By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –Follow me on X.
TV Answer Man, I want to watch the Dodgers this season, but I don’t want to get Charter. They are way too expensive. Is there a way to stream the Dodgers channel without cable or satellite? — Mads, Marina Del Rey, California.
Mads, as you probably know, Spectrum SportsNet LA, the TV home of the Los Angeles Dodgers, launched in 2014. Since that first year, I’ve received numerous e-mails from readers in the LA market asking if they could get the channel via streaming.
Spectrum SportsNet LA is now available on Spectrum TV, DIRECTV, Cox, U-verse and Catalina Broadband in the LA market. However, the channel is only available on one streaming service: DIRECTV Stream. And you have to get DIRECTV Stream’s Choice plan or above which starts at $108.99 a month.
That’s not cheap, but at least you can watch SportsNet LA on multiple mobile and Smart TV devices, and you don’t need to sign a two-year contract, as cable and satellite companies often make you do. There are also no cancellation fees, which comes in handy if you just want to sign up for the 2024 baseball season. You could cancel after October and renew your subscription next April, saving you from paying that $108.99 a month during the non-baseball months.
SportsNet LA’s games are also available via streaming on the MLB.TV ‘out-of-market’ package, which costs $149.99 for this season. But, of course, SportsNet LA is in your market, not out, so you couldn’t watch the Dodgers on MLB.TV. The games would be blacked out.
That is, unless you wanted to use a VPN. Click here to learn more about VPNs.
Mads, 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.
I’ve gone full circle. From the Old Spectrum Cable to streaming with YouTube TV, Hulu TV and now Spectrums streaming app. I moved away from YouTube when they dropped Angels baseball and Hulu’s DVR service was a headache. When I learned that Spectrum had a Streaming app I gave it a try. It works surprisingly well with a very capable Cloud DVR. Now the rub. No Dodger or Angel coverage. I presume they have done this to force me back to the old set top box- which isn’t happening! Anyway to get the Angels/Dodgers without going back to the old hardware?
Regards
Knute Jackson