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The NFL Draft is here and there’s nothing better than getting the first look at your team’s next future stars, but how can we watch the NFL Draft without cable?
You can watch the NFL Draft live on ABC via HD Antenna, or on ESPN and NFL Network using a streaming service like Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, fuboTV, or DirecTV Stream.
In this article, we’ll take a look at all of our viewing options and show you the easiest and cheapest way to stream the NFL Draft.
Top 6 Ways To Watch The NFL Draft Without Cable
- Watch For Free – HD Antenna
- Cheapest Streaming Option – Sling TV
- Includes ESPN+ – Hulu + Live TV
- Easiest To Use – YouTube TV
- Most Sports Channels – fuboTV
- Most Local Sports Channels – DirecTV Stream
Watch The NFL Draft For Free – HD Antenna
For many years the NFL Draft was only available on cable channels but in 2023 the NFL Draft can be watched completely free over the air on ABC, provided you have an HD antenna that can pick up your local network.
If you don’t have an HD antenna don’t worry, indoor antennas are fairly cheap (usually $20-30) and are available on Amazon or most stores that have an electronics department.
To use an indoor antenna you just need to place it in a window, connect it to your TV and scan for channels. If you have local ABC coverage in your area you should be ready to watch the draft for free.
If you live in an area with poor ABC reception or you can’t get an antenna, then you can also stream the NFL Draft with a live TV stream service.
Cheapest Way To Stream The NFL Draft – Sling TV
As usual, the cheapest way to stream the NFL Draft live is Sling TV, which starts at $40 for their Sling Orange or Sling Blue packages, or get both packages for $55 per month.
When it comes to Draft coverage on Sling TV there is one thing to note. The Sling Orange plan carries ESPN and not NFL Network, and the Sling Blue plan carries NFL Network but not ESPN (Sling Orange & Blue carries both channels). So you’ll want to decide which of the plans you’d prefer ahead of time. We have a full Sling TV review that discusses these plans in greater detail.
Sling TV also does not carry local channels (in most markets) so you’d need an HD Antenna to watch the ABC coverage as we discussed earlier.
You can watch Sling TV on most streaming devices including Roku, FireTV, Apple TV, Chromecast, iOS, Android, and most Smart TVs.
Includes ESPN+ – Hulu + Live TV
The next cheapest option for watching the NFL Draft is Hulu + Live TV, which costs $69.99 per month for over 85 channels including local networks (in most areas) as well as both ESPN and NFL Network.
While Hulu + Live TV is a good bit more expensive than Sling, it does include ESPN+ (a $10/mo value) which will be airing interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, and bonus draft coverage of its own during the three draft days.
Additionally, Hulu + Live TV includes Disney+, two simultaneous streams as well as unlimited DVR. Hulu + Live TV is available on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, iOS, Android, Playstation, XBox, and most Smart TVs.
Easiest To Use – YouTube TV
Another option for watching the draft is YouTube TV which offers more than 100 channels for $72.99 per month, which includes both ESPN and NFL Network, as well as your local ABC channel in most markets so you won’t need to choose between the three broadcasts.
Of the live TV streaming services I’ve tested, I do prefer YouTube TV’s interface and I find it easier to use than the others. They also offer a 7-day free trial to try it out for yourself before draft day.
New in 2023 YouTube TV will also be the new, exclusive home of NFL Sunday Ticket so it may be an option NFL fans should consider.
YouTube TV includes three simultaneous streams per plan and includes unlimited DVR. You can use YouTube TV on Roku, FireTV, Apple TV, Chromecast, iOS, Android, Playstation, XBox and most brands of Smart TV.
Most Sports Channels – fuboTV
While not as well known as some of the other streaming services, fuboTV is another great option for fans starting at $74.99.
fuboTV features 154+ sports-packed channels including NFL Draft channels ESPN, NFL Network, and ABC (in most markets) as well as sports channel staples like FS1, FS2, MLB Network, NBA TV, NFL RedZone, SEC Network, Big 10 Network, Pac 12 Network, and their own fuboTV Sports channels.
fuboTV’s base plan includes TEN simultaneous streams on your home networks, which is great for large families. They also include 1,000 hours of cloud DVR storage. fuboTV works with Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, iOS, Android and most Smart TVs.
Most Local Sports Channels – DirecTV Stream
The last NFL Draft streaming option we’ll take a look at is DirecTV Stream, which starts at $79.99 per month ($64.99 base plan plus fees).
With DirecTV Stream, you can get up to 150+ channels which include Regional Sports Networks (RSN’s) in many markets, which can be difficult to find in other streaming packages.
Like Sling, DirecTV has a few different streaming packages so you’ll need to decide which channels you’re looking for before you sign up.
The base (“Entertainment”) package, which starts at $79.99 per month ($64.99 + $15 in fees), includes your local ABC station (in most markets) as well as ESPN but it does not include NFL Network.
The “Choice” package, which is the next tier up, does include NFL Network, as well as ABC and ESPN, for $99.99 per month ($84.99 + $15 in fees).
DirecTV Stream includes up to three simultaneous streams and unlimited DVR with their plans and is compatible with most Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, iOS, Android, and Samsung Smart TVs.
Conclusion
Unlike many sporting events, the NFL makes it easy to watch their events for cheap and even free. Fortunately, the NFL Draft is one of those events, especially if you get good over-the-air reception for your local ABC station. When the NFL season rolls around be sure to check out our article about how to watch NFL RedZone so you can keep up on all the action every Sunday.
