Quick answer
National NBA games are on ABC, ESPN, NBC, Peacock and Prime Video, national NHL games are on ESPN, ABC, Hulu and TNT, and national MLB games are on Fox, NBC, Peacock, ESPN, Apple TV and Netflix. Out-of-market games are sold through NBA League Pass, ESPN+ for the NHL and MLB.TV, which ESPN took over in 2026, but all three black out your local team, whose games stay on regional sports networks. An IPTV service like TarakTV lists the national, regional and international sports channels people commonly look for in one guide, from 15 dollars a month, and you can test it with a free 24-hour trial.
- The NBA's 11-year deal with Disney, NBCUniversal and Amazon began in 2025-26 and runs through 2035-36.
- From 2026, ESPN sells MLB.TV for out-of-market games and holds in-market streaming for six teams.
- NHL out-of-market games stream on ESPN+, but local and some national games are blacked out.
- Local blackouts exist to protect regional sports networks and local broadcasters.
- A full season is long: 82 NBA and NHL regular-season games and 162 MLB games per team.
Why local teams get blacked out
A blackout means a game is hidden on a streaming package in your area. League Pass, ESPN+ and MLB.TV are built for fans who live outside their team's market, so they block games that a regional sports network or local station has paid to show near you.
Nationally televised games can also be blacked out on those packages because a national partner holds them. The result surprises many fans: the person living in their team's city often has the hardest time watching it.
NBA: national partners and League Pass
From the 2025-26 season, national NBA games are split three ways. ABC and ESPN show about 80 regular-season games, the Christmas Day games and the NBA Finals. NBC and Peacock show up to 100 regular-season games, including a Monday doubleheader on Peacock, plus All-Star weekend. Prime Video shows 66 games, the Play-In Tournament and the NBA Cup knockout rounds.
NBA League Pass covers out-of-market games and is also sold through Prime Video. Local games stay on regional sports networks or team streaming apps, which vary by city.
NHL: ESPN, TNT and out-of-market games
National NHL games in the US are on ESPN, ABC, ESPN+, Hulu and TNT. Out-of-market games stream through NHL Power Play on ESPN+ and the ESPN app, which ESPN said would include more than 1,050 out-of-market games in 2025-26. As with other out-of-market packages, your local team's games are blacked out there.
Fans in Canada follow a separate system with Canadian rights holders, and many Canadian fans also look for US feeds when their team plays an American opponent. Our guide shows both when the channels are in the line-up.
MLB: big changes for the 2026 season
Baseball's national TV map changed in 2026. ESPN took over MLB.TV for out-of-market games for all 30 teams and gained in-market streaming rights for six teams: the Twins, Diamondbacks, Guardians, Rockies, Padres and Mariners.
NBC and Peacock became the home of Sunday Night Baseball and the first round of the postseason. Netflix streams special events, including Opening Night, the Home Run Derby and the Field of Dreams Game. Fox kept the All-Star Game, the later playoff rounds and the World Series.
Local games for most other teams remain on regional sports networks, and MLB.TV still blacks them out in their home areas.
How TarakTV works for a long season
With 82 or 162 games a season, the cost of following a team adds up. TarakTV puts the channels people commonly look for, such as ESPN, TNT, Fox, NBC, regional sports networks and Canadian sports channels, into one app with a program guide. The yearly plan is 130 dollars, and the three-year and five-year plans bring the cost down further.
We do not have league licences or partnerships, and line-ups can change, so we never promise a specific game. During the free 24-hour trial, search the guide for your team's channel on a game night and see how it plays.
Catch-up is useful for baseball and West Coast games. On supported channels you can go back in the guide and start a game from the beginning if you got home late.
Devices, speed and time zones
For HD, plan on about 15 Mbps per TV, and about 25 Mbps for 4K. Hockey is fast and a weak Wi-Fi signal shows up as stutter, so use a wired Ethernet connection when you can.
TarakTV works on Fire TV Sticks, Android-based Smart TVs, phones and tablets via the Cast4K player app, and on TVIP and Yoka TV boxes that we ship to the US and Canada.
West Coast night games often start at 10 p.m. Eastern. The guide follows your device's time zone, so check the clock setting on your stick or TV if listings look off by a few hours.
- Add your team's regional channel to favourites at the start of the season.
- Use catch-up for late games where it is available.
- If a game stutters, switch from 4K to HD before blaming the channel.
- Contact WhatsApp support with the channel name if a feed is down.
Channels people look for
Line-ups change; ask for the current list or check during your free trial.
| Channel | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC | US sports network and network | NBA, NHL and MLB national games |
| TNT | US cable channel | NHL national games |
| NBC | US network | NBA games and Sunday Night Baseball |
| Fox and FS1 | US network and sports channel | MLB postseason and World Series |
| Regional sports networks | Local sports channels | Most local NBA, NHL and MLB games |
| NBA TV and MLB Network | League channels | Games, highlights and shows |
| Sportsnet and TSN | Canadian sports channels | NHL, Raptors and Blue Jays |
Frequently asked questions
Why is my local team blacked out on League Pass or MLB.TV?
Those packages are for out-of-market games. Your local team's games belong to a regional sports network or local station, so the package hides them in your area.
Who has MLB.TV in 2026?
From the 2026 season, ESPN sells and distributes MLB.TV for out-of-market games, while MLB still produces the games.
Where are NHL out-of-market games streamed?
In the US, out-of-market NHL games stream on ESPN+, with local and some national games blacked out.
Can I watch my local team with TarakTV?
TarakTV carries channels, not league packages, so it does not use those apps' blackout checks. Whether you can watch depends on the regional or national channel carrying the game, so check during the free 24-hour trial.
What speed do I need for NBA or NHL games?
About 15 Mbps per TV for HD and 25 Mbps for 4K. Use a wired connection for hockey and basketball, where fast motion shows buffering clearly.
Can I start a game from the beginning if I am late?
On channels that support catch-up, you can go back in the TarakTV guide and start the programme from the start.
Sources
TarakTV is an independent reseller and is not affiliated with the channels, leagues or broadcasters named on this page. Names are used only to describe what viewers look for. Check the rules where you live.