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There is no single U.S. subscription that shows every NBA game live in 2026. The league’s rights are divided among ESPN and ABC, NBC and Peacock, and Prime Video. NBA League Pass fills in many out-of-market games, but it blacks out local and nationally televised broadcasts.
For the 2026–27 season, the best service depends on whether you follow one local team, several teams around the league, or simply want the broadest possible live-TV package. Prices and availability below were checked against current U.S. service and league pages on August 9, 2026.
The short answer
| Viewer | Best choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Out-of-market fan | NBA League Pass | Best access to eligible non-local, non-national games |
| Wants ESPN, ABC and the NBA Finals | ESPN Unlimited | Includes ESPN’s networks and ESPN on ABC |
| Wants NBC and Peacock exclusives | Peacock Premium | Required for Peacock-exclusive NBA broadcasts |
| Wants Prime-exclusive games | Amazon Prime Video | Includes Prime Video’s NBA package with a Prime membership |
| Wants one broad live-TV replacement | YouTube TV | Often includes ESPN, ABC and NBC, subject to ZIP-code availability |
| Wants a lower-cost ESPN option | Sling Orange | Includes ESPN and ESPN2, but not every NBA rights partner |
| Follows one in-market team | Team streaming service or local provider | Can be cheaper and more complete for local broadcasts |
Why NBA League Pass does not show every game
League Pass is the strongest service for out-of-market NBA viewing, but it is not an all-access pass for U.S. viewers. Local team games are blacked out live in the team’s home television territory. Nationally televised games on ESPN, ABC, NBC, Peacock and Prime Video are also unavailable live through League Pass.
The delayed viewing rules are specific:
- Nationally televised games become available on demand at 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time the following day.
- Local games become available on demand three days after the live broadcast.
- Live radio broadcasts remain available for all NBA games.
The result is straightforward: League Pass is excellent for following teams outside your market, but it must be combined with other services if you want live access to nationally exclusive games.
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1. NBA League Pass: best for out-of-market games
Current U.S. displayed pricing: League Pass costs $79.99 per season. League Pass Premium costs $114.99 per season.
Both tiers include live and on-demand access to eligible out-of-market games. Premium adds up to three simultaneous devices, commercial-free viewing, offline downloads and in-arena streams. The standard plan supports one device, includes commercials and does not include offline viewing.
League Pass works through the NBA App and NBA.com, as well as platforms including iOS, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Hisense, Comcast and selected Roku, Xbox, PlayStation and Peloton devices. Availability can vary by region and device.
Downloading games with League Pass Premium
- Open the Games page in the NBA App.
- Select the game.
- Tap the … menu.
- Choose the download option.
- Manage saved games through Profile > Preferences > Downloads, or through Games > … > Manage Downloads.
Watch the renewal setting carefully. A season-long subscription automatically renews before the following season unless renewal is turned off. Monthly subscriptions renew every 30 days. If you purchase League Pass through a television provider, that provider handles billing and cancellation, and activation can take up to three days.
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2. ESPN Unlimited: required for ESPN, ABC and the Finals
Current pricing: ESPN Unlimited costs $29.99 per month or $299.99 per year. ESPN Select costs $12.99 per month or $129.99 per year.
ESPN Unlimited includes the linear ESPN networks and ESPN on ABC, along with ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, ACC Network, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, ESPN+, ESPN3, SEC Network+ and ACCNX. It is the direct-to-consumer tier needed for nationally televised NBA games carried by ESPN and ABC.
Rank #2
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ABC remains the exclusive home of the NBA Finals. That makes ESPN Unlimited particularly important during the playoffs, even for viewers who watch relatively few regular-season games.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchESPN Select is the easy plan to misunderstand. It provides ESPN+ content but does not include the linear ESPN networks or ESPN on ABC. In practical terms, ESPN Select is not a substitute for access to ESPN’s NBA schedule.
Verdict: ESPN Unlimited is the best standalone purchase for ESPN and ABC games, including the Finals. ESPN Select should not be marketed as a way to watch ESPN’s nationally televised NBA broadcasts.
3. Peacock Premium: best for NBC and Peacock games
Current pricing: Peacock Premium costs $10.99 per month or $109.99 per year. Eligible students can receive the listed student offer for $5.99 per month.
