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How to watch Bally Sports Great Lakes: Best options 2024

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Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

In the days of cable TV and exclusive broadcast rights, it’s not always easy to figure out an affordable way to watch your hometown teams. Fans have often had to commit to lengthy, expensive cable contracts that include a lot of channels they don’t want just so they can catch their local games.

Thanks to live TV streaming services, all that has changed. Now, you can find channels like Bally Sports Great Lakes via several different services — without long-term contracts or bloated cable lineups. Wondering where to go for Bally Sports Great Lakes streaming? Read on to find out.

What is Bally Sports Great Lakes?

Bally Sports Great Lakes is a regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group and headquartered in Cleveland. It’s available in northeastern and central Ohio, along with portions of northwest Pennsylvania and western New York. The network covers professional, college, and high school sports in and around the Cleveland area, including MLB’s Cleveland Guardians, the NFL’s Cleveland Browns and the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters. It does not hold broadcast rights to the Cleveland Cavaliers, but its sister network, Bally Sports Ohio, carries those games and has some overlap with Bally Sports Great Lakes events.

Which streaming services offer Bally Sports Great Lakes?

If you want to stream Guardians games and other Cleveland sporting events on Bally Sports Great Lakes, you have two primary options: DIRECTV STREAM and Fubo. There’s also a direct-to-consumer option for Bally Sports Ohio, which includes some of Bally Sports Oklahoma’s programming. However, this does not include Cleveland Guardians games.


DIRECTV STREAM
Fubo
Hulu + Live TV
Sling TV
YouTube TV
Bally Sports Great Lakes






How to watch Bally Sports Great Lakes with Fubo

  • Pricing begins at $79.99/mo
  • 161+ live TV channels
  • Free trial available

Fubo was originally built for sports fans. Even though it has added a more diverse lineup of channels, its sports-first focus still shines through. This is one of the most affordable options for not only Bally Sports Great Lakes streaming but also catching most of the most popular events and entertainment available. Plans range from $74.99 to $99.99, and the service offers a nice menu of add-on options.

What sports offerings does Fubo provide? 

If you want to watch a lot of local, national and international sports without breaking the bank or making a long-term commitment, Fubo is one of your best options. The basic Pro plan includes far more sports coverage than any other streaming platform at that entry-level price point. With the Pro plan, you’ll have Bally Sports Great Lakes and Bally Sports Ohio, most of your local TV networks, and top national channels like beIN Sports, Big 10 Network, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, FS1, NFL Network and SEC Network. Here, you’ll find Guardians and Cavaliers matches, Blue Jackets games and all the top national and international events, from NASCAR races to Premier League soccer.

The top-tier plans offer significant ways to expand your sports coverage, too. The Elite plan includes networks for following your favorite leagues and college conferences, such as ACCN, MLB Network, NBA TV and NHL Network. You can add the Sports Plus add-on for $10.99 a month or upgrade to the Ultimate Plan to get it included. With this option, you’ll have access to in-depth coverage on channels like NFL RedZone, MLB Strike Zone, ESPNU, Tennis Channel, Pac 12 Network and more.

If you’re a fan of northern Ohio sports, Fubo is one of the most affordable ways to get Bally Sports Great Lakes streaming. Keep in mind, however, that Fubo doesn’t include TBS and TNT in its channel lineup, and that may leave some gaps in your national sports coverage.


How to watch Bally Sports Great Lakes with DIRECTV STREAM

  • Pricing begins at $79.99/mo
  • 75+ live TV channels
  • Free trial available

Fans who are familiar with cable TV packages and menus will feel right at home with DIRECTV STREAM, which is DIRECTV’s streaming spinoff of its standard cable plan. Here, you’ll find four different DIRECTV STREAM packages, all of which offer a range of sports, entertainment and news programming. To get Bally Sports Great Lakes, you’ll need to spring for the Choice plan or higher. That starts at $108.99 a month, and you’ll have plenty of options for adding on additional premium channels.

What sports offerings does DIRECTV STREAM provide? 

DIRECTV STREAM offers plenty of sports coverage, but you’ll have to pay for at least the Choice plan to get the most out of this service. The basic Entertainment plan does include ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, MotorTrend and your local network channels, but that’s fairly limited if sports are your top streaming priority. 

Once you opt for the Choice plan, though, you’ll find plenty to enjoy. Besides the above stations, the top three plans all include Bally Sports Great Lakes and Bally Sports Ohio, along with major national networks like Big 10 Network, ESPNEWS, ESPNU, MLB Network, NBA TV and NFL Network. Be sure to enter your ZIP code on the DIRECTV STREAM site to confirm which regional channels are available in your area.

These DIRECTV STREAM plans will give you access to Guardians and Cavaliers games, along with the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets. You can enjoy local college and high school sports and major national events like the Super Bowl, the World Series and Wimbledon. The Ultimate and Premier plans add even more sports coverage so you can keep up with events across the world.

DIRECTV STREAM’s biggest downside is its price. To get all the sports coverage you want, you can easily start racking up cable-like costs. There are no contracts, though, so this is one of the best ways to catch your favorite Ohio team this season without committing to a long-term deal.


How to watch Bally Sports Great Lakes on the app

Another option for watching your local Bally Sports content is the Bally Sports Plus streaming app. Programming includes coverage for 16 NBA teams and 12 NHL teams. MLB coverage is available in select regions with coverage for the Detroit Tigers, Milwaukee Brewers, Miami Marlins, Kansas City Royals and Tampa Bay Rays. In areas where more than one Bally Sports channel is available, you’ll find an option to bundle the channels for a discounted price.

If you already have a cable plan or streaming subscription, you can get access to the Bally Sports Great Lakes or Bally Sports Ohio live stream for free in the Bally Sports app. Simply download the app and enter your provider info to get connected. The app is currently available for iOS and Android mobile devices, along with Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Roku.

  • Pricing begins at $19.99/mo
  • 7-Day Free Trial
  • All Your Hometown Teams

Is livestreaming Bally Sports Great Lakes worth it? 

Bally Sports Great Lakes streaming offers fans of northern Ohio sports an easy way to keep up with their favorite teams. Whether you want to watch pro sports or keep tabs on your high school and college alma mater, you’ll find much of it here. Plus, streaming allows you to watch from anywhere without a long-term subscription. Whether you opt for DIRECTV STREAM, Fubo or Bally Sports’ own service, you’ve got several ways to stay connected.


FAQ

What Happened to Fox Sports RSNs?

In 2019, Diamond Sports Group bought out 21 regional Fox Sports networks, including SportsTime Ohio, which was owned by Fox Sports. The company later rebranded all of the networks under the Bally Sports name, and Bally Sports Great Lakes launched on March 31, 2021.

Does Amazon Prime have Bally Sports Great Lakes?

Amazon Prime does not offer Bally Sports Great Lakes. You do have the option to download the Bally Sports app for your Amazon Fire TV and watch Bally Sports Great Lakes. However, you’ll need a subscription to Fubo, DIRECTV STREAM, Bally Sports Plus or a cable network that carries Bally Sports Great Lakes in order to watch this way.

Can I watch Bally Sports Great Lakes for free?

All streaming services that offer Bally Sports Great Lakes or Bally Sports Ohio allow you to watch with a free trial to decide if you like the programming. Fubo and Bally Sports Plus both offer a seven-day free trial, and DIRECTV STREAM lets new subscribers try the service free for five days.

Luke Daugherty is a freelance writer, editor, and former operations manager based in St. Louis. His work covers business, marketing, and personal finance, as well as many of his personal passions, including coffee, music, and social issues.