The Cincinnati Reds ended the 2023 season in third place in the National League Central Division, though they were 10 games behind the leader. This year, the squad has hit .500 and is just three games behind the leader to start the season. If you’re a die-hard Reds fan and want to watch home run leader EllyDe La Cruz fly into home, you’ll want to get the right live TV streaming service.
Most Reds games air on regional sports networks (RSNs), but you can get at least some games with any livestreaming platform.
Most Cincinnati Reds games air locally on Bally Sports Ohio. If you live in the coverage area, you can ditch your cable and get these networks on either DIRECTV STREAM or Fubo. The team is also broadcast nationally on MLB Network, Fox, Fox Sports 1 (FS1), ESPN Plus and Apple TV+.
DIRECTV STREAM | Fubo | Hulu + Live TV | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bally Sports Ohio |
✔ |
✔ |
|||
MLB Network |
✔ |
✔ |
✔ |
✔ |
|
Fox |
✔ |
✔ |
✔ |
✔* |
✔ |
FS1 |
✔ |
✔ |
✔ |
✔ |
✔ |
ESPN Plus |
✔ |
||||
*Local channels only available in select locations |
DIRECTV STREAM is a winner when it comes to watching the Cincinnati Reds. The platform has a relationship with many RSNs, including Bally Sports Ohio. You can also watch nationally broadcast games on FS1, Fox and MLB Network. It’s worth noting that Bally Sports Ohio is only available in the Choice, Ultimate and Premier plans. The Choice plan gives Reds fans the best deal, airing all of the team’s games and delivering more than 100 channels.
DIRECTV STREAM also has NFL Network, NHL Network, NFL RedZone, NBA TV, MotorTrend, SEC Network, ACC Network, CBS Sports Network and Fox Sports 2 (FS2). DIRECTV STREAM offers all customers unlimited DVR storage.
Fubo customers also get Bally Sports Ohio in certain areas, so you can watch every Cincinnati Red game. The livestreaming platform also has Fox and FS1 with all plans. If you pay for a sports add-on, you can catch even more Reds games on MLB Network.
In addition to baseball content, Fubo has everything from Chess TV to Fox Soccer Plus. You can use the platform to watch NFL Network, Big Ten Network, Golf Channel, Fubo Sports and FS2. The Sports Lite Add-on includes not just MLB Network, but also Outdoor Channel, NHL Network and NBA TV in most markets. Fubo gives customers 1000 hours of cloud DVR.
Hulu + Live TV is the only livestreaming service that includes ESPN Plus. In addition to broadcasting some Cincinnati Reds games, this app has highlights, original shows and college football. On the downside, Hulu + Live TV doesn’t have Bally Sports Ohio. However, Hulu + Live TV does have MLB Network, Fox and FS1. The platform has one plan with 90+ channels and includes the entire Hulu on-demand library with thousands of shows and movies. You can remove the ad support from the library and pay a bit more for your live plan.
All Hulu + Live TV subscribers also get ESPN, ESPN2, FS2, NFL Network, TNT, the ACC Network, Big Ten Network and SEC Network. The Sports Add-on is a bit extra per month and gives you NFL RedZone. You can also get some niche channels with the add-on, such as FanDuel Racing, MAVTV, Outdoor Channel and Sportsman Channel. Hulu + Live TV has unlimited DVR space.
Sling TV doesn’t have the longest channel lineup, but it does have the most affordable plans. If you get local channels like Fox, your plan cost will go up by a few dollars per month. The Sling Blue package is the better option for Reds fans, featuring both FS1 and Fox (in markets with local channels).
In addition to baseball games, these extras also unlock NHL Network, NBA TV, MLB Network Strike Zone, Tennis Channel, NFL RedZone and Golf Channel. Customers get 50 hours of DVR storage with their plan or 200 hours with a small upgrade.
YouTube TV falls a bit short when it comes to watching the Cincinnati Reds. The platform lost the MLB Network and it doesn’t have Bally Sports Ohio. You can, however, watch Reds games that air on FS1 and Fox. The one YouTube TV plan has more than 100 channels, which also include NFL Network, FS2, MotorTrend, SEC Network and the CBS Sports Network.
If you want the Sports Plus add-on, it will cost an extra monthly fee. The extra has something from every one, with additional channels ranging from NFL RedZone, Fox Soccer Plus, and Fight Network to Billiard TV. Plus, starting in the fall, YouTube TV is the only place to sign up for the NFL Sunday Ticket. YouTube TV has unlimited DVR, a Key Plays feature and real-time sports stats during MLB games.
The MLB games will air two games per week exclusively on Apple TV+ during the 2024 season. These matches all air on Friday nights. The Reds took on the New York Mets in April and were featured on Apple TV+. The app has a seven-day free trial.
You can sign up for Apple TV+ on the Apple website or within the app on an Apple device. Apple TV+ is compatible with many smart TVs and streaming devices. This includes Samsung, LG, Panasonic, Sony, TCL and VIZIO smart TVs. Plus, you can add the TVs to Amazon Fire TVs, Amazon Fire TV Sticks, Roku devices, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles and Chromecast with Google TV.
You can use MLB TV to watch out-of-market Reds games, which is great if you live outside of Ohio.
Signing up for MLB TV is simple on the MLB website. Fans can also add MLB TV as a channel to their Amazon Prime subscription. The service has an app that’s compatible with both Apple and Android devices.
You can watch the Cincinnati Reds on Bally Sports Ohio Using DIRECTV STREAM and Fubo. The team also airs nationally on FS1, MLB Network and Fox. These channels are available on nearly every livestreaming service, including Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV and Sling TV.
Bally Sports Ohio is available from a variety of cable providers, including DirectTV, Spectrum, Xfinity, and Altafiber. You can also watch it on DIRECTV STREAM and Fubo if you prefer a streaming experience.
No, Bally Sports is not available for free. There is one short-term loophole, which is to sign up for a free trial for Fubo or DIRECTV STREAM. These trials can be canceled at any time and the platforms have Bally Sports networks.