Is Fubo a Good Choice For Sports Fans? Streamer’s Lineup Has Some Big Holes
TV Answer Man, Fubo says it’s a sports-first service. What is your evaluation of Fubo for sports fans? Good deal? – Gene, Pittsburgh.
Gene, I like Fubo as a company. It started as a true underdog fighting against larger companies which compete in the live streaming category. But Disney last year purchased 70 percent of Fubo, allowing it to join forces with Hulu Live. With Disney, which owns the ESPN empire, you might think Fubo would be the best sports streaming service around.
But it’s not.
Let’s take a closer look at Fubo as a ‘sports-first’ live streaming service:
Fubo’s Strengths For Sports Fans
Fubo, which offers base plans starting at $73.99 a month, is built for sports fans, with ESPN, FS1, and more than 30 regional sports networks/team channels that carry your home team’s NBA, MLB, or NHL games. The streamer now even carries Spectrum SportsNet LA, the regional TV home for the Los Angeles Dodgers. (DIRECTV streaming is the only other live streamer that does.) Add multiview on Apple TV and select Roku devices which enables you to watch four games at once, and it’s pure magic during football season. Soccer lovers get international coverage like no one else, plus unlimited DVR so you never miss a replay.
Fubo’s Weaknesses For Sports Fans
Fubo is taking a beating from carriage fights which have left the streamer without NBC, TNT or TBS. That means you can’t watch the NBA playoffs, Sunday Night Baseball games and a host of other high-profile sporting events. In February, Fubo subscribers couldn’t watch the Super Bowl or Winter Olympics on NBC! Another Fubo issue: High regional sports fees which can be as much as $16.99 a month. (Fubo also has a $56 a month Sports genre plan, but without NBC and the Turner Sports channels, it requires no further discussion.)
Fubo’s Bottom Line For Sports Fans
If local team sports is important to you, Fubo could be a good choice although DIRECTV has as many regional sports channels – and NBC, TBS and TNT. But if you want to watch the complete lineup of top sports action, you need to skip it until the company can negotiate new carriage deals with NBC and Turner Sports.
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Fubo’s lack of NBC is clearly bad, no argument, but that will be fixed by football season IMO. No TNT/TBS is not as critical for me (that’ll like come back too by fall). What’s important for me as a sports fan is having local team coverage. I am huge NHL fan and MLB second, so Fubo works for me because it has my local teams. DirectTV is obv a better choice overall, but the price increase does not justify getting it. I can get Peacock in addition and still be cheaper then them. Youtube TV is not good for local sports fans (unless your in NBC RSN area). It caters to football and national coverage of sports; good for more casual sports fans.
I think you’ll see a totally different Fubo by Sept and it will be very competitive and a leader for serious sports fans. Revisit this in the fall.