GUIDE: Where to Watch the NBA 24/25 Season on TV & Streaming
*This guide has been updated for the 2024/25 NBA season
Fall is such a great time of year for sports fanatics. The NFL is rolling, and, now that October is here, we get to look forward to another great season of NBA action as well. There are so many intriguing storylines to watch out for in the upcoming 2024-25 season, and making sure that you know what channels it is being shown on is key. That’s where we come into it.
From the first tip-off, to the All-Star Break and eventual NBA Finals, Livesportsontv.com is your destination for up-to-date NBA broadcast information. In this article, we are going to preview the upcoming season, giving you the lowdown on what to look out for, and, most importantly, what channels you need to enjoy it all.
Table of Contents:
- Overview of Viewing Options
- Regional Blackouts and RSN
- Comparison of Services
- Editor's Choice
- Watch NBA for Free
- Season Schedule and Important Dates
Overview of Viewing Options
To tune into some, or all, of the 2023-24 NBA season, you will need access to the following channels:
Regional Blackouts and Workarounds
Fans who follow the NBA closely, are well acquainted with the annoyance of regional blackouts. These restrictions are in place to uphold the exclusive broadcasting rights of regional sports networks (RSNs), minimizing local competition and aiming to boost stadium attendance by limiting access to live game broadcasts in certain regions.
Accessing the necessary RSNs to watch local games can be challenging. The DirecTV RSN Lookup Tool is a helpful resource; by entering your zip code, it informs you about the games available in your area and suggests the appropriate subscription packages.
A popular workaround for these regional blackout constraints involves the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). By encrypting your connection and masking your IP address, VPNs allow you to get past these restrictions. However, it's important to choose a VPN provider carefully, prioritizing those with strong security and privacy protections, such as NordVPN or Surfshark, to ensure a safe viewing experience.
Detailed Comparison of Services
Cable and Satellite Options
To ensure the most complete access to NBA action throughout the year, a cable package that incorporates the primary channels of ABC, ESPN, TBS and TNT will be your best starting point. It is all about incorporating local and national channels into the set-up, and a combination of a cable package plus NBA League Pass will do that.
DirecTV, Cox, Dish, Optimum and Verizon Fios all tick the boxes in terms of giving you the required channels for NBA action, with the added benefit of all featuring NBA TV. NBA TV is also available through NBA League Pass, which is detailed at the end of this section. These cable packages come at a higher cost than other options, but it's for a reason. They offer the best combination of national and local channels, in addition to a huge array of other channels.
- Cox - $61.00–$152.00 per month
- DirecTV - $69.99–$159.99 per month
- Dish - $84.99-$114.99 per month
- Verizon Fios - $69.00–$129.00 per month
Streaming Services
For those without cable or living outside their favorite team's local broadcast area, streaming services can be your best friend. Sling TV emerges as a cost-effective alternative, particularly with its NBA Season Pass add-on. At a special rate, fans can access every out-of-market NBA game plus a very strong channel lineup that includes TNT, ESPN and much more.
FuboTV comes in at a slightly higher cost but is an appealing option for sports fans, offering a wide variety of local and national sports broadcasts. The same can be said for YouTubeTV, but you will benefit from a smaller pool of channels to choose from, and then there is Hulu + Live TV which combines national and local game access through its vast channel selection. Most of these streaming platforms will offer a variety of add-ons which will expand your sports viewing options, allowing you to include channels like Golf Channel, NFL Network, NFL Redzone, FOX Soccer Plus and many more.
- fuboTV: $79.99 per month
- YouTube TV: $72.99 per month
- Hulu with Live TV: $76.99 per month
- SlingTV: $55 per month
Other streaming services
NBA League Pass stands out for its comprehensive coverage, allowing fans to watch out-of-market games live and on-demand, alongside 24/7 NBA TV. Priced at $14.99 monthly, with a premium option at $22.99 for multi-device streaming and in-arena streams, this is an excellent option for someone who wants the scaled-back NBA experience, but you will have to struggle against blackout restrictions for in-market games.
