For the basketball-obsessed, the NBA League Pass is an absolute must. Since its launch way back in the mid-90s, it has become a game changer for getting an NBA live stream.
But which package should you select to see the games you most want? Is it available where you are? How much are you going to have to spend? And can you watch from abroad, too? You're in the right place to discover the answers to all of those questions and much more information on the NBA League Pass.
Where is the NBA League Pass available?
Residents of the US aren't the only lucky ones who have access to all the live action and added extras of the NBA League Pass.
Thanks to the International League Pass, basketball fans as far and wide as Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Japan, the UK, Europe and many, many more get to watch just as much - and, in some case, even more - action then their American friends.
In fact, the list of countries that don't have access to the International League Pass is probably easier to list - you can see that on the NBA support website here, but you probably won't be surprised to see North Korea, Cuba and Iran all on there.
NBA League Pass packages
Naturally, the NBA League Pass price differs from region to region (more on which below), but the available packages are roughly the same wherever you are in the world. They are as follows:
League Pass
The most popular of the service's subscriptions, League Pass offers live and on demand coverage of every NBA game of the regular and post season.
If you're an International NBA League Pass subscriber, that literally does mean you can watch every single game as they're played live.
But things are a little bit more restricted for US viewers. Local blackout rules mean you have to wait three days to catch up. While you also won't be able to watch nationally broadcast games that are being shown live on ESPN, ABC, TNT or NBA TV until three hours after the broadcast finishes. And yes, that does mean that the playoff finals aren't shown live on the League Pass.
Team Pass
Only care about your guys? Then a Team Pass might be a better fit for you, so that you're not wasting money on basketball games that you couldn't give two shakes about.
The Team Pass takes the League Pass and trims the fat so that the only coverage you have access to are the games featuring your favorite franchise.
The same restrictions apply in the US as with the main League Pass, so the only games you can watch live are the ones that are out-of-market.
League Pass Premium
Takes the League Pass and removes all the pesky commercials. The other bonus here is that you can watch on two devices at the same time, so you can stream two games at once or share the cost out with a friend or family member.
NBA TV Live (US only)
NBA TV is effectively a national TV channel dedicated to NBA nuts. As well as letting you watch multiple NBA games each week, it runs 24 hours a day with features, original content, exclusive features, game press conferences and much more.
You have the option to add NBA TV to the US League or Team Pass, too.
3-Game Choice/8-Game Choice (International only)
If you're more of a casual NBA fan or are worried that time zones mean that you just won't get enough value from a full on League Pass, then this subscription could be a useful alternative. Very much as it sounds, you pick three or eight games per month to watch live and/or on demand.
Depending on where you are in the world will decide on whether you can choose a 3- or 8-Game Choice sub. For example, the former is available in the UK, but Down Under only the 8-Game version is possible to purchase.
Day Pass (International only)
Just want to dip in and out every so often? No prizes for guessing that a Day Pass gets you 24-hour access to everything available to League Pass customers. And you can pack a LOT of b-ball into a single day.
How much is the NBA League Pass price?
The NBA League Pass price goes down over the course of the season, which makes sense... you wouldn't want to pay the price for a whole season if you only sign up halfway through or just for the playoffs.
At the start of the 2020-21 season, this is how much the different NBA League Pass packages cost in the US, UK and Australia (where appropriate):
- League Pass: $199.99 / £179.99 / AU$239.99
- Team Pass: $119.99 / £99.99 / AU$169.99
- League Pass Premium: $249.99 / £209.99
- NBATV Live TV: $59.99
- 3-Game Choice: £31.99 / 8-Game Choice: AU$109.99
- Day Pass: £5.99
Do I have to commit to NBA League Pass for a year?
If shelling out for a whole season of NBA feels a bit extravagant (or perhaps you just want to give it a test run before fully committing) then you can always grab a monthly pass instead.
As you might expect, it works out as less good value in the long term. For example, in the US a League Pass and Team Pass are $28.99 and $17.99 a month respectively. But if you know there are large chunks of the season that you just won't watch, then this might just be a better fit for your viewing habits.
What devices can I watch NBA League Pass on?
The NBA League Pass support website lists the following devices as available to watch via (at the time of writing):
- iOS
- Android
- Roku
- Xbox One and Series X
- Android TV
- PlayStation 4 and 5
- Apple TV
- Amazon Fire Stick, Fire TV and Fire tablet
- Chromecast
- Oculus (US only)
How do I watch NBA from abroad?
VPNs have become a brilliant way to stream safely on public Wi-Fi, while also providing an opportunity to stream geographically restricted content. The second of those is great if you're trying to stream stuff from abroad that becomes blocked by virtue of where you're based - that seems fair, considering you may have already paid for that service.
It's worth noting that many people also use these streaming VPNs to get around blackout restrictions on their NBA League Pass. In the League Pass terms and conditions however, it's clear that such activity is a breach.
Whatever reason you require this software, ExpressVPN comes out on top of them all. It combines speedy connections and simplicity of use with fantastic security technology. Plus, it's got a great track record of unblocking geo-restricted streaming sites and we also like that it's compatible with devices including iOS, Android, Amazon Fire Stick, PlayStation, Apple TV and loads more.
Crucially, ExpressVPN's genuinely helpful 24/7 live chat support really stands out. If you're struggling to find a server that works with the service you're streaming, an advisor should be able to help set you straight.
Sign up now and get the benefit of a 30-day money back guarantee and 3-months FREE, so you can see if it's right for you with no strings attached. Once you've downloaded the software, just follow the prompts to install it then select the location you want to relocate your IP address to - it really is that easy.
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