The best ways to stream men’s college basketball in 2026-27
The best ways to stream men’s college basketball in 2026-27
The 2026-27 NCAA men’s basketball season tips off for most teams on Nov. 2, and we’ll explain the best ways to watch all season below.
It was a long, hot summer for men’s college basketball fans, but the wait is finally over. Most teams in college basketball will get into action starting Monday, Nov. 2, and the fun won’t stop until March, when conference tournaments and March Madness will take over fans’ TVs.
As always, most major college athletic conferences are splitting their games between multiple live TV channels, including local broadcast channels and cable networks. The most convenient way to watch all those men’s basketball games without having to switch between different apps endlessly is with a live TV streaming service that carries multiple channels on the same platform.
But which live TV streaming services are best for watching the 2026-27 NCAA Division I men’s basketball season? Which offer the most games, and which offer the best value? We’ll explain everything you need to know to watch the men’s basketball season below.
Everything you need to know about watching the 2026-27 men’s college basketball season
Which TV channels will carry men’s college basketball games?
| Channel | Men’s basketball rights |
|---|---|
| ABC, ESPN, ACC Network, SEC Network | ACC, SEC, Big 12, Big East |
| CBS, CBS Sports Network | Big Ten, Big 12, Mountain West |
| The CW | ACC, Pac-12, Mountain West |
| Fox, FS1 | Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Mountain West |
| NBC, Peacock | Big East, Big Ten |
| TNT, TBS | Big East, Big 12 |
| Big Ten Network | Big Ten |
Which streamers carry the channels needed to watch men’s college basketball in 2026-27?
Since many of the most-watched men’s college basketball teams will air on different networks during the season, viewers will need a service that carries all of those channels at once. Local broadcast channels like ABC, CBS, The CW, Fox, and NBC will be needed, as well as cable sports networks like CBS Sports Network, ESPN, FS1, TNT, TBS, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, and SEC Network.
A Peacock subscription will be needed for viewers who don’t get NBC Sports Network in their channel package. Peacock will carry some exclusive college basketball games from the Big Ten and Big East this season.
So, which live TV services carry all of these channels? Find out at a glance in the chart below, then take a deep dive into each streamer and its specifics.
| DIRECTV | Fubo | Hulu | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Free Trial | Free 3-Day Trial | Save with Sling | Free Trial | |||||
| $20.99 | $9.99 | $28.99 | $19.99 | $29.99 | $45.99 | $45.99 | $64.99 | ||
| ABC | + $24 | + $59 | + $61 | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| ACC Network | + $24 | + $11 | + $61 | - | - | + $11 | - | ✓ | |
| Big Ten Network | + $15 | + $59 | + $61 | - | - | - | + $11 | ✓ | |
| CBS | + $24 | + $59 | + $61 | - | - | - | - | ✓ | |
| CBS Sports Network | + $15 | + $59 | + $61 | - | - | - | - | ✓ | |
| ESPN | + $24 | + $59 | + $61 | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| Fox | + $19 | + $59 | + $61 | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| FS1 | + $24 | + $59 | + $61 | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| NBC | + $19 | + $11 | + $61 | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| SEC Network | + $24 | + $11 | + $61 | - | - | + $11 | - | ✓ | |
| TBS | + $24 | - | + $61 | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| The CW | + $39 | + $59 | + $60 | - | - | - | - | ✓ | |
| TNT | + $24 | - | + $61 | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
What are the best ways to watch men’s college basketball in 2026-27?
DIRECTV
DIRECTV offers multiple ways to watch the 2026-27 men’s college basketball season on top broadcast and cable channels. Viewers will find every needed channel in each of DIRECTV’s Signature channel packages, which range between $90 and $175 per month. Each Signature channel package has at least 90 channels, and starting with the CHOICE package, viewers can receive regional sports networks (RSNs) with their plan, too.
Viewers can also watch each of the needed channels with a DIRECTV MySports Genre Pack subscription, which slims the channel count down to just 20+, excluding news and entertainment channels — though broadcast channels are still included, as is CBS Sports Network. It costs $65 per month normally, but frequently offers deals for new subscribers.
