Sling TV has removed beIN SPORTS from its Best of Spanish TV package, thereby making the channel and coverage of LaLiga even more difficult to access than previously.
While the change may not seem significant to some, the Best of Spanish TV package has been one of the most popular Sling TV add-ons that soccer fans have chosen over the years when wanting to access LaLiga via beIN SPORTS and beIN SPORTS en Español.
The Spanish-language network beIN SPORTS en Español will continue to be available via Best of Spanish TV, but it leaves English-language viewers in the lurch who want to enjoy the top-flight Spanish league with English-language commentary and analysis from beIN SPORTS talent such as Phil Schoen and Ray Hudson.
Other options do exist (more on that later), but removing beIN SPORTS from Best of Spanish TV isn’t the only change that Sling TV has made.
Recently, the streaming service increased the monthly subscription costs of Sling Blue and Sling Orange by five dollars per month to $30/month for Sling Blue and $30/month for Sling Orange, or $45/month for Sling Blue + Orange combined.
Plus, Sling TV has made their 7-day free trials to Sling Blue and Sling Orange more difficult to find. The free trials used to be available on their website, but they’re only now available via the Sling TV app, which is available on Amazon Fire TV devices, Android tablets and smartphones, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS devices, LG TV Smart TVs, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs and Xbox One.
By Sling TV removing beIN SPORTS from the Best of Spanish TV package, it forces long-standing Sling customers to make a decision whether to switch or stay. Other options include Fanatiz for $7.99/month, fubo Latino and Sling Latino for $10/month.
In response to our concerns about Sling TV subscribers no longer being able to watch LaLiga in English-language via Best of Spanish TV, a Sling TV spokeswoman responded, “All of the major soccer games broadcasted on beIN SPORTS (English) are still available in Spanish to Best of Spanish TV customers on beIN SPORTS en Espanol and/or beIN SPORTS Connect channels. Customers interested in watching LaLiga games in English can still watch on beIN SPORTS with Sports Extra (Blue and/or Orange base services required), World Sports or Deportes Extra.”
We reached out to beIN SPORTS for comment regarding the removal of the channel from Best of Spanish TV, but they didn’t respond before press time. According to a source, LaLiga believes the partnership with Sling TV is as strong as ever, and LaLiga continues to leverage Sling’s platform and collaborate with their team on new ways to create exposure of LaLiga for Sling consumers in the new year.
SEE MORE: Schedule of LaLiga games on US TV and streaming
Sling TV removing beIN SPORTS from the Best of Spanish TV package is ironic considering that LaLiga North America and Sling TV announced a partnership in September 2019 that described Sling TV as “the official sponsor of La Liga in North America.” In that same announcement, it mentioned Sling TV would expand and promote Spain’s top league in North America.
Sling TV is currently running an advertising campaign that’s promoting its coverage of LaLiga with the slogan “Ready as ever.” Given recent developments, they may want to reconsider the wording.
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ERIK
January 10, 2020 at 2:22 am
Looks like ESPN+ will be showing the Copa del Rey. The cup logo is now listed on the top menu. When you click on it nothing shows up but if I’m not mistaken the same thing happened with the Serie A and FA Cup and both ended up on ESPN+. Also it looks like they’ll be showing more content in Spanish, many Serie A, FA Cup and Coppa Italia games are all listed with “ES/EN” under them.
Eddie
January 10, 2020 at 7:27 am
Does ESPN plus have Copa del Rey staring this year until for how long yes or no? I’m confused about who gonna get the rights on tv or streaming.
This does include ESPN/ ESPN Deportes of how much they going to air on tv or streaming.
Alex Silverman
January 9, 2020 at 11:39 am
Seems a little odd that the English version of beIN was ever available on the Best of Spanish TV package in the first place, doesn’t it? Could just be them correcting for something that didn’t make sense to begin with.
Christopher Harris
January 9, 2020 at 12:18 pm
If naming was the issue, they would have corrected it anytime between 2015 and 2019, not now. To me, it’s more about Sling TV trying to find ways to increase the pricing of their subscriptions, and to do so in a way that forces customers to pay for more expensive packages.
Sling TV’s Best of Spanish TV package has been a reliable offering since 2015. Sling TV’s predecessors, Sling International and before that DishWorld, had beIN SPORTS in English as one of the main reasons for soccer fans to sign up for their service.
Alex
January 9, 2020 at 12:47 pm
Not necessarily saying it’s a “naming” issue so much as that they don’t think it’s worth paying per subscriber to throw include the English version in the Spanish package when most of the people signing up for that package aren’t going to watch it.
Ritchie
January 9, 2020 at 2:56 pm
I agree. Bein in English seem out of place in that package. I don’t doubt that greed was a factor in the end, but logically it really didn’t fit to begin with.
Ritchie
January 9, 2020 at 2:55 pm
You can still get the English Bein by subscribing to Sling International (a standalone $10 package).
In fact, I’m willing to guess that you can still get Bein English by taking your sling credentials and logging into Bein connect. When we had Bein on AT&T TV Now, only the Spanish linear channel was available on the guide but the English version was accessible through Bein Connect. I’m not guaranteeing that’s the case, but it is possible.
SB
January 9, 2020 at 12:39 pm
I think they want you to opt for the 10$ sports package addon instead of the 5 $ Spanish add on that users opted for to merely get bein sports.
Ritchie
January 9, 2020 at 3:01 pm
Probably….but
1) Why was an English channel on this package to begin with?
2) Has anyone verified that you can’t get the English feed on Bein Connect. We definitely could get English through Connect back when we had Bein on AT&T TV (even though the service proper didn’t have the English channel).
Christopher Harris
January 9, 2020 at 5:42 pm
2) Via beIN SPORTS Connect, you can access beIN SPORTS en Español and beIN channels 3 to 8 through there, but not the English beIN SPORTS channel via Connect.
Jimbo
June 13, 2020 at 10:36 am
WhY ? Because there are a lot of English speaking viewers who’s only reason for getting sling TV was to watch La Liga and if your only watching La Liga then $5 a month makes sense to the viewer ! It’s all about greed. Also, it was never out of place ! Sling did this to get the English soccer fan. With so many company’s out there to stream from it was a smart move by Sling. Was a smart move but this change was all about money. Sling will take a financial hit for sure
Monte Reed
January 9, 2020 at 1:28 pm
If you add “Deportes Extra”, you get 2 Spanish channels and beIN English…… Expect Sling to make this correction in a few months right before the next El Classico……………………………….
I have noticed that I get beIN English in 3 packages with Sling, “Sports Extra”, “Deportes Extra” and “World Sports Extra”………………………
Bryan
January 9, 2020 at 8:48 am
I recently switched over to Fanatiz (prior to them dropping Bein Sports). Last weekend I used it to watch the Barcelona match and had no issues. The picture quality seemed better to me than Sling.
Monte Reed
January 8, 2020 at 8:37 pm
I switch between Sling and Fubo a lot. I prefer Fubo but I like to have ESPN during college football season. When I have Sling, I always get the sports extra and world sports so this change would not effect me.
I think most English speakers would be getting sports extra anyways so I don’t think this change effect too many people.