Basketball's Return: Tv Comeback

is basketball back on tv

Basketball fans can rejoice as the sport is well and truly back on TV! Whether you're a fan of the NBA, NCAA, or the FIBA World Cup, there are plenty of ways to watch basketball on TV and streaming platforms. The 2025-26 NBA season will be televised nationally in the US, as well as on multiple local channels and regional sports networks, with games also available on streaming services like Peacock and Amazon Prime Video. College basketball is also back on TV, with the Men's and Women's Division I College Basketball Tournament taking place in March 2025. With so many options to choose from, basketball fans can easily catch all the action and keep up with their favorite teams.

Characteristics Values
Channels ESPN, Fox, Paramount, Peacock, DAZN, TNT, TBS, TruTV, CBS, NBC, Amazon Prime Video
Platforms DISH, DIRECTV, livesportsontv.com
Leagues NBA, NCAA, WNBA
Tournaments March Madness, FIFA Club World Cup

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Where to watch the NBA on TV

Watching the NBA on TV is easy, with a variety of options available. The NBA League Pass allows subscribers to watch live games anytime, anywhere. You can download the NBA app to stream on iOS, VisionOS, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Roku, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV and Fire Stick, Hisense, Comcast, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Peloton. The NBA League Pass also offers subscribers the option to stream online on their desktop.

However, it is important to note that nationally broadcast games are not available to watch live on the NBA League Pass and will be available to watch 3 hours after the game. Similarly, locally televised games in your area are not available to watch live and will be available 3 days after the game.

For the 2024-25 season, games on ESPN require a linear TV provider, while games on TNT stream on Max, and games on ABC can be viewed for free with an antenna. Additionally, YouTube TV will get you everything, and Sling Blue Plus Orange offers TNT, ESPN, and NBA TV with their sports package.

Next season, subscriptions to Amazon, Peacock, and ESPN will provide access to all national NBA games.

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NCAA basketball on TV

NCAA basketball games are broadcast on TV and streaming platforms. The 2024-25 men's college basketball season was aired on ESPN networks, Fox, CBS, BTN, and FloSports, with games added to the schedule as the season progressed. NBC's streaming service Peacock provided coverage of Big East and Big Ten games, while FloSports streamed a variety of games throughout the season. Paramount+ simulcast all CBS games, and Max simulcast games aired on TNT, TBS, or truTV.

For the 2025-26 season, DIRECTV offered a guide to watching men's and women's NCAA college basketball on TV during March Madness. The Men's Division I College Basketball National Championship game for the 2024-25 season took place on April 7, 2025, with the Florida Gators defeating the Houston Cougars 65-63. The 2025-26 Men's College Basketball season is set to start on November 3, 2025. The Women's Division I College Basketball National Champions for 2024-25 were the UConn Huskies, and their 2025-26 season will commence on November 11, 2025.

Streaming services such as Sling offer ESPN networks and FS1 channels for a monthly fee, providing access to college basketball games. Livesportsontv.com provides a comprehensive schedule of upcoming basketball games, including tip-off times, dates, and information on where to watch live. This includes games from the NBA, NCAA College Basketball, and the FIBA World Cup.

With various TV networks and streaming platforms offering coverage of NCAA basketball, fans can stay up-to-date and catch all the exciting moments of their favourite teams' journeys throughout the season.

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Streaming services for basketball

There are a variety of streaming services available for basketball fans to watch live games and on-demand content. Some of the most popular services are outlined below.

Hulu

Hulu + Live TV offers access to live sports, news, and TV channels, including NBA games. The service includes access to ABC, ESPN, TNT, and regional sports networks from NBCSN and Fox in many cities. Hulu also offers unlimited DVR storage at no additional cost, allowing users to record games to watch later. The Hulu + Live TV plan with ads is priced at $82.99/month and includes a 3-day free trial.

YouTube TV

YouTube TV is another streaming service that offers a great selection of TV networks for basketball fans. The lineup includes ABC, ESPN, NBA TV, TNT, and NBC Sports RSNs, among other sports channels. One standout feature of YouTube TV is its unlimited cloud DVR storage, allowing recordings to be kept for up to nine months, as well as support for up to six user accounts. The service also offers a 4K Plus add-on for streaming select live channels in 4K resolution.

Sling TV

Sling TV is a streaming service that offers a customizable sports package, allowing users to select the channels they want to include in their subscription. The service includes 50 hours of DVR storage, with the option to increase to 200 hours for an extra $5 per month. Sling TV is available on mobile phones, streaming devices, Xbox consoles, and the web. It is also one of the most affordable options for streaming NBA playoff games.

