ESPN3 without TV subscription.
Trikein
Enthusiast - Level 3

Hello everyone. Just a quick question. I was recently trying to watch ESPN3 content found at  https://www.espn.com/watch/ but it was giving me the error below. It was my understanding that you did NOT need a TV subscription for ESPN3 content. Is something broken or is this by design?

ESPN subscription required.

To watch ESPN, you must subscribe to a Fios TV package that includes ESPN, such as Preferred HD and above.

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Re: ESPN3 without TV subscription.
clem21
Community Leader
Community Leader

I went here on a Windows 10 PC, and was able to watch ESPN3 content using the MS Edge browser. I had to put in my TV provider credentials first, so I have to assume you can't watch without a TV provider package of some kind.

https://www.espn.com/watch/catalog/3e99c57a-516c-385d-9c22-2e40aebc7129

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Re: ESPN3 without TV subscription.
Trikein
Enthusiast - Level 3

I found my answer here. Basically, yes, you need a TV subscription. I thought at one point you didn't. Can anyone confirm or am I going crazy?

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Re: ESPN3 without TV subscription.
clem21
Community Leader
Community Leader

@Trikein wrote:

I found my answer here. Basically, yes, you need a TV subscription. I thought at one point you didn't. Can anyone confirm or am I going crazy?


I believe to watch ANY TV content from Fios, you need to be subscribed to a Fios TV package. You can stream any content you have apps for that allow that as part of an internet only package, but for anything in a pay TV package you'd have to subscribe to a Fios package that included that station.

Re: ESPN3 without TV subscription.
Trikein
Enthusiast - Level 3

Could you define the difference between ESPN/2 and ESPN3 then? If you need a a TV package for ESPN and ESPN2, I thought ESPN3 was different. I tried looking at their FAQ but it doesn't really go into detail.

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Re: ESPN3 without TV subscription.
clem21
Community Leader
Community Leader

According to Wikipedia:

In the United States, the network is available to individuals who receive their high-speed Internet connection or cable television subscription from an affiliated service provider. Since 2008, ESPN3 has also been available to approximately 21 million U.S. college students and U.S.-based military personnel via computers with college/university (.edu) and U.S. military (.mil) IP addresses. ESPN3 is only available to Internet providers who pay fees to ESPN. ESPN3 is not carried by traditional cable and satellite providers, as it is not a single channel, but streams multiple live events at the same time; however, ESPN includes a listing for a linear "ESPN3" channel (which only includes one event at a time) in the television listings on its website. As part of the wide-ranging distribution agreement that DirecTV and The Walt Disney Company announced, ESPN3 was made available to DirecTV customers in early 2015.[9] In December 2016, ESPN started the nationwide rollout of the ESPN App on DirecTV set top boxes in five states, which allows customers to stream thousands of live events from ESPN3 on their DirecTV set top boxes.[10] The nationwide rollout was completed in February 2017.[11]

On November 1, 2010, ESPN3 launched on Xbox Live. This service allows Xbox Live members to access live sporting events on ESPN3, among other offerings, at no additional cost. At launch, Xbox Live Gold membership was required to access the ESPN app; however, with the June 2014 update to Xbox Live, Gold membership is no longer required to access ESPN on Xbox 360 or Xbox One.[12] Dish Network added ESPN3 in April 2014.[13] In September 2016, ESPN3 was made available on over-the-top online video service Sling TV.[14]

Some internet service providers have complained to the FCC that ESPN3 (along with other services that use the TV Everywhere system) violates the principles of network neutrality.[15][16][17] ESPN3 bundles its content into the fees of the participating ISP, regardless of whether or not users partake in accessing its content. If a particular ISP does not pay subscription fees to ESPN, users of that ISP are not granted access to ESPN3. There is no way for individual users to overcome these access restrictions as ESPN3 does not provide subscription options for individual users or any other non-ISP entities, and because most ISPs operate in specific territories without competition, a subscriber cannot access ESPN3 unless a participating ISP actually operates in the area. ESPN's only recommended solution in such a situation is to have the consumer lobby an ISP that is available in their area to add ESPN3.

So I'm as confused as you are......

Re: ESPN3 without TV subscription.
clem21
Community Leader
Community Leader

I went here on a Windows 10 PC, and was able to watch ESPN3 content using the MS Edge browser. I had to put in my TV provider credentials first, so I have to assume you can't watch without a TV provider package of some kind.

https://www.espn.com/watch/catalog/3e99c57a-516c-385d-9c22-2e40aebc7129

Re: ESPN3 without TV subscription.
Trikein
Enthusiast - Level 3

It's weird that a TV provider is required when the Wiki only talks about ISP, or internet provider. Thanks for your help.

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Re: ESPN3 without TV subscription.
clem21
Community Leader
Community Leader

@Trikein wrote:

It's weird that a TV provider is required when the Wiki only talks about ISP, or internet provider. Thanks for your help.


Guess there really is no free lunch....

Re: ESPN3 without TV subscription.
LawrenceC
Moderator Emeritus

I would like to thank everyone for taking the time to post your comments and opinions related to this topic. This topic has been thoroughly discussed and will now be closed. Please feel free to open a new thread for further discussion. Thank you.

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