Don’t have cable? This article explains how you can stream the next Chicago Bulls game and every Bulls game this season, no matter where you live.
Watch Every Bulls Game This Season
- Chicago Bulls TV Market: throughout Illinois, northwest Indiana, Iowa, Kenosha County, Wisconsin and southwest Michigan
- Best Solution when inside their TV Market: Nearly all Bulls games this season will air on NBC Sports Chicago this season. Only 2 games exclusive national broadcasts this year. Both are in January with one on TNT and the other on ABC. Hulu Live TV carries all three channels so you can watch every Bulls game this year. (All Bulls games airing nationally on ESPN this season are airing locally on NBC Sports Chicago)
- Best Solution when living Outside the Bulls TV Market: You can watch nearly all Bulls games on NBA League Pass (sign up online). NBA League Pass includes NBA TV so the occasional Bulls game airing there is covered. There are 4 Bulls games that you can’t watch this season on League Pass/NBA TV, 2 on ESPN, 1 on ABC, and 1 on TNT. If you are looking for a live TV service that will provide those channels then DIRECTV STREAM, Hulu Live TV, and YouTube TV will work. Just note that Hulu Live TV doesn’t carry NBA TV, so I would only pick Hulu if you already have League Pass.
- Sling TV could be an option for some. Sling Orange provides ESPN and TNT. But, if you subscribe to both the Blue and Orange package at $55 per month, you get ABC if you live in the broadcast range of the following stations: WABC-TV in New York, KABC-TV in Los Angeles, WLS-TV in Chicago, WPVI-TV in Philadelphia, KGO-TV in San Francisco, KTRK-TV in Houston, WTVD-TV in Raleigh-Durham and KFSN-TV in Fresno. Please note that Sling TV charges an extra $5 per month broadcast fee if you live in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia or San Francisco.
What Channel Are The Bulls On
Where you can watch the Chicago Bulls depends on whether or not you live inside the Chicago Bulls TV market, (throughout Illinois, northwest Indiana, Iowa, Kenosha County, Wisconsin, and southwest Michigan). If you live inside that market, you can watch Bulls games on NBC Sports Chicago. However, if you live outside that market, you will need ESPN, ABC, NBA TV, and TNT. Let’s take a look at your options based on where you live.
Watching Bulls Games In Market
If you live in the Bulls TV market, you can watch the Bulls on NBC Sports Chicago, the Bulls regional sports network. If you live in the Bulls broadcast areas, you can watch their regional sports network without cable on the following streaming services.
Hulu Live TV
Hulu Live TV offers NBC Sports Chicago at the cost of $76.99 per month. The service also provides ESPN, ABC, and TNT so you have every game covered if you live in Chicago or surrounding areas. You pay month to month with no contract so you can cancel at any time. The service supports iOS, Android, Fire TV, Chromecast, Apple TV, Roku, and more. The base price includes a cloud DVR and streams on two devices at once, but there is an option to upgrade to unlimited streams. Hulu Live TV also includes the Hulu streaming library, ESPN+, and Disney+. (see our review of Hulu Live TV)
DIRECTV STREAM
DIRECTV STREAM is a live streaming service that carries NBC Sports Chicago for those living in their broadcast region. However, you must subscribe to their “Choice” package for $108.99 per month. You can sign up online. They don’t force you into a contract, and you can cancel at any time. DIRECTV STREAM also carries ESPN, ABC, and TNT, with NBA TV, available in an upgraded channel package
The service also includes a cloud DVR service and allows you to simultaneously stream to an unlimited number of devices in the home, and up to 3 outside the home. DIRECTV STREAM is supported on Apple TV, Chromecast, Fire TV, iOS, Android, Roku, and more. See our review of DIRECTV STREAM for more details on this streaming service.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV also provides NBC Sports Chicago in the Bulls market. They also have TNT, NBA TV, and ABC in their base package for $72.99 per month. The live streaming service also includes a DVR and supports Android, iOS, Apple TV, Fire TV, Chromecast, and more. Like the other services, YouTube TV offers a free trial, cloud DVR, local broadcast channels, and many other features. Please read our review of YouTube TV for more details on their service.
