Sports content to watch at home during coronavirus pandemic

With “stay-at-home” orders being issued in cities and counties across the United States, including Lehigh and Northampton counties, residents are turning to television now more than ever. For the experienced Netflix binger, this may not seem a big deal. While the coronavirus pandemic has made watching athletic events much harder to come by, sports lovers need not worry. Here are some athletic-related broadcasts, videos and movies to watch while in quarantine.

ESPN

ESPN is the network with some of the most diverse sports content being broadcast right now. Recently making headlines was ESPN’s decision to bring back ESPN8: The Ocho, for its fourth edition. Replays from the all-day event based on the movie “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story” can be found on ESPN’s website, including the 2019 Death Diving World Championship and the 2006 Johnsonville Brat Eating World Championship. From the American Cornhole League to Esports to Top Rank Boxing, the week of March 29 to April 5 is full of different games and events to binge. For those especially missing college action, replays of NCAA football, as well as men’s and women’s basketball games, can be found on ESPN channels too. Fans of ESPN’s “30 For 30” series can find a variety of episodes on its website, which also offers original podcasts like “ESPN Daily” and “The Woj Pod.” 

NBC Sports

For National Hockey League, National Football League or Premier League action, NBC Sports is the channel to look out for. Fans can watch replays of classic games including: game seven of Kings versus Blackhawks, where the Western Conference finals are won in overtime; Broncos versus Patriots in 2013, where one team comes back after being down 24-0; Manchester City versus QPR in 2012, where the Premier League title is decided very, very late in the game. Fans of horse racing can turn to NBC Sports for content on April 4 and 5, when the network will be broadcasting TVG’s Trackside Live. Other replays include PGA Tour classic matches, Premiership rugby and Raw Air Tournament ski jumping. 

Fox Sports

Though maybe not the first-choice network for sports content, Fox Sports still offers streaming access to events not seen on ESPN or NBC Sports. In the week of March 29 to April 5, expect to see live coverage of the World Surf League and the Rugby Super League, with re-aired broadcasts of the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series and Major League Soccer games also available. Other popular replays include The Masters Agility Championship at Westminster, which is a dog competition, The Professional Bowlers’ Association World Championship and game seven of the 2016 World Series between the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians. Those who prefer listening to pundit opinions can find episodes of original shows like “Skip and Shannon Undisputed” and “The Herd with Colin Cowherd.” 

YouTube

Bundesliga or Liga Santander enthusiasts will have to turn to YouTube to watch some of their favorite soccer players compete – albeit through FIFA 20. The two leagues have hosted live streamed FIFA 20 matches between players representing their team in real life. The NBC Sports YouTube channel provides content for those looking for a quick dose of sporting action, with NHL, Olympic and National Football League videos available in abundance. The ESPN YouTube channel offers much of the same, especially related to the National Basketball Association, as does the Fox Sports YouTube channel. Fox Sports also offers WWE clips, which neither ESPN nor NBC Sports offer on their respective YouTube channels.

 Hulu/Netflix/Disney+

TV and movie streaming platforms also offer a selection of sporty shows, including eight seasons of “WWE Monday Night Raw,” “The Game” — a comedy show about National Football League wives and girlfriends — and “Behind the Mask,” a Hulu original that documents the lives of four different sports mascots. Hulu also has sports movies like “Warrior,” which is a story of family and MMA, and “The Miracle Season,” which is a 2018 volleyball drama, on its roster. Netflix has shows like youth football docuseries “Friday Night Tykes” and the two-season Italian soccer documentary “First Team: Juventus.” In the movie department, Netflix has the likes of Disney film “Miracle” about the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team and the Ice Cube-featured “The Longshots” about a young female quarterback. Those with a Disney+ subscription can watch one of the biggest sports movies of 2010 in horse-racing biography “Secretariat” or the more light-hearted option of football-based movie “The Game Plan,” featuring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.”