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It’s an expensive time to live. Inflation increased by 3.2% in July, gas prices are rising again and for the first time in the US, credit card debt has surpassed $1 trillion. The last thing you want to worry about is paying more for your favorite streaming subscription services. If you’re tired of paying for multiple streaming subscriptions to access all your favorite shows and sports games, you might want to try Sling TV.
If you don’t know what Sling TV is, here’s your shortcut: it’s a budget-friendly alternative to a cable TV subscription. It won’t let you look everything you might get from the cable company, but it does give you access to one major thing you might like: NFL preseason games, plus a lot more content to watch. And now you can save even more. Sling subscribers can get half off their first month of any Sling level.
Sling TV, $20 and up (first month)
If you’ve been missing your favorite sports content, you may not know that the NFL preseason is currently in full swing. It’s not too late to get on the bandwagon. You can watch your favorite teams play live on Sling TV. You can get going when the Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles go head-to-head on Thursday, August 17, and relax this weekend with a slew of preseason games.
What is Sling TV?
Sling TV is a no-contract live TV streaming platform that offers access to many of the same channels you get with a cable TV subscription. Think of all the top cable news networks including ABC, NBC and Fox, kid-friendly staples like the Disney Channel, must-haves for reality TV and design lovers on HGTV, and all the sports programming to watch on ESPN and ESPN2.
Even better, the price of a Sling TV subscription is much lower than the average cable TV bill.
There are three Sling TV levels: Sling Orange, Sling Blue, and Sling Orange & Blue.
The lowest cost level, Garland Orange, provides access to 31 channels, including ESPN, ESPN2, TBS, TNT, Disney Channel, CNN, and HGTV. It is normally $40 per month, so you only pay $20 for the first month.
The second layer, Sling blue, costs $45 per month ($22.50 for the first month). It contains 42 channels, including your local ABC, NBC and Fox station (when available). Notably, ESPN is lacking at this level. This is a great choice for football fans looking for a cheaper way stream the World Cup women’s football tournament on Fox.
The third layer, Sling Orange & Blue, contains all channels available in the Sling Orange and Sling Blue tier, including local channels And ESPN. It costs $60 per month, or just $30 for the first month.
And if you’re worried about being able to record your shows and save them for later, there’s some good news too. All Sling TV packages include 50 hours of DVR storage so you can record your favorite live shows to stream later. All levels are currently half price for your first month.
Why we love Sling TV:
- There are a total of 46 channels to watch, including local NBC, FOX, and ABC affiliates (when available).
- Sling TV is the best value streaming service with live cable TV channels.
- You can watch most local and nationally televised NFL games live.
- All subscription levels include 50 hours of cloud-based DVR storage.
How much does Sling TV cost?
Sling TV subscriptions start at $40 per month, with the most expensive basic plan starting at $55 per month. You have the option to add special packages for an additional fee. In addition to half off your first month, new Sling TV subscribers can try any plan for free for three days. (There’s no contract, so you can cancel at any time.)
Sling TV, $20 (down from $40) and up for your first month
For more live TV streaming recommendations, we’ve got a breakup guide all the best streaming options.
What to watch with Sling TV
If you’ve put in a lot of miles on your basic cable subscription, you’ll probably get just as much use out of a Sling TV package. Yes, it only has 46 channels and it lacks some of the best subscription services like Disney+. But Sling TV’s lineup still offers a little bit of everything else: live sports, major news networks, reality TV staples, Investigation Discovery shows, and more.
What to watch with Sling TV: 2023-2024 NFL season
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The NFL preseason runs through August 27. Week 1 of the 2023-2024 NFL season begins on September 7, 2023, when the Detroit Lions take on the Kansas City Chiefs. Here are some of the key storylines for the 2023-2024 NFL season.
Aaron Rodgers in a new shade of green: Four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers takes over from former Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Tom Brady as the oldest active player in the league. All eyes will be on the 39-year-old “Hard Knocks” star, who traded his Green Bay Packers uniform for a Jets green uniform after 18 seasons in Green Bay.
