Comcast vs. Bally Sports: How Can You Still Watch the Games?

TV Answer Man, we can’t watch the Braves on Comcast because of a stupid blackout!! Do you know what our option are now? — Colleen, Atlanta.

Colleen, Comcast is no longer carrying the Bally Sports regional sports networks (RSNs) because it could not reach a new carriage agreement with the company (Diamond Sports) that owns them. It’s unclear if the two sides will settle their dispute anytime soon but the good news is that you have options to continue watching your hometown favorites. (Diamond Sports, the owner of the Bally Sports RSNs, has the regional broadcast rights to roughly three dozen different pro teams.)

For starters, DIRECTV Stream and Fubo, the two live streaming services, both carry the Bally Sports channels. The cost is not cheap, however. DIRECTV Stream includes RSNs in its Choice plan and above which starts at $108.99 a month. Fubo has the Bally Sports channels in all three of its packages which start at $79.99 a month. But Fubo also has a regional sports fee which can be as high as $14.,99 a month. (DIRECTV Stream does not have a RSN fee.)

Due to the cost, I would recommend getting a free trial from Fubo or DIRECTV Stream so you can test it out before paying. Fubo has a seven-day free trial while DIRECTV Stream has a five-day freebie. You might get lucky and Comcast and Diamond Sports will settle before the free trial expires.

If the streamers don’t work for you, you could put a Virtual Private Network on your Internet WiFi service which disguises your home location. With a VPN, you could then subscribe to MLB TV ($149.99 for the season or $29.99 a month) and watch your hometown team without a blackout. The VPN would signal MLB TV that you live somewhere outside your actual home market. Is this legal? Apparently so. See this article for more on that.

Colleen, hope that helps. Happy viewing and stay safe!

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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.