the Pro plan includes FanDuel Sports Network in applicable markets, plus a deep bench of national sports channels — ESPN, FS1, FS2, BTN, NFL Network, and more.

FuboTV was purpose-built for sports fans. It carries local ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox affiliates in most markets for the network sports coverage (Monday Night Football, Sunday Night Baseball, etc.), and it integrates FanDuel Sports Network for the regional layer. The result is the most complete sports streaming package available without cable.

The DVR is unlimited (1,000 hours of cloud storage), you can stream on up to 10 screens simultaneously on the Pro plan, and the interface is clean across Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android, iOS, and smart TVs. A 7-day free trial lets you verify your market has FanDuel Sports Network before committing.

DirecTV Stream — Full Cable Replacement with FanDuel Sports Network

DirecTV Stream's Choice plan ($99.99/mo) carries FanDuel Sports Network in applicable markets and is positioned as a direct cable replacement — not a sports-focused service. If your household watches a mix of sports, news, and entertainment and you want the closest thing to traditional cable without a dish or contract, DirecTV Stream is a reasonable fit.

The Choice tier includes over 90 channels: ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, TNT, TBS, CNN, MSNBC, HGTV, Food Network, and more. Local channels are available in most markets. Unlimited cloud DVR is included on all plans.

The downsides: it's the most expensive option on this list at $99.99/mo, and the streaming interface is less polished than FuboTV or YouTube TV. If your primary goal is watching your local team, FuboTV delivers a better sports experience at a lower price. DirecTV Stream makes more sense if you need a wide general entertainment channel lineup alongside the regional sports.

The FanDuel Sports Network App — Direct Streaming Option

FanDuel Sports Network launched a direct-to-consumer (DTC) streaming app in 2024, priced at approximately $19.99 to $22.99 per month depending on market. This is the standalone option — you subscribe directly through the FanDuel Sports Network app and get your local RSN without a broader live TV bundle.

The DTC app is available in select markets only. Not every FanDuel Sports Network region has the app option yet, and pricing varies by market. If you only need one channel — your local team's RSN — and you don't want to pay $80 or $100 per month for a full live TV package, this is worth checking first.

To check availability: visit the FanDuel Sports Network website, enter your zip code, and see if the app subscription option is available in your area. The app is available on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, iOS, and Android.

The trade-off is that you lose access to all other live TV channels. If your household watches more than just regional sports, a FuboTV subscription gives you significantly more value at a higher price point.

Services That Don't Carry FanDuel Sports Network: YouTube TV, Hulu, and Sling

Three of the most popular live TV streaming services — YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, and Sling TV — do not carry FanDuel Sports Network on any plan. This is one of the most common sources of frustration for cord-cutters trying to watch local sports.

YouTube TV ($72.99/mo) is an excellent service for national sports and local broadcast channels, but it has never carried Bally Sports or FanDuel Sports Network. Google and Diamond Sports Group never reached a carriage deal, and that remains the case after the FanDuel Sports Network rebrand. There is no workaround — YouTube TV simply doesn't have it.

Hulu + Live TV ($82.99/mo) is in the same position. Despite the higher price point relative to YouTube TV, FanDuel Sports Network / Bally Sports is not part of the channel lineup on any Hulu plan. If your household subscribes to Hulu + Live TV for other reasons, you'll need a separate subscription (FanDuel Sports Network app or FuboTV add-on) to get your local RSN.

Sling TV dropped the Bally Sports channels years before the FanDuel Sports Network rebrand during a carriage dispute, and it has not reinstated them. Sling's budget pricing is appealing, but it is not a viable option for regional sports coverage.

Out-of-Market Fans: Use League Packages

If you live outside your team's home market, the in-market rule works against you in a different way: FuboTV and DirecTV Stream won't give you access to games from another team's market, even if you subscribe. For out-of-market fans, official league streaming packages are the right solution.

MLB.TV gives you out-of-market regular season games for every MLB team. The blackout rules apply for national broadcasts (ESPN, Fox, FS1, TBS), but if your team is playing a standard regional game in their home market and you're outside that market, MLB.TV will carry it. Pricing is around $149.99/season for the full package, with single-team options available at a lower price.

NBA League Pass is the equivalent for basketball — out-of-market regular season games for all 30 teams, with similar blackout restrictions for nationally televised games. Pricing varies by tier (single team vs. all teams) and is typically around $99.99–$199.99/season.

NHL Power Play (via ESPN+) provides out-of-market NHL game access as part of the ESPN+ subscription bundle. It's the most straightforward of the three for cord-cutters who already subscribe to Disney+/Hulu/ESPN+ bundles.

Note: league packages have their own blackout restrictions that are separate from the in-market/out-of-market distinction. Always check the specific blackout rules for your team before subscribing.

Best Option by Fan Type

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bally Sports on YouTube TV?

No. YouTube TV does not carry Bally Sports or FanDuel Sports Network on any plan. There has never been a carriage agreement between YouTube TV (Google) and Diamond Sports Group. If you need FanDuel Sports Network, you'll need FuboTV, DirecTV Stream, or the FanDuel Sports Network standalone app.

Is Bally Sports now called FanDuel Sports Network?

Yes. Diamond Sports Group rebranded the Bally Sports regional sports network channels to FanDuel Sports Network in 2024. The rebrand was part of Diamond's bankruptcy restructuring and a partnership with FanDuel. The channels, teams covered, and regional market rules are the same — only the name changed.

Is Bally Sports on Sling TV?

No. Sling TV dropped Bally Sports years ago during a carriage dispute, well before the FanDuel Sports Network rebrand. Sling TV does not carry FanDuel Sports Network on any plan.

Is Bally Sports on Hulu + Live TV?

No. Hulu + Live TV does not carry FanDuel Sports Network or Bally Sports on any plan. Despite being one of the pricier live TV streaming services, this is a notable gap in Hulu's sports coverage for fans of local MLB, NBA, and NHL teams.

Which teams are affected by the Bally Sports / FanDuel Sports Network rebrand?

The rebrand affects most teams that had their local games carried on Bally Sports regional networks. This includes teams across MLB, NBA, and NHL — including the Cardinals, Blues, Guardians, Twins, Padres, Rays, Heat, Grizzlies, Lightning, Panthers, Wild, and many others. The full team list is available on the FanDuel Sports Network website by market.

Can I use a VPN to watch FanDuel Sports Network outside my market?

Not reliably. Streaming services and the FanDuel Sports Network app use location verification that goes beyond simple IP checking. VPN usage violates the terms of service of most streaming platforms, and the services actively detect and block VPN connections. For out-of-market viewing, league packages (MLB.TV, NBA League Pass, NHL Power Play) are the legitimate solution.

<StickyMobileCTABar affiliateKey="fubotv" label="Try FuboTV Free for 7 Days" subtext="Best way to watch FanDuel Sports Network (formerly Bally Sports) without cable" />