A-Rod is already making an impact in New York by mentoring younger players like Jets CB Sauce Gardner, whom Rodgers calls a “future Hall of Famer.” The Jets have not won the Super Bowl since 1969 and have not made the playoffs since 2010. Rodgers made the playoffs a total of nine times. The Jets have invested $112 million in Rodgers, adding a tenth postseason trip to his resume.
Geno Smith Silences Critics: The NFC West has always been a highly contested battleground and this season is no different. Ever since Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith got the starting quarterback in the post-Russell Wilson era, we’ve enjoyed seeing Smith silence naysayers. Smith led Seattle to nine wins, threw for a career-high 30 touchdowns and made the Pro Bowl last season. He has promised fans he will improve on last season’s progress in hopes of dominating the NFC West.
Brock Purdy is no longer relevant: After of Mr. Irrelevant in the 2022 NFL Draft having gone to the first last overall NFL Draft pick to play (and win) a playoff game, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is poised to cement himself as the Niners starter , even if it means sidelining Trey Lance. Purdy’s rise, from third string QB to playoff starter, dazzled fans (the NFL loves a good storyline) and we’ll be on the lookout for Purdy proving that last season’s after-season success wasn’t a fluke. We also love a good storyline.
Other storylines follow this NFL season: After being sidelined for a season recovering from a torn ACL suffered during Super Bowl LVI, superstar wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. took off his LA Rams uniform and joined Lamar Jackson in Baltimore. This duo has the potential to be as prolific as Aaron Rodgers and Devante Adams or even (throwback alert), Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison.
What to watch with Sling TV: FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023
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The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup is now available on Sling TV. The football tournament, which runs from now until August 20, has just entered the semi-finals.
The matches of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be broadcast on Fox and FS1. While Fox is available over the air in most media markets, you’ll need cable TV or an online streaming plan to see the games broadcast on FS1. If you don’t already have a cable or satellite package like DirecTV, Sling TV is the most cost-effective way to stream the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 games. The Sling TV Blue tier includes access to 42 channels, including your local Fox station (if available) and FS1. Sling TV also includes 50 hours of DVR storage, which is handy for recording all those early morning games.
You can get your first month of SlingTV Blue tier for $20. (The regular price for Sling TV Blue is $45 per month.) There’s no contract, so you can cancel at any time.
Get even more out of Sling TV: Add even more channels for just an extra $5
If 46 channels isn’t enough, Sling TV offers premium channel add-ons for just a little more. For just $5 more, you can access all your favorite shows on Showtime and Discovery+ on Sling TV. We’re here to tell you how your add-ons can help you watch “Yellow Jackets,” “90 Day Fiance,” and much more.
Get showtime with Sling TV and watch “Yellowjackets.”
Kailey Schwerman/SHOWTIME
Right now, you can add Showtime to your Sling TV subscription for just $5 more for the first month of service. Showtime is home to several must-see TV series, including “Billions,” “Dexter: New Blood,” “The Chi,” and “Yellowjackets.”
If your friends and family can’t stop talking about “Yellowjackets,” the TV series is a coming-of-age, psychological thriller that chronicles the horror — and aftermath — of a plane crash that strands a high school girl soccer team in the wilderness. The show switches between the brutal past and the present, 25 years later. The second season just ended on Showtime, so now is a perfect time to binge.
Get Showtime with Sling TV, $5 ($10 regularly)
Sling TV, $20 and up (down from $40) for your first month
Discover Discovery+ with Sling TV and watch “90 Day Fiance”
Discovery+
Reality TV fans rejoice, Sling TV has a Discovery+ add-on for just $5 a month. The streaming service offers more than 70,000 episodes, exclusive originals, and every iteration of the “90 Day Fiance” universe. After you’ve finished streaming “90 Day Fiance,” you should watch “90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After?”, “90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days,” “90 Day Fiance: Pillow Talk,” and “90 Days betrothed: the other way.”
Get Discovery+ with Sling TV, $5
Sling TV, $20 (down from $40) for your first month