DirecTV

DirecTV's entry-level Entertainment tier includes several basketball channels such as ABC, ESPN, and TNT. However, for access to NBA TV and RSNs, users must upgrade to the Choice plan, which includes additional sports channels. DirecTV also offers a cheaper MySports package for those who only want sports channels.

NBA League Pass

NBA League Pass is a streaming service that provides access to out-of-market live games, with no cable or additional apps required. It offers subscribers a choice of home and away broadcasts and a Mobile View stream optimized for phones. The service also includes full-game archives dating back to the 2012-2013 season. NBA League Pass is available as an add-on through Amazon Prime Video, with a free seven-day trial offered.

In addition to these services, there are also dedicated streaming services for high school sports and college basketball, such as NFHSNetwork.

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TV schedule for basketball games

The NBA and college basketball games are back on TV. Here is a TV schedule for watching basketball games:

NBA Games

To watch NBA games on TV, you will need a cable, satellite, or streaming service subscription that includes channels like ESPN, ABC, TNT, and NBA TV. The streaming providers that offer these channels include DIRECTV STREAM, Sling (with an add-on for NBA TV), YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, and Fubo. Fubo subscribers who want to watch TNT games can subscribe to the Max streaming service or the Bleacher Report add-on. Alternatively, you can watch TNT games for free through TNT Overtime on the NBA app, but these streams may not include announcers or traditional camera angles.

NBA League Pass is another option, which can be purchased through the NBA or streaming providers like Fubo, DIRECTV STREAM, Sling, YouTube TV, and Amazon Prime Video. With NBA League Pass, you can watch games on local networks and RSNs, but you may need to reside in the market where the team is located. NBC Sports RSNs are also available on YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV, and some teams broadcast their games via local over-the-air affiliates.

College Basketball Games

For the 2024-25 men's college basketball season, you can tune into ESPN networks, Fox, CBS, BTN, FloSports, and more. NBC's streaming service Peacock offers Big East coverage and Big Ten games for $5.99/month. FloSports streams numerous games for $30/month, while Paramount+ simulcasts all CBS games for $5.99/month. Max simulcasts games that air on TNT, TBS, or truTV for $9.99/month.

Additional direct-to-subscriber options include Big Ten Plus at $14.99/month. Many schools also stream their games for free on their athletics websites. Games on linear cable (ESPN, FS1) and broadcast TV (ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW) can be streamed through cable bundle services like Sling, which offers ESPN networks on Sling Orange and FS1 on Sling Blue for $40/month each or $55/month combined.

You can find specific game schedules and streaming options on websites dedicated to sports media and live sports TV guides. These sources will provide up-to-date information on broadcast channels, dates, and times for both NBA and college basketball games.

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Channels airing basketball

Basketball fans can rejoice as the sport is well-covered on TV, with several channels airing games from the NBA, WNBA, G-League, and college basketball leagues.

NBA on TV

National Basketball Association (NBA) games are televised nationally in the United States on channels like ABC, NBC, ESPN, and TNT. The 2025-26 season sees the first year of 11-year agreements with these channels, as well as streaming services Peacock and Amazon Prime Video. ESPN shows doubleheaders on Wednesdays, while Amazon Prime Video streams games on Friday nights. Peacock streams games on Mondays, and NBC airs two regionalized games on Tuesdays. ABC shows games on Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons in the second half of the season, while Prime Video streams Thursday night games.

College Basketball on TV

College basketball games can be watched on multiple streaming platforms and cable channels. NBC's streaming service Peacock provides Big East coverage, while FloSports streams games throughout the season. Paramount+ simulcasts all games on CBS, and Max simulcasts games on TNT, TBS, or TruTV. ESPN, FS1, ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, and The CW are among the channels that broadcast linear cable and broadcast television.

Other Channels

Other channels that air basketball games include Fox, CBS, TNT Sports, Amazon, Apple, and the Golf Channel. The NBA League Pass is also available for purchase through the NBA or streaming services like Fubo, DIRECTV STREAM, Sling, and YouTube TV.

WNBA and G-League

WNBA and G-League games are also televised, with specific channels and streaming services depending on the region and team.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, basketball is back on TV. You can watch the NBA and NCAA basketball games on DISH.

The NBA is televised nationally in the United States on ABC, NBC, ESPN, Peacock, and Amazon Prime Video.

You can watch the NCAA on DIRECTV.

The 2025-26 NBA season starts in November 2025.

I cannot find information on when the NBA is on TV in the UK.

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