Football fans are getting absolutely hammered on streaming costs. Sky Sports wants £22 extra monthly on top of their £31.50 TV package. TNT Sports (the old BT Sport) hits you for £30.99. Add them together and you’re looking at £83+ monthly just to watch the matches you care about. That’s over a grand annually before you’ve even bought a pint at the pub.
The traditional packages are taking the piss with their pricing, but the streaming landscape has exploded with alternatives. Some brilliant, some rubbish, most confusing as hell. Nobody has time to work out which combination actually saves money while getting you the football you want.
Traditional Sky Sports vs Streaming: The Numbers Don’t Lie
This content is created in collaboration with Sportsbet. Before I begin I would like to say special thanks to the Sportsbet team for providing me with the correct data for this content.
Sky’s making you jump through expensive hoops. New customers pay £53.50 monthly for Sky TV plus Sky Sports Complete (£31.50 base + £22 sports). That gets you nine dedicated sports channels plus Sky Sports+. Existing Sky customers still fork out £22 extra monthly for sports. Both require 24-month contracts – that’s £1,284 locked in for two years if you’re new, or £528 extra for existing customers.
NOW TV (Sky’s streaming service) offers more flexibility but at a premium. Their Sports Month Membership costs £34.99 with no contract, or you can lock in six months for £26 monthly. Day passes run £14.99 – perfect for big matches but terrible value if you’re watching regularly. The six-month deal saves you £53.94 versus monthly rolling, but you’re still paying £156 upfront.
| Service | Monthly Cost | Contract | What You Get | Annual Cost |
| Sky Sports (New Customer) | £53.50 | 24 months | 9 channels + Sky Sports+ | £642 |
| Sky Sports (Existing) | £22 extra | 24 months | 9 channels + Sky Sports+ | £264 extra |
| NOW Sports Monthly | £34.99 | None | 11 Sky Sports channels | £419.88 |
| NOW Sports 6-Month | £26 | 6 months min | 11 Sky Sports channels | £312 |
| NOW Day Pass | £14.99 | 24 hours | 11 Sky Sports channels | Varies |
Virgin Media bundles look cheaper initially. Their Bigger Bundle + Sports costs £78.99 monthly including broadband, but that’s an 18-month commitment totaling £1,421.82. You get Sky Sports and TNT Sports together, which sounds good until you realize you’re paying for channels you might never watch.
TNT Sports: The Champions League Tax
TNT Sports (formerly BT Sport) underwent a messy merger with Eurosport that’s left UK fans paying through the nose. The Discovery+ platform now charges £30.99 monthly for TNT Sports alone, or £33.99 if you want their entertainment content too. That’s a 343% increase from the old Eurosport package that cost £6.99 monthly.
For existing BT/EE broadband customers, it’s slightly less painful at £20 monthly. Sky TV customers can add TNT for £30 monthly. Virgin Media includes it in certain bundles from £18 extra. But here’s the kicker – TNT has exclusive Champions League Tuesday matches, plus selected Premier League games. Miss those and you’re locked out of major fixtures.
| Provider | TNT Sports Cost | Additional Requirements | Total Monthly |
| Discovery+ Direct | £30.99 | None | £30.99 |
| BT/EE Customers | £20 | BT/EE broadband | £20 + broadband |
| Sky Add-on | £30 | Sky TV subscription | £61.50 minimum |
| Virgin Bundle | £18 extra | Virgin TV package | £78.99 total |
The sports-only tier makes zero sense for casual fans. You’re paying cinema subscription prices to watch maybe four Champions League matches monthly. The old GCN+ cycling coverage that cost £39.99 annually now requires this £371.88 yearly TNT subscription.
Amazon Prime: The Dark Horse
Amazon Prime Video flies under the radar but delivers genuine value. For £8.99 monthly (or £95 annually), you get 20 Premier League matches including Boxing Day fixtures, plus selected Champions League games. That’s on top of all the regular Prime benefits – delivery, movies, shows.
They’ve got exclusive Tuesday Champions League matches starting 2024, sharing with TNT Sports. The quality’s excellent, no extra sports package needed, and you can cancel anytime. For £95 yearly versus Sky’s £642, it’s a no-brainer if you’re selective about matches.
