How To Watch Big Ten Network (BTN) without Cable

Streaming Services with Big Ten Network

Thankfully, as with most cable content today, there are alternate ways to enjoy the channels and shows you want without forking over mountains of cash to a cable TV provider. You can stream BTN live on Sling TV, Hulu Live TV, fubo, YouTube TV, Vidgo, and DIRECTV STREAM. I give a brief summary of each of those services below, but if you want to get an idea of which service is best, check out my article: The Best Ways To Stream Live TV. In it, I break down the strengths and weaknesses of each service.

DIRECTV STREAM

BTN is channel 610 on DIRECTV STREAM. The streaming service carries BTN in its choice plan and normally costs $108.99 per month after a risk-free 5-Day Free Trial. However, there is a promotion running where you get first 2 months for $25 off. DIRECTV STREAM provides a cloud-based DVR, the ability to watch on unlimited devices on simultaneously on your home network. You can also watch on up to three devices away from home. You can check out everything this service offers by reading our DIRECTV STREAM review. The service starts you off with a no-risk 5-day free trial.

Direct TV’s Choice service is one of the best channel packages around for sports as the plan includes the entire ESPN family of channels, regional sports networks, and and normally costs $108.99 per month after a risk-free 5-Day Free Trial. However, there is a promotion running where you get first 2 months for $25 off.

Sling TV

BTN is available on Sling TV by subscribing to the Sling Blue package with the Sports Extra add-on for an extra cost of $11 per month. The Sports Extra Plan adds the following channels in addition to the channels in the Sling Blue plan: FS2, Golf Channel, Olympic Channel, MLB Network, MLB Network Strike Zone, NFL Redzone, Tennis Channel, NBA TV, Pac-12, NHL Network, beIN Sports, Outside Television, and Big Ten Network. Sling Blue also provides on-demand and a cloud DVR. The Sling Blue package with the Sports Extra channel plan is the most affordable way to watch BTN. The service costs $11 per month in addition to the $40 per month for Sling Blue, but provides 50% off your first month. Sign up at Sling's Website.

YouTube TV

YouTube TV also offers BTN streaming live, as well as limitless storage space for recording your shows. Your library of recorded shows can be streamed anywhere. YouTube TV costs $72.99 a month after a free trial. A subscription to YouTube TV costs costs $72.99 per month and offers a free trial. They are currently providing a special price of $52.99/mo for your first 3 months. per month. Be sure to check out our review of YouTube TV for more information. 

FuboTV

Fubo is an excellent place to go for sports channels, including BTN. Over 90 channels are offered in its standard package, including the entire ESPN family of channels. As shown in my review of FuboTV, the Pro plan comes with 1000 hours of cloud DVR storage and the ability to watch on multiple devices simultaneously. The streaming service costs $74.99 per month and offers a 1-week free trial.

Vidgo

Vidgo is a newer streaming service that offers fairly competitive pricing over other live streaming services. Vidgo includes BTN in its “Plus” package, along with over 80 other channels, as shown in our guide to Vidgo’s live streaming service. Vidgo doesn’t force you into a contract so that you can cancel at any time. Vidgo costs $69.99 per month. (Sign up)

Hulu Live TV

Previously Hulu was known for its vast on-demand streaming library. However, Hulu also offers a live TV service that includes Live BTN. Hulu Live TV is one of the best live TV streaming services available. Hulu Live TV also includes a subscription to ESPN+ and Disney+, Hulu On-Demand, multiple streams, and more as detailed in our review of Hulu Live TV. Hulu Live TV includes Disney+ and ESPN+ with unlimited DVR storage for $76.99/month. (Sign up). You can sign up for Live TV on Hulu’s website.

Streaming BTN on the Fox Sports app

If you subscribe to FuboTV, YouTube TV, Hulu Live TV, or Sling TV, you can watch BTN online using the Fox Sports app. Below are the steps to install Fox Sports and watch BTN on Roku. However, the steps for other streaming devices are similar.

1. Go to the channel store on your device.
2. Search for “Fox Sports.” You will see the “Fox Sports app.” Add it to your device. 
3. Open the app. If it’s your first time opening the app, you may be asked to create or sign in with your Fox Sports profile. You can skip this step.
4. You will then be asked to “Sign in with your TV provider.”
5. Select “other provider.”
6. You will then see an activation code and a URL (activate.foxsports.com)
7. Using a web browser, go to activate.foxsports.com and enter the activation code.
8. Still, on your browser, choose the streaming service you subscribe to for BTN. I use Hulu, but Hulu, Vidgo, Sling TV, fuboTV, and YouTube TV are acceptable. Sign in using your login credentials to that service
9. Your TV screen will refresh, and you will see BTN and other Fox sports networks available through the app.

The Fox Sports app is supported on the following devices:

• Android
• iOS
• Apple TV
• FireTV
• Android TV
• Xbox One
• Roku
• Samsung Smart TV

Watch Big Ten Games Not On TV

BTN also offers a service called B1G+ or Big 10 Plus, which lets you watch over 2000 non-televised games college football games on Roku, Fire TV, Android, and iOS devices. BTN plus costs $14.95/month or $119.95/year, and streams games not airing on TV for all schools in the Big Ten Conference. You can view these games on the BTN Plus app. This service unlocks all untelevised games from the following schools:

• University of Michigan
• Northwestern University
• Wisconsin University
• The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Penn State University
• Ohio State University
• Michigan State University
• Purdue University
• University of Minnesota
• Indiana University
• University of Iowa
• University of Nebraska
• Rutgers University
• University of Maryland

If you just want to watch one school, you can get the “School Pass” for $9.95 / month or $79.95 for the year. Remember, this will only provide access to games for that school not being televised that week.

How To Watch BTN+

You can watch BTN+ through the B1G+ app. You can download the app to any of the following supported devices.

• Android phones or tablets
• iPhones or iPads
• Roku
• Firestick
• Apple TV
• Xbox

You can also watch BTN+ in your browser.