The 2023 World Lacrosse Men’s Championship will be broadcast entirely on ESPN. Games will run from Thursday 22nd of June, through to Sunday 2nd of July, and all 107 games will be available to be streamed online via WatchESPN. At still stage, ESPN Australia will broadcast atleast 3 of Australia’s 4 pool games Live on ESPN/ESPN2, plus the USA v CAN opener, along with the Semi Finals & Gold Medal game will also be broadcast on ESPN2. Broadcasts of the 1st Round Playoffs and Quarter Finals is yet to be determined. All games broadcast to ESPN & ESPN2 will be simulcast to Kayo Sports.
SERVICE PROVIDERS
In order to access WatchESPN’s online streaming service in Australia, you will need either a Foxtel subscription with Ultimate, Premium or Sports bundles; Foxtel Now with the Sport Pack; or alternatively a Fetch TV subscription with the Vibe or Ultimate Packs.
With Foxtel, you would either need a traditional cable, satellite or internet based (iQ4 or iQ5) subscription to get connected. The current base package is $49/month, with Sports HD an additional $25/month – However there is a current deal for new customers to have Foxtel Plus and Sports HD for $74/month for the first 12 months. Having the Sports package allows you to login to the WatchESPN online service using your Foxtel Account login details. Prices are based on a 12 month contract.
FoxtelNow is the online only streaming version of Foxtel. You would need the base essentials subscription ($25/month), plus the additional Sport (+$29/month) pack to access WatchESPN. Currently Foxtel Now is offering their “All Packs” plan for $49/month for a 12 month commitment. There is currently a 10 day free trial on offer, so this may be the best avenue to access ALL of the 107 World Championship games. Having these packages allows you to login to the WatchESPN online service using your Foxtel Account login details.
Fetch TV is the most affordable option to access ESPN in Australia, however to get access it you will either need a Fetch TV subscription through your Internet Service Provider, or buy a Fetch TV set-top box outright from a retail store (FetchTV 4k Mini $199). To access sports channels with Fetch, you need either the Vibe ($6/month) or Ultimate ($20/month) channel packs. Having either of these channel packs allows you to login to the WatchESPN online service using your Fetch ID and Pin Code. 2nd hand FetchTV Set-top boxes can also be sourced through online marketplaces, for between $30-$60, however you need to ensure the box is not ISP Locked and has been de-activated before buying. FetchID logins will only work once a Fetch box has been activated on the account.
Kayo Sports will simulcast any ESPN content that makes it to their ESPN or ESPN2 channels. Kayo Sports currently have a 7 day free trial available, otherwise they charge $25/month for a single screen account, with no contract. Kayo can be installed on most Android and Apple mobile and TV devices Currently there are 10 live and 2 delayed games scheduled for ESPN and ESPN2 and therefore Kayo.
DEVICES
The WatchESPN service can be accessed through a web browser on your computer, or otherwise through the ESPN mobile app. The ESPN mobile app has the ability to Chromecast games to your TV if you have a Chromecast supported TV or dongle. If you don’t have a Foxtel or Fetch account, but are keen to check out all the Lacrosse available on ESPN, ask around amongst your mates and see if someone has a login you could borrow. The WatchESPN service is limited to 3 active screens per user account. ESPN does have an App for both Android TV and Apple TV devices, however the app is not yet compatible in Australia – ESPN is looking to replace this in the future when they next update their streaming platforms,
Come on Aussies!!!
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