For those who “sail the seven seas,” they will have to do so without Streameast after the world’s largest illegal sports streaming platform was shut down. The news comes the day before the 2025 NFL season kicks off and the second week of the college football season.
The world’s leading antipiracy coalition, the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), with the help of law enforcement, took credit for the shutdown of Streameast after a year-long investigation. The news comes as the entertainment industry continues to aggressively cut down on piracy.
The ACE coalition is made up of more than 50 major global entertainment companies, including Apple TV+, Hulu, FOX, Disney, Amazon, Paramount, and many others, who also have a vested interest in sports. With these companies fronting large media contracts, Streameast disrupted the sports ecosystem by undermining their bottom line.
Additionally, Streameast isn’t the only casualty in the pirating space. Beginning next year, Google is reportedly blocking the sideloading of unknown apps. These unauthorized apps often include security concerns such as malware, but also some questions about whether it’s more about protecting commercial interests. Amazon has also blacklisted popular unauthorized apps on Fire TV devices for similar reasons.
With millions pirating content, these takedowns have made streams harder to find. As the media industry continues its digital shift, streaming has surpassed linear TV for the first time. With the shutdown of Streameast, watching your next sporting event doesn’t have to cost a fortune, and here’s how.
How to Watch Live Sports for Free
Whether you’re a fan of the NFL, NBA, MLS, WNBA, MLB, NHL, WWE, and other major leagues, you can still watch without Streameast. For most people, using an antenna is an affordable way to watch the sports that they love. Many major leagues have a media deal with a broadcast network an,d an antenna is a great way to watch without paying for subscription fees.
Using a site like Antennas Direct can help you find which network affiliates are in your area and the perfect antenna to watch the next game. If you miss the game live, using Plex or Tablo allows you to record the action and rewatch at a later time.
How to Stream Sports for Free After Streameast Shutdown
What about those games that do not air on linear networks? If you’re used to using Streameast to catch live games on popular linear networks like ESPN or FS1, don’t worry, there are several ways to watch for free. Many major streaming services offer free trials for new subscribers, which gives you the chance to test it out before you subscribe.
Where to Watch Live TV for Free
Popular live TV streaming services that offer free trials for new subscribers and a wide range of channels include:
Outside of the multi-channel live TV streaming platforms, many other services offer new subscribers free trials:
Savvy cord cutters who manage their trial periods won’t miss any of the action on game day and get to test out the biggest streaming platforms without opening their wallets.