FuboTV
fuboTV is a live streaming service that carries NBC Sports Chicago for those living in their broadcast region. They offer a 1-week free trial, which you can cancel within the trial period and not be charged. It’s also cheaper than DIRECTV STREAM at $74.99 per month, however, there is a $10-$13 RSN fee depending on where you live. I usually don’t recommend Fubo TV to NBA fans because the service lacks TNT. But, the Bulls only have a single game on TNT this season (January 18 against the Raptors), so fubo will provide 81 Bulls games this season as Fubo carries ESPN and ABC. Service is month-to-month with no long-term contract. The service supports iOS, Android, Fire TV, Chromecast, Apple TV, Roku, and more. The price includes a cloud DVR and the ability to stream on three devices at once. (see our review of FuboTV)
Watching Bulls Games Outside of Their TV Market
To watch Bulls games if you live outside the Chicago market, you will need NBA League Pass. NBA League Pass will show every Bulls game that isn’t exclusively airing nationally on ESPN, ABC, or TNT. League Pass now include NBA TV, so you miss those games. This season the Bulls only have 3 nationally broadcast games on ESPN, 1 on TNT, and 1 on ABC, so you should be able to watch 77 Bulls games through NBA League Pass this year. I provide option on streaming those national broadcasts later in the article.
NBA League Pass provides three ways to subscribe:
- Team Pass – Watch live, out-of-market games for the Chicago Bulls for $13.99 per month or $89.99 per year.
- League Pass – Watch live, out-of-market games for the Chicago Bulls and every other team for $14.99 per month or $99.99 per year.
- Premium League Pass – Watch live, out-of-market games for every team for $22.99 per month or $149.99 per year. (commercial-free)
Keep in mind that there are blackout rules in effect. Games won’t be aired live if:
- They are being broadcast on ESPN, ABC, or TNT. (NBA TV is included with a subscription to NBA League pass.
- They are being broadcast where you live on the regional sports network’s broadcast area that owns the rights to air NBA games in your area. You will need a streaming service that carries your regional sports network like DIRECTV STREAM (sign up), to watch those games.
Bulls Games on ESPN, NBA TV, and TNT.
DIRECTV STREAM or YouTube TV carries TNT, NBA TV, and ESPN. However, NBA TV is included with a subscription to NBA League Pass. Therefore, if you have League Pass your options also include Hulu Live TV, as they carry TNT and ESPN. One of those services in addition to a subscription to NBA League Pass will provide live access to every Bulls game if you live outside their TV market.
DIRECTV STREAM Choice includes TNT, ABC, ESPN, and NBA TV and costs $108.99 per month. You can take advantage of their 5-day free trial. and they don’t force you into a contract, so you can cancel at any time. The service also includes a cloud DVR service and allows you to simultaneously stream to an unlimited number of devices in the home, and up to 3 outside the home. DIRECTV STREAM is supported on Apple TV, Chromecast, Fire TV, iOS, Android, Roku, and more. See our review of DIRECTV STREAM for more details on this streaming service.
YouTube TV also provides ESPN, ABC, NBA TV, and TNT in their base package for $72.99 per month if you live in their broadcast area. The live streaming service also includes a DVR and supports Android, iOS, Apple TV, Fire TV, Chromecast, and more. Like the other services, YouTube TV offers a free trial, cloud DVR, local broadcast channels, and many other features. Please read our review of YouTube TV for more details on their service.
Hulu Live TV costs $76.99 per month. After you sign up, the service provides ESPN, TNT, and ABC so you can watch nationally televised NBA games. You pay month to month with no contract and can cancel at any time. The service supports iOS, Android, Fire TV, Chromecast, Apple TV, Roku, and more. The base price includes a cloud DVR and the ability to stream on two devices at once, but the option to upgrade to unlimited streams. Hulu Live TV includes Hulu streaming library. (see our review of Hulu Live TV)
