Short answer: if you want your local NBA, NHL or MLB team on US IPTV, the channel that matters is your regional sports network (RSN), and most streaming services don't carry it. DirecTV carries the most RSNs of any streaming bundle. Fubo carries a fair number. YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV carry only a handful, mainly NBC Sports regional channels and SNY. Sling carries none. In 2026 the map moved again: New York's MSG and YES networks are heading to DAZN for direct streaming, the NHL now runs its own networks for four teams, and several teams have left RSNs for free local TV.
At a glance
Regional sports networks on US streaming, Oct 2026
| Most RSNs | DirecTV (Choice, $94.99 + fee) |
| Second | Fubo (Pro, $88.99 + fee) |
| A few | YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV (NBC Sports, SNY) |
| None | Sling, Philo |
| Often cheaper | The RSN's own app, or free local TV |
What an RSN is, and why it's the hard part
A regional sports network holds the local TV rights to one or more NBA, NHL or MLB teams. It's what shows most of the season, often 70 to 80 NBA or NHL games and well over 100 baseball games a year. National channels like ESPN and TNT only get a slice.
RSNs are the most expensive cable channels to carry, and they're only valuable inside their team's territory. That's why so many streaming services dropped them, and why the services that still carry them add a separate regional sports fee. RSNs also come with blackouts: you can only watch inside the home territory, which is set by your ZIP code, not your fandom. A Yankees fan in Florida can't watch YES. That's a job for MLB.TV, which in turn blacks out local games.
So the question "which US IPTV service is best?" has a different answer for every team. This page helps you find yours. Carriage changes often, so treat the tables as a starting point and confirm with your ZIP code.
Which services carry RSNs
| Service | RSN coverage | RSN fee (2026, reported) |
|---|---|---|
| DirecTV | Most of any streaming bundle, on Choice and above | Up to about $24, averaging around $15 |
| Fubo | Many, varies by market; added four NHL team networks for 2026-27 | About $4 to $17 by region |
| YouTube TV | NBC Sports regionals, SNY and a few others | None |
| Hulu + Live TV | Similar to YouTube TV | None |
| Sling, Philo | None | n/a |
DirecTV and Fubo go head to head on this. Our Fubo vs DirecTV for sports comparison works through the trade-offs league by league.
Northeast and Mid-Atlantic
States: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and DC. The densest RSN map in the country.
| Network | Teams | Streaming bundles | Direct option |
|---|---|---|---|
| YES Network | Yankees, Nets | DirecTV | Moving to DAZN in 2026-27 |
| MSG Networks | Knicks, Rangers, Devils, Islanders, Sabres | DirecTV; check Fubo | Moving to DAZN in 2026-27 |
| SNY | Mets | YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, DirecTV, Fubo | Check SNY |
| NESN | Red Sox, Bruins | DirecTV, Fubo | NESN 360 |
| NBC Sports Boston | Celtics | YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, DirecTV, Fubo | Check network |
| NBC Sports Philadelphia | Phillies, 76ers, Flyers | YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, DirecTV, Fubo | Check network |
| SportsNet Pittsburgh | Pirates, Penguins | DirecTV, Fubo | Check network |
| MASN | Orioles | DirecTV | MASN app |
| Monumental Sports Network | Capitals, Wizards | DirecTV; check others | Monumental's streaming service |
Practical upshot: in New York, YouTube TV is fine for the Mets but useless for the Yankees, Knicks and Rangers. In Philadelphia, YouTube TV covers all three NBC Sports Philadelphia teams, which makes it one of the few cities where the cheaper bundles work for local sports.
Midwest
States: Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, Kansas and neighbours.
- Chicago: Marquee Sports Network carries the Cubs (DirecTV, Fubo, plus Marquee's own app). Chicago Sports Network, launched in 2024, carries the Bulls, Blackhawks and White Sox, with its own streaming option; check bundle carriage by ZIP.
- FanDuel Sports Network feeds (formerly Bally Sports) cover teams in Detroit, Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Kansas City and St. Louis. They're on DirecTV and on FanDuel Sports Network's own subscription app; Fubo carriage varies by market. The network has been losing teams to MLB and the NHL, so check your team's current home.
- NHL-run networks: for 2026-27 the NHL itself runs regional networks for the Blue Jackets, Wild and Blues (plus the Hurricanes in the South), and signed a carriage deal with Fubo for all four, reported in late September 2026.
