CW isn’t the first network that comes to mind when you’re ready to sit down and watch sports – it’s known more for its dramatic series, like “All American,” “The Flash,” and “Riverdale.” However, the CW channel has landed its first national sports deal and has become the official broadcast home of LIV Golf. This could leave you wondering about how to watch the CW live. If you want to keep current on some of your favorite golf tournaments, you’ll need to know how to watch CW live.
What’s the CW?
The CW network is known predominantly for its dramatic content, with popular programming like “Superman & Lois,” “90210,” and “Riverdale” serving as the backbone of its lineup.
CW offers extensive content for DC Comic fans, like “DC’s Stargirl” and “Krypton.” It comes with a healthy selection of comedies, such as “Blue Mountain State” and “Deadbeat,” as well as a solid lineup of spooky, horror-adjacent content, like “Salem,” “Scream Queens,” and “Sleepy Hollow.” If historical drama is your cup of tea, enjoy “The Musketeers” or “Reign.”
And now, with the addition of LIV Golf, golf fans have found a home in CW, too.
What streaming services offer the CW?
The only streaming services that offer the CW are Hulu + Live TV and Youtube TV, but the network also has their own free app, so you’ll never have to go without all LIV Golf or any of your CW favorites.
How to watch the CW live with Hulu + Live TV
While you can’t test-drive Hulu + Live TV before you buy since it doesn’t offer a free trial, you do have several subscription options. Simply sign up for an account, and you’ll be able to stream your favorite live TV content to your phone, smart TV, or other devices. CW is one of the channels included with Hulu + Live TV.
What is Hulu + Live TV?
In addition to LIV Golf and all your favorite CW dramas, Hulu + Live TV comes bundled with Disney Plus and ESPN Plus, meaning there is a lot on offer for sports fans. Golf fans will be happy to find the Golf Channel included, as well as big-name networks like ESPN, ESPN2, Fox Sports 1 (FS1), and Fox Sports 2 (FS2). Plans start at $76.99 per month with ads, $89.99 per month without ads, and $75.99 per month for live TV only — no ESPN Plus or Disney Plus bundles with this tier.
Hulu + Live TV also offers a slew of add-ons, including networks like Cinemax, STARZ, and SHOWTIME, which cost between $8.99 and $10.99 per month. A sports add-on is available for $9.99 per month, and a Spanish-language channels add-on is available for $4.99 per month.
| Plan | Cost per Month | Channels | Streamable Devices | Free Trial? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hulu + Live TV, Disney Plus (With Ads), and ESPN Plus (With Ads) | $76.99 | 90+ | 2* | No |
| Hulu (No Ads) + Live TV, Disney Plus (No Ads), and ESPN Plus (With Ads) | $89.99 | 90+ | 2* | No |
| Live TV Only | $75.99 | 90+ | 2* | No |
What sports offerings does Hulu + Live TV provide?
Most Hulu + Live TV plans come with ESPN Plus, which is ideal for sports fans. Even if you opt for a plan that doesn’t include ESPN Plus, Hulu + Live TV still includes livestreams of CBS Sports, ESPN, FS1, and NFL Network.
You’ll get access to NCAA, NBA, NHL, and NFL games, and Hulu + Live TV’s sports add-on (an extra $9.99 per month) gets you access to motorsports, hunting and fishing, horse racing, and more. Hulu + Live TV is a versatile streaming service that gets you a little bit of everything in the sports world.
How to watch the CW with YouTube TV
If Hulu + Live TV isn’t your cup of tea, the CW comes with a YouTube TV plan as well. If you’re on the fence about it, you can sign up for a 20-minute free preview or a five-day free trial of YouTube’s live TV streaming service. Once you sign up, you can stream to your favorite Smart TV, smartphone, or any of a number of other devices.
What is YouTube TV?
The Base Plan from YouTube TV offers users more than 100 channels, including ABC, Fox, FS1, FS2, and many more for the avid sports fan. The Base Plan comes with a 3-month introductory rate, for which it costs $54.99 before increasing to $64.99.
For Spanish-speaking households, YouTube TV also offers a Spanish Plan, which includes more than 28 Spanish-language channels. Sports fans will be happy to find ESPN Deportes, Fox Deportes, and others catered to their needs. The Spanish Plan costs $24.99 for the first six months and then increases to $34.99 per month.
| Plan | Cost per Month | Channels | Streamable Devices | Free Trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base Plan | $64.99 | 100+ | 3 | Yes |
| Spanish Plan | $34.99 | 28+ | 3 | Yes |
What sports offerings does YouTube TV provide?
YouTube TV has a lot to offer sports fans. Yes, you’ll get all the LIV Gold content your heart desires on the CW, but you’ll also get live streams of ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, FS2, NBC, CBS, CBS Sports Network, NBA TV, and the NFL Network.
You’ll get “Sunday Night Football” on NBC and “Monday Night Football” on ESPN, plenty of MLB, Big Ten basketball, Pac-12 football, and Big 12 basketball coverage on FS1, and CBS and CBS Sports Network provide UEFA soccer to fill in any other gaps in sports coverage. YouTube TV offers a wide variety of sports coverage to help many types of fans support their favorite teams.
How to watch CW on supported streaming devices
Since the only ways to stream CW are with Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV, you’ll need a streaming device that supports Hulu or YouTube TV to help you watch your favorite CW shows live. Roku, Chromecast, Fire TV, and Apple TV have integrated Hulu and YouTube TV apps that allow users to stream Hulu + Live TV or YouTube TV to their living room. Even a gaming console like a Nintendo Switch or Xbox Series X/S will run Hulu or YouTube TV for you.
Here are some of the best options for supported devices:
- Roku
- Chromecast
- Fire TV
- Apple TV
- Xbox
- Nintendo Switch
- Smart TVs
How to watch CW on the app
If Hulu + Live TV is out of the question, but you refuse to give up your favorite CW shows, CW offers a free streaming app that offers select episodes of your CW favorites. You can also find live streams of LIV Golf on the app.
Is live sports streaming worth it?
Streaming live sports instead of watching them on cable generally saves you money in the long run, especially once you find where all your favorite sports content is offered. For example, if you’re a die-hard LIV Golf fanatic, you probably want to know how to watch CW live. Streaming your favorite sports also means you’re not locked in your living room — you’re a fan everywhere you go, so bring your sports content with you.
FAQs
Where can I stream CW for free?
You can stream select CW content for free on its free app. You can also find select live content there. You can also stream the CW for free with a YouTube TV free trial.
Which streaming service has CW shows?
Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV are the homes of CW outside its own app. Hulu + Live TV subscriptions start at $76.99 per month. YouTube TV starts at $54.99 for the first three months and increases to $64.99 per month after.
Do you need an account for CW?
You don’t need an account to stream CW via its free app. You do need an account to watch your CW favorites using Hulu + Live TV or YouTube TV.