Sling TV Offers $5 ESPN Pass For Monday Night Football

Want Monday Night Football without a new subscription to live TV? Not everyone knows it, but there is a one-day Sling TV option that lets you stream ESPN for $4.99 total — not bad if your goal is to watch the game without having to move over to Hulu + Live TV or Fubo.

What Sling TV’s $5 ESPN Day Pass Includes and Costs

Sling TV offers short-term channel passes that open up certain Sling Orange networks (including ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN3) for a limited period.

You can purchase a 24-hour pass for $4.99, go for the weekend at $9.99 or splurge on a full week at $14.99. There is no trial to cancel and no recurring charge to worry about; access simply stops when your pass expires.

For patchwork viewing, that makes the per-month cost of live TV bundles look steep by comparison. Nielsen has said Monday Night Football typically reaches more than 15 million people on all devices, and most of them want ESPN only that one night — not an $80-a-month sub.

How To Watch Monday Night Football With The Pass

That may feel a bit steep for just five games, but no worries: You can use the service to sign up for Sling TV’s packages, choose the 24-hour (or longer) pass and watch ESPN. Once your pass is ready and waiting, fire up the Sling TV app on whatever device you plan to watch Monday Night Football on and head over to ESPN.

If you like the alternate feed, look for ESPN2 screening it in the popular quarterback commentary format whenever possible. Some of the matchups will also be featured on ESPN3 with additional feeds. You don’t need the entire Sling Orange plan as long as the pass includes the game window.

Tip: Warm up 30 minutes before kickoff. High-traffic conditions may cause app logins or device updates to take longer than usual.

How It Compares To Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, and YouTube TV

Hulu + Live TV, Fubo and YouTube TV all offer access to ESPN, but are meant for month-in, month-out use — and approach or cross the $75-per-month line before taxes and regional fees add more. If all you care about is tonight’s game, a $4.99 pass amounts to a tiny fraction of the cost.

You may still want a full package if you’re an avid sports watcher seeking more comprehensive coverage and DVR. But if you’re a cord-cutter who switches service on and off with the calendar, short-term access is the savvier spend. Antenna, a research firm, has been tracking monthly streaming churn above 6 percent to demonstrate just how many households hop in and out in order to save money.

Limitations and Fine Print for Sling’s ESPN Day Pass

By design, the day pass is lean. Anticipate limited Cloud DVR, if any, and don’t expect multi-stream privileges beyond what you get with Sling Orange. Streams can lag cable or over-the-air broadcasts by 20 to 60 seconds, and that matters if you’re second-screening social media.

ESPN’s main Monday Night Football telecast is not subject to regional blackouts, but games may be added or rescheduled under certain conditions. Schedules are subject to change, and not all events are available in all areas. Rights to highlights on ESPN.com are limited.

Be sure to confirm the game assignment in the ESPN listings in Sling prior to purchase.

Devices and setup tips to stream ESPN on Sling TV

Sling’s app is available on all major platforms, including Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV/Google TV, iOS devices like iPhone and iPad, Android smartphones and tablets, and web browsers. For the slickest experience, update your app and ensure that your device is connected to a reliable connection of 10 Mbps or faster (such as Wi‑Fi) for high-definition video while closing those bandwidth-killing downloads during play.

Other Options To Watch MNF Without Changing Providers

See whether your matchup is simulcast on ABC where you live. If that is the case, a cheap indoor antenna might be all you need to pull it in free over the air. The ESPN app also streams MNF, but you need a pay-TV password that includes ESPN in order to watch, and ESPN+ alone does not include the traditional Monday Night Football game telecast; this is emphasized by the WWL in its support materials.

Bottom line: is Sling’s $5 ESPN day pass worth it?

If you’re looking to watch the exclusive package of Monday Night Football and do not want to plop down for a redeployment of your entire streaming setup, then this $5 Sling TV day pass for ESPN is the most straightforward, least expensive play in town.

It’s also a pointed, no-strings remedy that gives you the game, the alternate telecast on ESPN2 when available and nothing you don’t need.