Editor’s Choice:
There are a lot of NBA games to tune into throughout each fascinating season. Thankfully, through the options detailed above, there is something for every type of fan. If you want to ensure you have access to as many games as possible, a combination of the DirecTV Choice Package ($84.99) and NBA League Pass ($14.99) is your best bet. This will cost you $99.98 a month, which is pretty steep, but that is the price you have to pay for the knowledge that you will have access to almost every single NBA game. DirecTV’s Choice Package gives you all the national channels you need, whilst also offering the best collection of regional sports networks. Any gaps are then covered by NBA League Pass, which gives you every single out-of-network NBA game live and on-demand.
The NBA League pass also comes in as our best value-for-money option, giving you the option of tuning into the vast majority of NBA games for just $14.99 a month. If you are willing to leave out the additional channels that come with the more expensive packages and just want to focus on NBA action, this is the one for you.
How to Watch for Free
Gaining access to NBA games at no cost will depend on having the right broadcast networks accessible through digital antennas. This may allow for the viewing of some nationally broadcast NBA games, though they tend to be far and few between.
To consistently enjoy NBA action without a charge, you could explore the strategy of stacking free trials offered by streaming services. Platforms like Hulu, YouTube TV, and FuboTV generally provide 7-day free trials. By strategically timing these trials one after another, you can increase your access to NBA games over time. NBA League Pass also offers a 7-day free trial, giving you an extra platform to trial. This is only a temporary solution as you will be reliant on the free trials available and, once you have used one, it's gone.
Please remember, that it is very important to be vigilant about the expiration of these free trials. Failing to cancel in time can lead to automatic subscription fees, which are expensive.
2024-25 NBA Season Schedule and Important Dates:
2024
- October 22: Start of the 2024-25 NBA Regular Season
- November 2: NBA Mexico City game
- November 12: NBA In-Season Tournament begins
- December 17: NBA In-Season Tournament Championship
2025
- February 6: NBA Trade Deadline (3 p.m. ET)
- February 14-16: NBA All-Star 2024 in San Francisco
- February 14-19: NBA All-Star break
- April 13: NBA Regular Season ends
- April 15-18: NBA Play-In Tournament
- April 19: NBA Playoffs begin
- June 5: NBA Finals
2024-25 NBA Season Preview
The Boston Celtics finally got it done in 2024, after 9 straight seasons of painful playoff exits. They are, of course, the team to beat yet again, and with the monkey off their back, does that make them even more dangerous? Led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and with Jrue Holiday at the helm of their defense, Boston’s daunting core remains intact. As always, health will be the only thing that can stop them from making a good run at the title.
One of the biggest offseason moves saw Karl-Anthony Towns head to New York to join the Knicks, teaming up with Jalen Brunson to give them a boost. The Knicks currently stand as the third favorites according to the bookies, with betting odds of +750. Is this the year for them? It will be fascinating to see if they can push the Celtics in the Eastern Conference.
Over in the West, the race is going to be incredibly tense. Nikola Jokic, the reigning MVP winner, will lead the Denver Nuggets as they attempt to defend their conference title, but it won't be easy. The Oklahoma City Thunder are tipped for a good year this year, helped massively by the additions of Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein in the offseason. Meanwhile, the Dallas Mavericks are always a team to be taken seriously, led by Luka Doncic, and benefitting from the arrival of Klay Thompson.
One team that will be looking to bounce back after a disappointing 2023-24 campaign is the Milwaukee Bucks. They were hit with some key injuries, none more-so than that of Giannis Antekounmpo in the playoffs, and they definitely have the talent to turn things around in 2024-25. Overall, this is looking like a fantastic season of NBA action to look forward to, with great depth in the Western Conference in particular. Who’s your money on?
Author: Venuse, Inc