By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –Follow on Facebook & X.
Former editor of 4 TV magazines.
TV Answer Man, I saw a college football game in 4K last weekend at a friend’s house. Very impressive. Do you know which of the live streamers have sports in 4K? I want to sign up! — Marshall, Amarillo, Texas.
Marshall, Fox and Peacock both stream college football and basketball games in 4K. (Fox also does other sports in 4K, including NASCAR and NFL playoff games.) You can watch the Fox 4K streams on the Fox Sports app if you have a pay TV subscription that includes Fox. (Several cable and satellite providers, including Dish, DIRECTV and Comcast, also show Fox in 4K on special 4K channels.)
Peacock requires a subscription with plans starting at $5.99 a month. (The streamer is now running a Black Friday promotion.)
But which multi-channel, live streaming services offer sports in 4K, you ask?
YouTube TV does. The streamer has a base plan starting at $72.99 a month (Current promotion has it at $50.99 a month for the first three months for new customers) and the 4K add-on package is $9.99 a month. YouTube TV’s 4K lineup includes live sports from Fox, ESPN and NBC.
Fubo has a base plan starting at $74.99 a month, but 4K programming is only available in the $84.99 a month plan and above. However, there is no additional fee to watch 4K on Fubo. The service offers live sports in 4K from Fox and NBC, but not ESPN. (Note: Fubo is now running a promotion where you can get $20 off each of the first two months of service.)
DIRECTV Stream has three channels devoted to 4K with two for live sports. The 4K lineup includes ESPN, NBC and Fox as well as regional 4K broadcasts in Los Angeles (Lakers, Dodgers) and Boston (Red Sox, Bruins). The streamer’s base price is $79.99 a month but it’s also running a promotion now. Click here for more details.
The two other major live, multi-channel streamers, Sling TV and Hulu Live, do not offer live sports in 4K.
Marshall, hope that helps. Happy viewing and stay safe!
Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvanswerman.com Please include your first name and hometown in your message.
The TV Answer Man is veteran journalist Phillip Swann who has covered the TV technology scene for more than three decades. He will report on the latest news and answer your questions regarding new devices and services that are changing the way you watch television. See the bio for Phillip Swann here.
