ESPN (which stands for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is a major global satellite and cable TV channel owned by the Walt Disney Company and Hearst Corporation. The channel covers all major sporting events around the world, and given its popularity, it is not surprising that many websites are now offering ESPN live stream free.
Time4TV
Time4TV is one of the more popular free streaming services that broadcast ESPN online. Compared to other streaming websites, watching here is pretty easy and straightforward. To watch on the site, follow these instructions.
- Go to Time4TV
- Once the page has loaded, the stream should begin playing automatically.
- If the live stream is obscured by an ad, click the small “x” on the ad and it will close. You can now watch the live stream without interruption.
- If you cannot watch ESPN live because there is an error message, it’s probably due to an outdated video driver on your computer. Update it first and then come back to the site. The video should play properly now.
If you want to see what else Time4TV has to offer, go the main homepage and place your mouse cursor over the menu. There you’ll see links to a wide range of sports channels, movie channels, news programs and more. Just click the one you want to watch, wait for the page to load and close any ads that pop up.
Coolsport.tv
Coolsport.tv is another website that’s devoted to sports programs and channels, and there are streams covering a vast array of sporting events for both European and American audiences. To watch ESPN here, follow these instructions.
- Go to Coolsport.tv.
- The live stream should play automatically. If it doesn’t, empty the cache on your browser and try again.
- If the stream is being obscured by an ad, look for the “x” on the ad and click it.
Just like Time4TV, coolsport.tv has links to other live streaming events, but the site is devoted exclusively to sports. To see what else the site is offering, go to the homepage where you’ll see links to all the available sporting events that are taking place today. Each broadcast is carried on a different stream, so you just need to click the stream link to watch ESPN online.
Stream2u.me
Stream2u.me is a website that provides free streaming of numerous sports channels and programs around the world, including ESPN. If you want to watch here, follow these steps.
- Go to Stream2u.me
- You’ll see links on the homepage for ESPN, the NBA, football matches and other sports events.
- Click the link for ESPN and choose one of the options that are available.
- Click one of those links and wait for the stream. Close any ads that pop up.
If you want to check out what else the website is offering, click the other links on the site just as you did with ESPN, and the streams will play the same way.
Go First Row
There are a lot of websites that you can go to for ESPN streaming, but for longtime online users, Go First Row remains the top choice for many reasons. For one thing, the quality of the streams is very high, and second, the site is always updated with the latest and biggest sporting events. Finally, Go First Row is easy to use and access.
Go to the link and you’ll see a list of the programs and channels that are currently available on the website. The link should take you to the stream and play it automatically. If you see a message stating that your media player needs to be updated, update it.
Other Ways to Watch ESPN Free Online
Aside from these websites there are other ways you can get ESPN online free. If for instance if you have a subscription to an affiliated ESPN video provider, you’ll have free access to WatchESPN, a mobile service that gives users access to different kinds of programming on the network. However, this is only available to those that have a subscription to one of their affiliates, so technically it isn’t free at all.
Troubleshooting Online Streaming Videos
If you have a fast Internet connection and your media player is up to date, there should be no problems with your ESPN stream. But if there is, it’s usually easy to fix.
If the video is blurry or the sound skips or stops, it’s probably due to a glitch in the stream itself, and usually isn’t a serious problem. If the playback quality is poor or freezes up, there are a number of possible reasons. If the problem persists, try the following.
- Refresh your browser or close the browser and open it again.
- Empty your browser cache.
- Close any other computer programs that may be open.
- Stop any other downloads that you are doing.
Usually trying one or all of those steps will fix the problem. On the other hand if the problem is audio and video not syncing, it’s usually because you’re downloading or sharing large files online. If this is the case, stop this activity and refresh the page.
Another common problem is when you go to the site and play the video, there’s nothing on except a black screen. If that’s what you see, it’s possible that you are running a content filter or your antivirus program is interfering with the stream. Another possible reason is your proxy accelerator is preventing the video from being streamed.
Finally, remember that the video quality of ESPN live streaming varies greatly from site to site and occasion to occasion. Because the service is free, it’s understandable that a lot of sports fans flock to it. What this means is that there will be times when the video quality will be HD and there will be days when it will be quite inferior.