Watching Sports - Without Cable

As some of you may know, it's been said I spend my money wisely (Editor's Note: What Wiz means to say is that he's cheap).  I'm not one to spend an extra $30 a month on a deluxe sports package if I don't have to. I've gone without cable for 18 of the past 24 months - here's how I did it and why.

Step One: Have friends that have cable

This is the most critical step. How do you watch March Madness at work? How do you log in to WatchESPN for your Sunday morning Sportscenter fix? What do you do when you're taking a break from sports and need to watch the latest episode of The Challenge? Answer: Phone a friend. Having a few Comcast/Verizon passwords to sign in with is vital to maintaining a cableless life style.


Step Two: Invest in hardware

Two things you need in this section; 1) an HD antenna, like the leaf, and 2) a Chromecast (or similar streaming stick). The HD antenna will allow you to get the big games that are on ABC/NBC/CBS/FOX with a typical HD picture. This covers the NFL, most of the big college football games, etc. The Chromecast covers everything on ESPN (assuming you've completed Step One) - which gives you the rest of the CFB and NFL games, the best CBB games, and select MLB and NBA games.


Step Three: Have a go-to sports bar

When there is a must-see game, whether it be your team or just a non-network game, nothing beats going to the bar. Since you're saving money via cutting cable, you can afford to take yourself out for a beverage or two at the local hangout spot.


Step Four: Splurge when necessary

The previous steps cover Football and College Basketball pretty well.  They lack the day-to-day coverage necessary for the NHL, NBA, or MLB. If you are a diehard fan of these sports, it may be necessary to splurge on a season pass.  This year I paid for MLB.TV, so I can watch the Nationals every day (Expect an in-depth review of MLB.TV to follow - so far I love it).


The Bottom Line: Should You Do It?

Ultimately, the decision for me is relatively simple: I save money by not buying cable. If I lived in the region with my favorite teams and could get local games without having to buy MLB.TV or League Pass, the equation would be different. But if I want to see the Nationals every day, I have to spend the 100 bucks a year, regardless of if I have cable or not. So from a monetary standpoint it makes sense, and I'm used to spending the five minutes to search for and find the games I want to watch.  But its not for everyone. If you have a house with many roommates, are reliant on a DVR, or just don't want the hassle of having to figure out a way to watch TV, it probably isn't for you.