Free and Budget Alternatives
BBC and ITV still show major tournaments free. FA Cup finals, World Cups, Euros – all without subscription. BBC iPlayer and ITVX apps stream everything live and on-demand. Match of the Day remains free for Premier League highlights, though you wait until 10:30pm Saturday.
Radio commentary stays completely free. BBC Radio 5 Live covers every Premier League match, Champions League fixtures, and internationals. TalkSport provides alternative commentary. Not the same as watching, but £0 beats £83 monthly.
Pub viewing changes the economics entirely. £15-20 for three pints while watching beats any subscription if you’re only catching weekend matches. Split an Uber with mates and you’re still ahead financially. Plus you get atmosphere that no home setup matches.
The Smart Money Strategy
Nobody needs every channel year-round. Football has natural breaks – summer, international weeks, when your team’s knocked out of cups. Smart rotation saves hundreds.
August-May: NOW Sports six-month deal (£156) covers most of the season December: Already included, watch Amazon’s fixtures June-July: Cancel everything, tournaments are on BBC/ITV Total annual cost: £156 versus £1,000+ for full packages
The second screen approach works too. One mate has Sky, another has TNT, someone grabs Amazon Prime. Rotate hosting, bring beers, everyone wins. Technically you’re supposed to be in the same household but nobody’s checking if you’re quiet.
Complete Cost Comparison Table
| Setup | What You Get | Monthly Cost | Annual Cost | Best For |
| Sky + TNT + Amazon | Everything | £92.49 | £1,109.88 | Obsessives |
| NOW 6-Month + Amazon | Most matches | £34.99 avg | £407 | Regular viewers |
| Amazon Prime only | 20 PL + some CL | £8.99 | £95 | Casual fans |
| Pub + streaming trials | Social viewing | £40-60 | £480-720 | Weekend watchers |
| Mate’s login | Depends | £0 | £0 | Lucky bastards |
Hidden Costs Nobody Mentions
Boost packages sting you extra. NOW charges £6 monthly for HD streaming – standard definition in 2025 is taking the piss. Sky’s UHD costs another £7 monthly. Virgin’s 4K adds £7. You’re watching football on a pixelated mess without these.
Device limits catch people out. Standard NOW allows one stream only. Need two TVs running? That’s Boost for £6 extra. Sky Go limits you to two devices registered, changing them requires waiting 30 days.
Broadband requirements get ignored. 4K streaming needs 25Mbps minimum. HD wants 5Mbps. Shit broadband means buffering during crucial moments. Factor in broadband upgrades if yours can’t handle it.
Contract exit fees murder your flexibility. Sky charges remaining months if you leave early. Virgin hits you with early termination fees. Even “flexible” services auto-renew unless you remember to cancel.
Making Money While Watching
The integrated betting features across these platforms create interesting dynamics. Live odds displayed during matches, cash-out options flashing during tense moments, acca builders built into the viewing experience. Sky Bet, integrated into Sky Sports, makes it seamless – perhaps too seamless for some.
Setting aside £20 monthly for small stakes provides entertainment value comparable to subscription costs. A fiver on weekend accumulators, tenner on your team winning, odd punt on first goalscorer. Win occasionally and it subsidizes the streaming costs. Lose and you’ve spent less than a full sports package.
The key is treating it as entertainment budget, not investment. The same £30 you’d spend on TNT Sports could cover six £5 bets monthly, potentially more engaging than watching Bournemouth versus Burnley just because you’ve paid for it.
The Verdict
Traditional packages are gouging loyal customers. £1,000+ annually for Sky and TNT Sports is mental when most people watch maybe 10 teams regularly. The premium they charge for “convenience” doesn’t justify the cost anymore.
Smart streaming rotation wins. Six months of NOW (£156) plus Amazon Prime (£95) gets you 80% of the football for £251 annually. That’s £850 saved versus the full traditional package. Use that for match tickets, away days, or actual life experiences.
Free alternatives remain underrated. BBC/ITV tournaments, radio commentary, pub viewing – combine these with selective streaming and you’re sorted. No point paying for Carabao Cup early rounds or dead rubber Champions League group matches.
The streaming landscape keeps fragmenting, prices keep rising, but options for savvy viewers keep expanding. Don’t let FOMO drive you into expensive contracts. Pick what matters, rotate services, and remember – it’s only football. Though telling yourself that when your team’s in a title race is easier said than done.