South and Texas
States: Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas and neighbours.
- FanDuel Sports Network regional feeds (South, Southeast, Florida, Sun, New Orleans, Oklahoma) carry many teams across the region; streaming via DirecTV and the FanDuel Sports Network app.
- Houston: Space City Home Network carries the Astros and Rockets, on DirecTV and Fubo.
- Dallas: the Stars moved to free over-the-air TV and the free Victory+ streaming app in 2024. If you're a Stars fan, an antenna or a free app is the answer, not a bundle.
- Carolina: the Hurricanes are on one of the NHL's own regional networks for 2026-27, carried by Fubo.
Mountain states and the West Coast
States: Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington and neighbours. This is where the move to free local TV has gone furthest.
| Market | Teams and network | Where to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Bay Area / Sacramento | NBC Sports Bay Area (Warriors, Giants, Sharks); NBC Sports California (Kings) | YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, DirecTV, Fubo |
| Los Angeles | Spectrum SportsNet LA (Dodgers); Spectrum SportsNet (Lakers) | Spectrum; check DirecTV by ZIP; not on most streaming bundles |
| Los Angeles / Anaheim | Ducks on local TV and Victory+ | Antenna or free app |
| Denver | Altitude (Nuggets, Avalanche) | DirecTV, Fubo, Altitude's own streaming |
| Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas | Suns, Jazz and Golden Knights on local broadcast TV | Antenna, plus team streaming apps |
| Seattle | Root Sports Northwest (Mariners) | DirecTV; check Fubo |
West Coast fans should notice the pattern: for several teams, an antenna now beats a $95 bundle. Our antenna guide helps you check reception before buying one.
What changed in 2026
- DAZN takes on MSG and YES streaming. Announced in July 2026, DAZN becomes the exclusive direct-to-consumer home of both networks for the 2026-27 NBA and NHL seasons, replacing the Gotham Sports app. Pay-TV subscribers who already get MSG or YES get the DAZN version at no extra cost.
- The NHL runs networks for four teams. Hurricanes, Blue Jackets, Wild and Blues, carried by Fubo from the start of 2026-27.
- RSN fees went up. DirecTV raised its regional sports fee at the end of June 2026, to as much as about $24 in some markets; Fubo's runs up to about $17.
- More teams on free TV and team apps. MLB now produces and streams games for several clubs whose RSN deals ended, and NBA and NHL teams in the West continue the shift to local broadcast.
How to check your team in four steps
- Go to your team's website and find "How to watch" or "Broadcast". It names the current local channel and any direct app. This is the most up-to-date source there is.
- Enter your ZIP code on DirecTV's and Fubo's channel lookup pages. If the RSN appears, note the regional sports fee at checkout.
- Price the direct app. An RSN's own app, often $20 to $25 a month in-season, plus a cheap bundle or an antenna, usually beats paying $95-plus for DirecTV just for one team.
- Check if games are on free TV. If they are, an antenna is the cheapest and fastest feed of all.
For local NBA teams specifically, our NBA 2026-27 cost guide runs the numbers team by team. If your team needs DirecTV and you're weighing the alternatives, Hulu + Live TV vs DirecTV shows what the extra money buys.
Quick answers
Which US IPTV service has the most regional sports networks? DirecTV, on its Choice plan and above, followed by Fubo.
Does YouTube TV carry RSNs? Only a few, mainly NBC Sports regional networks and SNY. It doesn't carry YES, MSG, NESN or FanDuel Sports Network.
Does Sling carry regional sports networks? No.
How do I watch the Yankees or Knicks without cable? DirecTV carries YES and MSG; from the 2026-27 season, direct streaming of both moves to DAZN.
Can I watch my team's RSN outside its home area? No. RSNs are limited to the team's territory by ZIP code. Out-of-market fans use league packages instead.
What's a regional sports fee? An extra monthly charge from DirecTV and Fubo where they carry an RSN, reported at roughly $4 to $24 in 2026 depending on market.
Which teams are on free TV? In 2026 they include the Stars and Ducks on Victory+, and the Suns, Jazz and Golden Knights on local broadcast stations. Check your own team's site.
RSN carriage, team broadcast deals and regional sports fees change often and depend on ZIP code; several teams switched networks in 2025 and 2026. Confirm with your team and provider before subscribing. Checked October 2026.