Several weeks ago I decided to try Sling TV. I opted for the Orange package, which includes ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN3 (ESPN's online content that is only available on the ESPN app). $35/month is about what I'm willing to pay for live sports, however I am not willing to pay the extra $11/month for SEC Network, ACC Network or ESPNU.
Here's the thing about the "conference" networks. I only really ever watched SEC Network when the Gamecocks were playing (I dislike Paul Firebaum immensely). Football, Men's basketball and most baseball games are on the radio locally. Women's basketball and the few early season baseball games that don't get on the radio are on internet audio through either the "Gamecocks" app or iheartradio through 107.5 "The Game"... the Gamecocks flagship radio station in Columbia. I don't ever remember watching ACC Network, but if I did it was only when Clemson played...the same radio "rules" apply there. Also USC and USC Upstate often play around the same time, so I can listen to the Gamecocks on the radio and watch the Spartans on my tablet via ESPN+. I had a wonderful Friday last week when forecasted inclement weather on a Saturday meant that USC Upstate played a doubleheader on ESPN+ while the Gamecocks also played a doubleheader that Friday and I was not scheduled at work.
By only having ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN3 i will have access to most "championship" events, the women's basketball tournament, College World Series, bowl games and playoffs, etc.
The Orange package also gives me access to TBS and TNT, so I'm covered for the later rounds on the NCAA basketball tournament. I'm not concerned about TruTV because only the "first four" and first and second rounds are on that channel which I never watched any other time of the year. I also didn't watch much of the first two rounds this year. It also gives me AEW Dynamite on TNT, which I had learned to live without but I still missed. USA Network is only available on the Blue package, but I have access to RAW, NXT and Miz and Mrs., etc. on Hulu. Smackdown is a problem because I typically listen to Gamecock baseball games on Friday nights and Smackdown typically isn't uploaded on Hulu until Sunday afternoon. I also get AXS TV, which shows impact wrestling on Thursday night, but the few times I've watched it recently I didn't enjoy it. I am enjoying A&E's Biography, which is currently airing a series on WWE wrestlers. And whenever the new series of Doctor Who debuts, I'll have BBC America.
The only drawback is Sling only works well on my Amazon fire stick when I have high speed internet at the beginning of the month, but I have gotten where I only watch my streaming services on my tablet anyway. My TV is used mainly for local OTA channels, classic Doctor Who on retro TV for example and to watch DVDs, although through watching my DVDs of the new Doctor Who series, I've discovered many are corrupted and have skips and freezes. I'm using a Doctor Who fan website called "The Randomizer" to select episodes and instead of my DVDs I'm watching on HBO Max.
I believe I am going to stay with Sling Orange for the foreseeable future. As I said $35/month is what I'm willing to pay, but not $46/month to get "sports extra". I'm hoping for the day when YouTube TV comes up with a new plan, say pick 10 channels for $35/month. If anyone could do that, it's YouTube TV/Google.
