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Sling TV Brings Live Sports To Cord-Cutters

This article is more than 9 years old.

Dish Network has announced a new over-the-top streaming service that offers cord-cutters live sports programming by including  ESPN in its channel lineup. Sling TV, named after the mediabox subsidiary Dish purchased back in 2007, will also include popular networks like TNT, TBS, Food Network, HGTV, Travel Channel, Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, Disney Channel, ABC Family and CNN.

The internet-only service will cost $20 per month, and require no commitment or  contract, according to the company's press release. Set for launch during the first quarter of 2015, Sling TV is expected to be compatible with Roku set-top devices, Amazon Fire TV models, Microsoft's Xbox One, Google Nexus Players, iOS and Android mobile devices and desktop Macs and PCs, alongside select smart TVs from LG and Samsung.

Additional programming content will be made available as part of higher cost add-on packs and users will be able to access a 3-day replay window for certain channels. You can get more details in my hands-on review.

The big news of course is the inclusion of ESPN, marking the first time users can watch the sports programming network without a traditional pay TV subscription.  With HBO having already announced plans for its own standalone streaming service, a rising commitment to original programming by both Netflix and Amazon, and a growing number of set-top devices, the shift towards streaming video on televisions has been gaining rapid momentum. Here's a look at what this means for the short and long-term future of cable providers.

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