The best way to watch out-of-market NBA games is hands-down NBA League Pass (R). NBA League Pass is an on-demand and live TV streaming service that features every NBA game. In the 2020-2021 season, each NBA team will play 72 games during the regular season.
One of the most important things to know about NBA League Pass is that your local team will be blacked out. Nationally televised games are also blacked out unless you also purchase the NBA TV add-on. There is a workaround to these blackout restrictions which we will cover later in this article.
NBA League Pass is an excellent method for watching NBA games because there is so much content available. Some of the top features include condensed game replays, live arena footage during commercial breaks, 5 simultaneous streams, and a lot more. You also get access to an on-demand library of classic games with the League Pass plans.
Please read our 2020-2021 guide on how to watch NBA games for alternative methods.
What is NBA League Pass?
NBA League Pass is a standalone streaming platform that allows NBA fans to stream NBA games and other NBA related programming.
There are three ways that cord-cutters can watch NBA League Pass: NBA League Pass TV, which plays the games through a cable or satellite TV provider; NBA League Pass Broadband, which uses a highspeed Internet connection to stream videos to a computer; and NBA League Pass Mobile, which is for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. All of these different viewing methods are inclusive in every NBA League Pass plan.
Subscribers can access live NBA audio for in-market games but will have to wait 72 hours for an archived version. Nationally televised games will appear in the archive 3 hours after they air. Out-of-market games are available live and archived. You can watch full games dating back to the 2012-2013 season plus classic games on-demand.
League Pass Pricing and Packages
League Pass comes in three different plans. These plans are NBA League Pass Premium, NBA League Pass, NBA Team Pass, and NBA TV Add-on. NBA TV is on available for an annual plan, but the other three plans are available in both monthly and annual plans.
The NBA League Pass plans cost:
NBA League Pass Premium | ||
NBA League Pass | ||
NBA Team Pass | ||
NBA TV |
The main difference between the basic NBA League Pass plan and the Premium plan is the absence of ads. With a Premium subscription, you get to watch live NBA games without commercials. During ad breaks, you get to see what’s happening in the arena instead.
For those who don’t want to watch every NBA game, then NBA Team Pass would be the best choice for you. However, you will not get access to the classic games archives.
How to Get NBA League Pass
There are many different available ways to get NBA League Pass. NBA League Pass can be purchased as a stand-alone service or you can purchase it as an add-on through a streaming TV provider. Some of the top available streaming services with League Pass include Amazon Prime Video, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, and YouTube TV. Here is the full list of TV providers that offer NBA League Pass:
Amazon Prime | ||
AT&T TV | ||
AT&T TV NOW | ||
DIRECTV | ||
DISH Network | ||
Hulu + Live TV | ||
Sling TV | ||
Spectrum | ||
Verizon Fios | ||
YouTube TV | ||
Xfinity |
How to Stream NBA League Pass
NBA Leauge Pass can be viewed with several different types of devices such as mobile devices, smartphones, smart TVs, streaming devices, gaming consoles, laptops, and more. Here is a list of the most common comptabible devices:
- iOS
- Android
- Android TV
- Apple TV
- Xbox One and Xbox Series X (select countries)
- Roku (select countries)
- Playstation 4 and Playstation 5 (select countries)
- Chromecast
- Amazon Fire TV and Fire Stick
- Amazon Alexa (US)
- CarPlay
- Apple Watch
NBA League Pass Blackouts
One of the most annoying things in sports are blackout restrictions. Blackout restrictions mean that local games will be blacked out based on your ZIP code. The NBA enforces these restrictions because they would rather you buy tickets to the game, as opposed to watching at home. Unfortunately, not all of us are capable of going to a game, much less every single game.
Luckily, there is a workaround for these restrictions. Simply purchase and download a virtual private network and connect to a server outside of the country or outside of your blacked out zip code. VPNs are legal methods to surf the internet or watch your favorite sports or entertainment channels and programming. We recommend ExpressVPN because of the number of servers available, the fast speed for streaming, and the top-notch security and encryption features.
Even if you do not want want to legally stream NBA games (which we do not recommend) we highly recommend using a VPN to help stop malware and viruses.
NBA League Pass Features
This service has some pretty great features. Subscribers can watch condensed full-game replays which skip all that pesky advertising. Another great feature is the mosiac view. Mosiac view will show 4 games simultaneously on one screen. This means no more flipping back and forth between devices. However, mosiac view is only available through your internet browner. With Premium, you can watch multiple games on 2 different devices.
One of the most popular features is enhanced viewing such as live in-game stats. Mobile enhanced viewing is also available. This means the app optimizes mobile playback for small screen viewing, with interactive graphics and stats that don’t crowd the screen. It also provides zoomed-in views of the game, so you get a proper look at what’s happening on the court. You can also watch home or away feeds of each game.
2020-2021 NBA Team Guide For Watching Games Online
Atlantic Division Boston Celtics Brooklyn Nets New York Knicks Philadephia 76ers Toronto Raptors |
Central Division Chicago Bulls Cleveland Cavaliers Detroit Pistons Indiana Pacers Milwaukee Bucks |
Southeast Division Atlanta Hawks Charlotte Hornets Miami Heat Orlando Magic Washington Wizards |
Northwest Division Denver Nuggets Minnesota Timberwolves Oklahoma City Thunder Portland Trail Blazers Utah Jazz |
Pacific Division Golden State Warriors LA Clippers Los Angeles Lakers Phoenix Suns Sacramento Kings |
Southwest Division Dallas Mavericks Houston Rockets Memphis Grizzlies New Orleans Pelicans San Antonio Spurs |