Peacock’s NBA service is scheduled to carry live basketball throughout the 2026–27 season, beginning in October. The exact game mix should be checked against the released NBA schedule, but Peacock is the service required for games that are exclusive to the NBCUniversal platform.
During the previous season, Peacock’s schedule included as many as three Monday-night games, Tuesday games simulcast with NBC and Sunday-night games beginning in February. The 2026–27 allocation may differ.
Premium includes advertising. Premium Plus may reduce advertising in some programming, but live sports can still contain commercials and other advertising segments. Upgrading is not a guarantee of an entirely ad-free NBA broadcast.
Rank #3
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Verdict: Peacock Premium is the least expensive direct subscription for NBCUniversal’s NBA coverage. It does not include ESPN or ABC games, and it does not include Prime Video’s games.
4. Amazon Prime Video: best for Prime-exclusive games
Current pricing: Amazon Prime is listed at $14.99 per month or $139 per year. Prime membership includes Prime Video.
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Amazon’s U.S. NBA package began with the 2025–26 season and continues under the current rights arrangement. Prime Video also carries NBA Cup programming and the NBA Play-In Tournament. The final number of regular-season games should be taken from the official NBA schedule rather than from differing promotional counts.
There is an important subscription distinction: Prime membership includes Prime Video’s own NBA games, but it does not include NBA League Pass. League Pass purchased through Prime Video Channels is a separate subscription.
Verdict: Existing Prime members already have the service needed for Prime-exclusive NBA broadcasts. New subscribers should not assume that Prime also provides League Pass or every other national game.
5. YouTube TV: best single live-TV replacement
Current pricing: The main YouTube TV plan is listed at $82.99 per month. The Sports Plan costs $64.99 per month and has a narrower channel lineup. Both plans include unlimited cloud DVR, up to six personal accounts and multiview.
YouTube TV carries national and local channels including ESPN, ABC and NBC, but the local lineup is determined by ZIP code. Enter the viewing address before subscribing, particularly if the goal is to watch a local team or regional sports network.
Rank #4
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- Breathtaking picture quality: Stunningly sharp 4K picture brings out rich detail in your entertainment with four times the resolution of HD. Watch as colors pop off your screen and enjoy lifelike clarity with Dolby Vision and HDR10+.
- Seamless streaming for any room: With Roku Streaming Stick 4K, watch your favorite entertainment on any TV in the house, even in rooms farther from your router thanks to the long-range Wi-Fi receiver.
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- Compact without compromises: Our sleek design won’t block neighboring HDMI ports, so you can switch from streaming to gaming with ease. Plus, it’s designed to stay hidden behind your TV, keeping wires neatly out of sight
YouTube TV is not automatically a League Pass provider. The NBA’s current provider information identifies YouTube TV as offering NBA TV, while League Pass availability is listed separately for providers such as Amazon Prime, DIRECTV Stream and Sling TV.
The service is limited to use in the United States. Local-network availability can change with the viewer’s current location, and subscribers must sign in from their home location at least once every three months to keep the account active.
Verdict: YouTube TV is the most convenient one-service option for households that want ESPN, ABC, NBC and general live television. It is not a guaranteed solution for every regional sports network or every League Pass game.
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6. Sling TV: best lower-cost ESPN option
Current pricing: Sling Orange costs $45.99 per month. Short-term Orange passes are listed at $4.99 for one day, $9.99 for three days and $14.99 for seven days. Orange plus Sports Extra costs $56.99 per month.
Sling Orange includes ESPN and ESPN2 and supports one simultaneous stream. Orange plus Blue can offer up to four simultaneous streams, subject to the plan’s terms. Sports Extra can add NBA TV, but NBA TV is not the same as access to every live NBA game.
Sling’s limitations matter for NBA fans:
- Prime Video games are not included.
- Peacock-exclusive games are not included.
- NBC availability is limited to selected markets and plans.
- League Pass and Team Pass may be available as add-ons, subject to current availability.
