Sports Streaming · Tool Face-Off

NBA League Pass vs YouTube TV

Quick answer

NBA League Pass owns basketball obsessives; YouTube TV is the all-rounder for fans who want more than one sport on their plate.

NBA League Pass

Every hoop, every night, no excuses.

2.9★

Our pick

YouTube TV

Your cable replacement with actual good vibes.

4.2★

Monthly Price

~$14.99/mo (Team Pass) or ~$99.99/season (All Teams)

~$72.99/mo base

Annual NBA Games Available

1,230+ out-of-market games

~100 nationally televised games (TNT, ESPN, ABC)

Local Market Blackouts

Yes — home & away teams blacked out locally

Local RSNs included in some markets; no blackout policy

Live Local Channels

Yes — ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox affiliates

Non-NBA Sports

None

NFL, MLB, NHL, college sports, Olympics, soccer

DVR / Recording

No DVR; replay/condensed game available

Unlimited DVR storage (9-month expiry)

Simultaneous Streams

Up to 2

Up to 3 (more with add-on)

Condensed/Highlights Mode

Yes — full condensed game replays

No dedicated condensed game mode

Free Trial

7-day free trial available

No current free trial

Offline Downloads

Yes (mobile, select games)

No offline downloads

4K Streaming

Yes (select content with 4K add-on ~$9.99/mo)

Channels Included

0 traditional channels

100+ channels

NBA League Pass

Ease of Use★★★½☆

NBA Coverage★★★★★

Pricing Value★★★☆☆

Device Support★★★★☆

Non-NBA Sports★☆☆☆☆

Live Local Games★★☆☆☆

Blackout Friendliness★½☆☆☆

YouTube TV

Ease of Use★★★★★

NBA Coverage★★★☆☆

Pricing Value★★★½☆

Device Support★★★★★

Non-NBA Sports★★★★½

Live Local Games★★★★½

Blackout Friendliness★★★★☆

Worth knowing

NBA League Pass blacks out local team games, meaning diehard fans of their home team get stung the hardest.
YouTube TV includes TNT and ESPN, so you get nationally televised NBA Playoffs without needing League Pass.
League Pass's condensed game feature (under 45 min) is a secret weapon for busy fans who hate spoilers.
YouTube TV's unlimited DVR is genuinely one of the best in the streaming business — no storage anxiety.
League Pass offers a 'Team Pass' tier so you can obsess over just one franchise for a lower price.

NBA League Pass can black out your local team's games even though you're literally paying to watch basketball — it's like buying a pizza with a coupon that excludes pizza.

If you want

You follow every out-of-market game and want every single NBA matchup

League Pass is the only way to get 1,230+ games per season across all 30 teams.

→ Pick NBA League Pass

If you want

You want a full TV replacement with solid NBA coverage plus every other sport

YouTube TV's 100+ channels, unlimited DVR, and local affiliates make it a one-stop shop.

→ Pick YouTube TV

If you want

You only care about your local NBA team and live in their market

League Pass blacks out your team's games anyway — YouTube TV's local channels actually show them.

→ Pick YouTube TV