At this point in the year I would normally be sitting in my seats at Petco Park cheering on my Padres but … these are unique times. While the first half of the year was dominated by cancelations and questions about if we’d ever have a chance to watch our favorite athletes this year, right now is an exciting time for sports fans. That is assuming of course that you have good high-speed internet and cable so you can watch the games live!
In normal times, those guys who “cut the cord” could get away with not having access to ESPN or Fox Sports to watch basketball, hockey, football, and baseball but right now what I’ve discovered is that even with apps like MLB.tv that can stream games to your mobile devices as well as streaming boxes … local market blackouts often still apply.
Unless you have a cable television subscription for instance with Cox Communications.
How To Watch Your Favorite Teams Live
For the most part, this isn’t going to be a complicated process to watch your favorite sports live this year but it requires a little bit of planning.
Visit Your Team Websites To Find the Schedule Of What’s On When
This is obviously the first step since different teams have partnerships with different TV networks as well as streaming apps. For instance while Padres games are on Fox Sports or I can use FOX Sports GO mobile app, to watch hockey I need to load up NBC Sports.
Other sporting events such as IMSA Racing are only on NBC Sports Network for certain games while other races are on their own streaming networks such as IMSA.TV, so it is very important that you check the schedule for every game, match, race, or sports event you want to watch.
Use Recording Technologies Like Contour From Cox If Games Overlap
In normal times, games are pretty spread out with only a little bit of overlap. Nothing is normal this year though. Right now, we have baseball, NBA playoffs, and Hockey playoffs all at the same time and on top of that, we have Soccer, Football, NASCAR, IndyCar, and lacrosse too.
While you could watch two games at the same time using “Picture In Picture” or have one on the TV while you watch another on your mobile device, that really isn’t the best experience for a true sports fan. Instead, pick the one you want to watch live and record the other using Contour from Cox Communications.
Make It Social!
Most of us are still compelled to social distance and while watching baseball at a bar with buddies is way more fun than simply watching it from home - that doesn’t mean you can’t still be social.
For instance, facetime with your friends between periods in hockey or maybe even plan a virtual Seventh Inning Stretch to bring the gang together.
Make It Virtual!
While technology is still primitive, the NBA is a pioneer in delivering a virtual basketball experience to users with Gear VR through their NBA on TNT VR app that included select games and the NBA Playoffs. You can quite litterally watch the games live courtside and when you consider the price of ACTUAL tickets, the cost of buying a VR headset isn't actually that bad.
Sports Food and Tailgating Are In Full Swing
Again, while we’re not having 20 people over to watch Vegas in the Stanley Cup finals (Hopefully!) … we can still celebrate with homegating treats such as popcorn, wings, and drinks.
Like many of you, my kitchen has gone from a modest place to prepare food to one that is prepared for virtually anything now. I have a blender for margaritas, an air fryer for wings, and a new slow cooker for chili. Let’s put those to work making up some tasty treats.
Ultimately, this year is about what you make from it. While some will simply sit back and complain - others look at this as a chance to innovate and come together while trying new things. Beyond everything else though, I’m extremely happy with how fast and stable my COX cable and internet service has been despite the fact that everyone is streaming constantly right now. We might not have much right now but we can depend on them to deliver some great games this fall to keep us cheering!
