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Streaming Sports in Australia: Watch the action on the go with these services
Whether you're mad for MMA or nuts for NRL, there are tailor-made online services fit for any fan.
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Streaming sports and broadcast rights in Australia
Sports streaming Finder™ helps you easily compare streaming services for sport. While sports streaming is still in its relative infancy here in Australia, there's still a robust ecosystem of sporting competitions available to stream.
Quite often they are available through a mobile provider who has acquired the digital rights in order to provide an incentive for new customers. These mobile providers can offer you access to the sport that won't count against your monthly data allowance.
Below we've listed out some of the major Australian and international sports competitions and the broadcasters and distributors that currently hold the rights. For a more in-depth look at which company currently holds the rights to your favourite league, head over to our broadcast rights guide.
Compare sports streaming platforms
Depending on the sport you want to watch, there are a generally a few ways to watch your team play online. There's a growing trend towards dedicated apps, which promise not only to stream live broadcasts but conveniently curate highlight reels, plus interview shows, on-demand replays and even multiple camera angles.
These apps are generally available for mobile and tablets on both iOS and Android platforms, but there are also Smart TV and streaming device apps that let you enjoy a dedicated big screen experience.
Because the Internet is global, there's also the ability to access global sporting competitions, with apps for US sports like the NBA and NFL all readily available, with either annual or monthly subscription passes offering access to the games.
We're still a long way away from streaming becoming the dominant way to watch your favourite sporting match, with big money spent on broadcast rights for all the major Australian sports. In many cases, the only way to watch certain sports online is via Foxtel Now, which retransmits the Fox Sports channels through the Internet.
But there are more sports being made available for digital streaming every year, so even if your sport of choice isn't currently available to stream, expect it to arrive sooner rather than later.
What you need to stream sports in Australia
Thanks to broadcasting rights, sports streaming is generally limited to mobile or tablet devices, although there is no hard and fast rule for device support. You'll need to check device compatibility for whatever sport you want to watch.
Because streaming rights tend to be targeted to mobile devices, mobile phone carriers have been spending big to gain those rights. Some providers use the digital sports platform as a tool to entice customers.
If you want to watch the EPL in Australia, for example, Optus offers its existing broadband or mobile customers free subscriptions. In other cases, such as Telstra's NRL and AFL apps, you can access the apps regardless of whether you're a Telstra customer or not, though Telstra users will get to watch without worrying about the impact on their data allowance.
Of course, there's nothing quite like watching the game on the big screen. Again though, from a streaming standpoint, you are at the mercy of the licensing deals.
Some sports offer dedicated Smart TV apps, as well as apps for platforms like Apple TV. Others will let you beam a mobile connection to your TV via a Chromecast or Airplay connection. Others won't let you watch on a TV at all.
The one factor that is common to pretty much every sport streaming service is that you'll need to pay to access it. In some cases, the cost of streaming is included as an add-on to another service. But as a rule, you'll have to pay to watch sports online. Head over to our streaming devices guide for more information on the equipment you will need to kick off.
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Ask an Expert
How can I view the 2018 moto gp series online or on tv .I live in st helens tasmania which appears not to be served by foxtel satellite tv.
Hi Richard, thanks for your inquiry!
Please refer to the link I have sent to your email for the 2018 Moto GP calendar on channel ‘ONE’.
Best,
Jonathan