Verdict: Sling Orange is useful for ESPN-heavy viewing or a single nationally televised game through a short-term pass. It is not a complete NBA package.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.7. Fubo: check the purchase screen before subscribing
Fubo may be useful for local channels and regional sports networks where available, but its NBA League Pass status requires caution. The NBA’s current U.S. provider list identifies Fubo as offering NBA TV, not NBA League Pass. A previously indexed Fubo League Pass help page now returns a 404 error.
Best Value
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- 4K picture quality: With Roku Streaming Stick Plus, watch your favorites with brilliant 4K picture and vivid HDR color.
- Compact without compromises: Our sleek design won’t block neighboring HDMI ports, and it even powers from your TV alone, plugging into the back and staying out of sight. No wall outlet, no extra cords, no clutter.
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- Shows on the go: Take your TV to-go when traveling—without needing to log into someone else’s device.
Fubo’s support information lists the Pro plan at $73.99 per month after a January 2026 price change. Because channel and add-on availability can vary by ZIP code, check the actual Fubo purchase flow before treating it as a League Pass solution.
Verdict: Consider Fubo for its local and regional channel lineup, not on the assumption that League Pass is included.
8. Local team streaming services
Fans who follow one team should check the club’s official direct-to-consumer service before buying League Pass or a full live-TV bundle. The NBA’s subscription storefront currently lists services connected with the Mavericks, Lakers through Spectrum SportsNet+, Suns, Pelicans, Trail Blazers through BlazerVision, Kings and Jazz.
These services generally focus on live local games without local blackouts, but they remain restricted to the team’s home television territory where applicable. National exclusivity still applies, so a local service will not replace ESPN Unlimited, Peacock or Prime Video when a game is assigned exclusively to one of those platforms.
For example, Pelicans+ is limited to eligible ZIP codes in parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, and nationally televised games remain subject to national blackouts. The Pistons have also announced that, beginning with the 2026–27 season, local games will return to free over-the-air television in Detroit and Michigan through WMYD/TV20. A planned direct-to-consumer app had not yet been fully detailed in the cited announcement.
Recommended combinations
| Goal | Recommended setup |
|---|---|
| Nearly every live U.S. game | League Pass + ESPN Unlimited + Peacock Premium + Prime Video |
| Most out-of-market games | NBA League Pass |
| ESPN, ABC and the Finals | ESPN Unlimited |
| NBC and Peacock exclusives | Peacock Premium |
| Already paying for Amazon Prime | Use Prime Video for its games; add League Pass separately if needed |
| One broad live-TV service | YouTube TV after checking the ZIP-code lineup |
| Cheapest route to many ESPN games | Sling Orange or a qualifying Sling day pass |
| One local team | Team DTC service or local provider, plus national services when required |
What to verify before paying
- Enter your ZIP code on any live-TV or team-service page.
- Identify whether the game is local, national or out of market.
- Check which network has exclusive rights to the broadcast.
- Confirm whether a short-term pass covers the exact game and date.
- Check automatic renewal, especially for annual League Pass subscriptions.
- If you bought through a television provider, cancel through that provider rather than through NBA.com.
FAQ
Does NBA League Pass include every NBA game live in the U.S.?
No. Local and nationally televised games are blacked out live for U.S. subscribers. National games become available at 6:00 a.m. ET the next day, while local games become available on demand three days after the broadcast.
Which ESPN plan includes NBA games on ESPN and ABC?
ESPN Unlimited. ESPN Select includes ESPN+ content but does not include the linear ESPN networks or ESPN on ABC. ESPN Unlimited is also the relevant direct-to-consumer tier for the NBA Finals.
Does Amazon Prime include NBA League Pass?
No. Prime membership includes Prime Video’s exclusive NBA package. League Pass purchased through Prime Video Channels is a separate subscription.
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For the broadest live coverage, use NBA League Pass with ESPN Unlimited, Peacock Premium and Prime Video. A local team service or live-TV provider may still be needed for in-market games, depending on the team and ZIP code.
The Bottom Line
For most U.S. NBA fans, the practical answer is a combination rather than one service: NBA League Pass for out-of-market games, ESPN Unlimited for ESPN, ABC and the Finals, Peacock Premium for NBCUniversal exclusives, and Prime Video for Amazon’s games. If you want one general live-TV subscription, YouTube TV is the strongest starting point—but verify local channels and regional sports coverage by ZIP code before subscribing.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
