How We Source & Verify Sports TV Data
When you look up a game on WhereSports, you want three simple answers: what time it starts in your timezone, which TV channel or app actually has the broadcast in your country, and what it costs to watch without getting burned by a local blackout or hidden add-on fee.
Where Our Match Schedules & TV Listings Come From
We combine automated fixture feeds with manual checks against official league and network TV schedules. Automated feeds are great for tracking when a match is scheduled to kick off, tip off, or drop the puck, while human editors verify the actual television and streaming assignments.
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Official League Broadcast Grids:
We monitor official media distribution schedules released directly by leagues and federations, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, Premier League, UEFA, FIFA, UFC, PGA Tour, ATP/WTA, and Formula 1.
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Network TV Guides (EPGs):
We cross-check match listings against the published program guides of major broadcasters across North America, the UK, Europe, and Australia (including ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, Sky Sports, TNT Sports, BBC, ITV, and DAZN).
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15-Minute Schedule Updates & Timezone Conversion:
All match times are stored in UTC and automatically converted to your local timezone. Our schedule syncs every 15 minutes to catch network flex-scheduling, rain delays, and overtime shifts.
How We Separate TV Channels from Streaming Apps
One of the biggest headaches in modern sports is the difference between a television network (like ABC, CBS, FS1, or TNT) and a streaming service (like YouTube TV, Fubo, Sling TV, Peacock, or Paramount+).
In our database, we map both layers separately so you can see all of your options at a glance:
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Over-the-Air & Cable TV Channels:
When a game airs on a traditional TV channel, we list that network first and link to every live TV streaming bundle (such as YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, DIRECTV Stream, or Sling TV) that carries that channel without a cable box. If the channel is a free over-the-air broadcast network (like ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, BBC One, or ITV1), we also note that you can watch it for free with a digital antenna.
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Streaming-Exclusive Games:
When a game is locked exclusively behind a standalone app (such as Thursday Night Football on Prime Video, NBA games on Peacock or Prime Video, UFC events on Paramount+, or US Formula 1 races on Apple TV), we flag it clearly so you don't waste time flipping through cable channels.
How We Calculate Real Subscription Costs & Add-On Tiers
Many streaming services advertise a low base monthly price while hiding popular sports channels inside an extra $10 to $15 monthly add-on pack. Our database tracks channel carriage at the individual plan and add-on level.
For every streaming provider in our directory, our editorial team records the current base monthly price, whether a channel is included in the base plan or requires a paid bolt-on (such as Sports Extra or Sports Plus), whether mandatory Regional Sports Network (RSN) fees apply at checkout, and whether the service currently offers a free trial for new subscribers.
How We Map Regional Blackouts & Country Rights
Sports broadcast rights are sold country by country, and in North America they are often split further by local zip code. A streaming pass that works for a fan in London or New York might be blacked out for a fan in Chicago or Toronto.
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In-Market vs. Out-of-Market Rules (US & Canada):
For MLB, NBA, and NHL games, we distinguish between local Regional Sports Networks (such as FanDuel Sports Network, YES Network, NESN, Marquee Sports Network, and SportsNet) and out-of-market passes (MLB.TV, NBA League Pass, and ESPN+). We explain when local blackouts apply so you don't buy an out-of-market pass expecting to watch your hometown team.
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Country-by-Country Rights Directories:
Every league, sport, and TV channel page in our database maps rights by territory across the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Germany, Spain, Italy, France, and international markets.
How Often We Update Our Data
Different parts of our database change at different speeds. Here is our update schedule across the site:
| Data Category | How It Is Verified | Update Frequency | Primary Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live Match Times & TV Channels | Automated Schedule Sync + Network EPG Cross-Check | Every 15 minutes | Official League Feeds & Network TV Guides |
| Streaming Service Channel Lineups | Manual Audit of Provider Base Plans & Add-Ons | Weekly + On Carriage Changes | Published Provider Channel Lists |
| Subscription Prices & Free Trials | Direct Editorial Verification of Checkout Rates | Monthly + On Price Announcements | Official Streaming Service Pricing Pages |
| Multi-Year League Media Rights | Editorial Review of League Rights Contracts | Every Season & Rights Handover | Official League & Broadcaster Press Releases |
Read Our Editorial Standards & Report an Update
Want to see the rules our writers follow when reviewing TV channels and streaming services? Read our full Editorial Standards & Fact-Checking Policy.
If you spot a channel lineup change, a price update, or a regional blackout rule we should add, email our team at editorial@wheresports.com. We verify and update confirmed corrections within 24 hours.