Live sports and television streaming services have exploded in popularity in recent years. As cable subscriptions decline, more and more people are cutting the cord and turning to online streaming platforms to get their entertainment fix. However, with the plethora of streaming options now available, it can get confusing to determine which services are actually legal, especially when it comes to watching live soccer streams today.
In this comprehensive guide, we'll break down exactly what constitutes a legal streaming service, the best legal options for streaming sports and TV, and the pros and cons of using these legal streaming platforms versus illegal streaming sites or apps. We'll also provide tips for getting the most out of your streaming experience as a sports fan or cord cutter.
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What Makes a Streaming Service Legal?
When it comes to live streaming platforms, the legality typically comes down to licensing. Legal streaming services have proper licensing agreements in place with leagues, networks, studios, and other rights holders to allow them to distribute copyrighted content online.
Illegal streaming sites and apps, on the other hand, do not have these agreements in place. Instead, they are unlicensed operations that use pirated streams or links to broadcast content without permission. This constitutes copyright infringement.
Some key signs a streaming service is legal include:
- They are upfront about being an official service of a major league, network, or platform. Services like NFL Sunday Ticket, ESPN+, and HBO Max all clearly state their relationships with content rights holders.
- They provide details on their content licenses and streaming rights. Sony's Playstation Vue, for example, lists the specific channels and networks they have streaming rights for.
- They charge fair market rates and fees for subscriptions rather than relying solely on sketchy ads or user donations. Services like YouTube TV, Hulu Live, and Sling TV all charge competitive subscription rates to legally license content.
- They have legitimate contact information and customer service. Legal streaming services want to maintain a positive brand reputation and have protocols in place for addressing issues.
- They avoid promoting illegal streaming or piracy. Legal services have no incentive to point users towards unlicensed content.
Paying close attention to these factors can help identify whether a streaming service is operating above board or not. When in doubt, researching the streaming site or app should clarify if it has proper licensing. Are streaming services legal? As long as they meet the criteria outlined above, you can be assured they are.
Best Legal Sports Streaming Services
For sports fans looking to watch games online without cable, there are a number of legal sports streaming services to choose from. Here are some of the best options for legally streaming live soccer:
ESPN+For just $9.99/month, sports lovers can subscribe to ESPN's dedicated streaming service ESPN+. It provides thousands of live events, original shows & exclusives across NFL, MLB, NHL, Soccer, UFC, and much more.
DAZNThis popular sports streaming upstart carries live boxing, MMA, and other fight sports in addition to NFL, MLB, soccer, and motorsports. It's only $19.99 per month after a 1-month free trial.
Sling TV, Hulu Live TVThese popular cable replacement streaming services also include comprehensive sports programming options from ESPN, FS1, NBCSN, and league networks. Their starting prices are very affordable.
The key is doing research to find the sports streaming services that carry the content you want for the best value. Fortunately, there are plenty of legal options available for every major sport at reasonable prices. Sports streaming does not have to mean sailing the seven seas of piracy.
Pros & Cons of Soccer Legal Streaming Services
What are the main advantages and potential drawbacks of using legal streaming platforms over free but technically illegal sites? Here's a quick rundown:
Pros:
- High-quality, reliable HD streams
- No risk of malware infections from sketchy sites
- Available across multiple devices, including mobile
- No pop-up-laden or difficult-to-navigate interfaces
- Official broadcasts with comprehensive game coverage
- DVR and on-demand replay options
- Legal protection from lawsuits/prosecution
Cons:
- Monthly subscription fees add up, usually $40-$80 range
- Potential for streaming blackouts or restrictions
- Missing niche sports or limited regional programming
- Possible lag/buffering issues during peak traffic times
- Can't stream outside of home wifi without TV Everywhere auth
The pros of quality, reliability, and legality are the biggest draws towards legal streaming services for most fans. But cord-cutting newbies should understand the limitations around blackouts, available channels, and streaming on the go. Doing a trial run first is recommended.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of Legal Streaming
Here are some handy tips to maximize your legal streaming experience as a sports fan or cord cutter:
- Take advantage of free trial periods to test services out first
- Compare channel lineups & sports coverage to pick optimal service(s)
- Learn where to find games airing nationally vs. just in-market
- Invest in faster/more reliable home internet if lag is an issue
- Look into TV antennas to supplement with local broadcast channels
- Check the availability of TV network apps for additional streaming options
- Determine if TV Everywhere credentials from a provider unlock more content
- Use a streaming device like Roku or Fire TV for a better interface experience
Out of all the options, using an antenna and official TV network apps (eg. FOX Sports app) provides the easiest and most affordable ways to augment a core paid streaming service. Optimize your setup using the tips above and you'll have a sports streaming utopia without having to sail the sketchy seas.
Conclusion
While the money saved and unrestricted access to unauthorized streaming sites is appealing, it's simply not worth the risks and inconsistent experience. Malware infections, sudden shutdowns, and choppy pirate streams can quickly ruin a viewing session. With so many sports and TV streaming services now affordable and available, there's no reason for fans to sail the stormy seas.
Rather than using shady sites with intrusive ads and poor quality, check out the legal HD soccer streams available at AMZ Football. AMZFutbol provides crystal clear HD streams of top soccer leagues like the English Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, and Ligue Un and major tournaments like the UEFA Champions League.
Fans can easily find live games every week and even enjoy on-demand replays of great matches. And the service is very reasonably priced compared to other soccer streaming options on the market. Ditch the flaky illegal streams and elevate your soccer fandom with AMZ Football!