That’s the reason we think so highly of DIRECTV when considering which streamers to use to watch men’s college basketball. It offers so many options to watch, and viewers can decide whether they want to focus on sports with the MySports Genre Pack or get a more inclusive Signature package. You’ll still need Peacock for exclusive games on that service, but with DIRECTV’s flexibility, adding a subscription won’t be a problem.
DIRECTV
DIRECTV is one of The Streamable’s top choices for the best live TV streaming service overall in 2026, especially for users who want the most channels or want to watch the most live sports. With an unbeatable lineup of local, news, sports, and entertainment channels, three main signature packages, an unlimited DVR, and 20 simultaneous streams at home, DIRECTV remains a premier choice for any cord-cutter.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is another excellent choice for watching men’s college basketball games in 2026-27. It only offers one package with news, sports, and entertainment networks all in the same place: its core plan, which costs $83 per month and includes every TV channel that will carry men’s college basketball games this season. It even carries NBC Sports Network, so you won’t need to add Peacock to your account.
Audiences can also find these channels in the YouTube TV Sports Genre Plan, which is $65 per month for 30+ sports channels. Viewers can also bundle YouTube TV’s Sports Genre Plan with other genre plans in the YouTube TV lineup for even more customization, and can use awesome features like YouTube TV’s multiview to watch up to four games at once.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is a live TV streaming service with more than 60 channels for $82.99/month. This plan includes local channels 32 of the top 35 cable channels, and regional sports networks (RSNs) in select markets. The base plan includes more than 100 live channels, including major broadcast networks like ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC, as well as popular cable channels such as ESPN, CNN, FX, USA Network, and TNT. Local channels are included in most markets, making YouTube TV a full replacement for traditional cable for many viewers.
Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV is another good choice to watch the men’s college basketball season, though not quite as good as DIRECTV or YouTube TV. Hulu + Live TV has just one plan — its core package with 90+ channels for $100 per month that also includes access to Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited. Hulu + Live TV includes nearly all the channels listed above, so viewers will be able to watch a ton of men’s college basketball games with a subscription.
Hulu Live TV
Hulu Live TV is a live TV streaming service with more than 70 channels for $89.99 per month. Hulu + Live TV base plan includes local channels 32 of the top 35 cable channels, and regional sports networks (RSNs). Subscribers get free access to Disney+ and ESPN Select at no extra charge.
Fubo
Fubo is definitely an option for watching some men’s college basketball games this season, namely those found on local broadcast channels, ESPN channels, and FS1. But Fubo does not carry TNT or TBS anywhere, which will leave some gaping holes for viewers as they try to watch games throughout the season. Viewers will have to bundle Fubo with an HBO Max ad-free plan starting at $18.49 per month to watch those games. Fubo’s Pro plan starts at $89 per month, and its Fubo Sports genre plan costs $65 per month.
Fubo
Fubo is a live TV streaming service offering a robust lineup of approximately 150 premier channels, with plans starting at $63.99 per month. This entry-level package provides access to local broadcast affiliates 18 of the leading 35 cable channels channels, and valuable regional sports networks (RSNs).
Sling TV
Sling TV carries some major men’s college basketball games in 2026-27, but it’s a far cry from comprehensive. There is no CBS or The CW access on Sling TV, and the streamer splits Fox Sports channels and ESPN channels into different packages. ABC, Fox, and NBC are only found on Sling in select areas, but packages starting at just $20 per month will no doubt attract some fans to this streamer.
Sling TV
Sling TV is The Streamable’s choice for cord-cutters on a budget. Sling is a live TV streaming service with multiple channel packages. The $45.99/month Sling Orange plan offers about 30 channels, including Disney Channel and ESPN. The $45.99/month Sling Blue plan offers about 40 channels, including ABC, Fox, and NBC in major markets.
You can combine Orange+Blue for a total of $60.99 / month. Sling also offers many channel add-on packages starting at $6/month.