PORTLAND, Ore. — A carriage dispute between Comcast and FOX (joint owner of the Big Ten Network) means Comcast/Xfinity subscribers won't be able to watch games on the Big Ten Network this week, including the Big Ten debuts for Oregon and Washington on Saturday.
The following Ducks and Huskies games will be blacked out on the Big Ten Network on Comcast/Xfinity on Saturday, the league confirmed:
- Oregon vs. Idaho, Saturday, 4:30 p.m.
- Washington vs. Weber State, Saturday, 8 p.m.
What are Comcast/Xfinity subscribers to do? They can cancel their Comcast subscription and find a different provider that allows them to watch games of the teams they root for. But some subscribers are locked into multi-year contracts with Comcast. What are they to do, especially now, with the college football season kicking off this week?
Here are some options, as of Friday, Aug. 28, 2024 (promotions and prices are subject to change):
Fubo TV
Fubo has a free trial that lasts four days for new customers. If you sign up for Fubo before Saturday’s games, you’d be able to watch this week’s games and could then cancel before the four-day trial ends. If the dispute between Comcast and Fox lasts beyond the first week of the college football season, the cost for a Fubo TV package that includes the Big Ten Network starts at $79.99, with a current special of $49.99 for the first month.
- Free trial: 4 days
- Monthly cost (package with Big Ten Network): $49.99 for first month, then $79.99 per month after that
- Contract: Month to month or quarterly
- Learn more
DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream has a five-day free trial for new customers. Sign up for DirecTV before Saturday’s games and you can watch Oregon-Idaho and Washington-Weber State, canceling before the five-day trial is over. The lowest cost for a DirecTV Stream package that includes the Big Ten Network would be the Entertainment package, which costs $79.99 per month ($49.99 for the first three months) with the DirecTV Sports Pack add-on for an additional $14.99 per month. The total cost would be $64.98 for the first three months, then $94.98 per month after that.
- Free trial: 5 days
- Monthly cost (lowest-tier package + sports pack add-on): $64.98 for first three months, then $94.98 per month after
- Contract: Month to month
- Learn more
Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV also has a free trial of three days for new and eligible returning customers (those who canceled their previous Hulu subscription more than one year ago). Hulu + Live TV also includes ESPN+ and Disney+. To subscribe to the package that includes the Big Ten Network, you’ll pay $76.99 per month.
- Free trial: 3 days
- Monthly cost (package with Big Ten Network): $76.99 per month
- Contract: Month to month
- Learn more
YouTube TV
YouTube TV does not have a free trial (actually, it does, but it’s only for 20 minutes of watching). So you couldn’t sign up for YouTube TV to watch Saturday’s games and then cancel after. YouTube TV’s base plan, which includes Big Ten Network, costs $52.99 per month for the first four months and then $72.99 per month after.
- Free trial: Not really (it only lasts 20 minutes)
- Monthly cost (package with Big Ten Network): $52.99 first four months, then $72.99 after
- Contract: Month to month
- Learn more
Sling TV
Sling TV does not have a free trial. To get the package that includes the Big Ten Network, you’d have to subscribe to the Blue plan + Sports Extra, which would cost $51 per month or the Orange and Blue plan + Sports Extras, which would cost $70 per month. Right now, Sling is offering half off the first month, so it would cost between $31 and $42.50 for the first month.
- Free trial: None
- Monthly cost (package with Big Ten Network): Between $31 and $42.50 for first month, then between $51 and $70 per month after
- Contract: Month to month
- Learn more