There lots of sports streaming services, but for fans looking outside the mainstream DAZN is a strong contender. DAZN is a streaming service specializing in boxing, MMA, soccer, eSports, and international sports.
Its competition is fierce. ESPN+, Sling TV, DirecTV, Hulu, and YouTube TV all allow you to peruse live sporting events without traditional cable. Showtime boxing matches occasionally show up on YouTube or Facebook, while a variety of streaming services let you stream live NFL games.
With so many players to choose from, things are crowded. No matter which you go with, it will be fascinating to see whether DAZN (pronounced Da Zone) will survive and thrive in what has become a more crowded marketplace.
That’s particularly true given the coronavirus crisis’ impact on live sports. According to a Sports Illustrated article, DAZN is withholding rights payments to sports leagues, fueling speculation about whether it can survive several months with the live events its business model is built on.
Here’s everything you need to know about DAZN.
What is DAZN?
DAZN is an international HD sports streaming service specializing in combat sports, soccer, cricket, eSports, and more. Users get a blend of 1080p live streaming events and streaming archives, letting you watch your favorite sports even in the off season.
Combat sports fans get the most attention, with boxing and mixed martial arts making up the bulk of DAZN’s catalog. Boxing content is provided by World Boxing Super Series, Golden Boy and Matchroom, with exclusive matches featuring Canelo Alvarez, GGG, Anthony Joshua, and Oleksandr Usyk.
MMA content comes from Bellator, featuring matches with combatants like Michael Venom Page, Rory MacDonald, and Gegard Mousasi. There’s even pro-wrestling. Beyond the live events, each sport features a deep archive of footage to watch.
This archive features over 580 MMA and boxing fights featuring today’s great. That includes fights from Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Manny Pacquiao, and Canelo Alvarez. Want to see Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin, Anthony Joshua, and Bernard Hopkins fight? DAZN lets you.
DAZN’s eSports coverage is provided by BLAST Premier. If you’re not sold yet on the concept of watching eSports, DAZN is the perfect test. You might be surprised how wrapped up you get.
DAZN features a surprising amount of journalistic content considering the price. From behind the scenes documentaries and pre-match coverage to live news, DAZN softens the blow of not having ESPN docs.
You’ll even find original programming. There’s The AK and Barak Show, a nightly news show covering the world of combat sports. Subscribers get Boxing with Chris Mannix and JABS. You may notice most of the original programs are about combat sports.
DAZN delivers a remarkable amount of value each month. In a world where COVID-19 has decimated sports each month DAZN continues to deliver content.
What does it cost?
Given the broad range of content DAZN covers, you might be surprised how affordable it is. New subscribers can choose between two packages: $19.99 per month or $99.99 annually. If you want fights year round there’s no reason to do month to month. At $19.99 per month you’re paying $239.88.
$99.99 might sound like a lot up top. However, when you remember ESPN+ charges a monthly fee and charges for each pay-per-view, it’s a steal.
What devices can I stream it on?
DAZN is watchable on smartphones, tablets, computers, and game consoles, and you can watch live events on two devices at the same time. Here are the devices DAZN supports:
- Roku
- Apple TV
- Amazon Fire Stick
- Fire TV
- Xbox One and One S
- PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 4 Pro
- Android TV
- Smart TVs (LG, SAMSUNG, VIZIO)
- Xfinity Top Set Box
DAZN also works the Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Internet Explorer, and Opera browsers.
Does DAZN have live events?
On average DAZN features two to five live events each month depending on what sports are currently active. One month you might find four MMA and boxing events, the next just two. However, every month DAZN delivers pay-per-view quality live events at no extra cost.
This is a big deal, particularly when you’re already paying for a service. Once you pay $70 for a UFC fight on top of your ESPN+ subscription DAZN starts to look sweeter.
Is DAZN worth it?
DAZN’s value ultimately comes down to how much you watch combat sports, and your general interest in sports media. In normal times it may not have as much value. However, with major sports facing delays and shorter seasons, DAZN is filling a gap in the marketplace.
It’s price is an issue, however. Even for a hardcore boxing or MMA fan, $19.99 per month is a lot, especially since Bellator isn’t on the same level as UFC. Meanwhile, boxing fans might already be paying for Showtime, HBO, ESPN+, and multiple $70 pay-per-views per year.
However, with DAZN’s $99.99 per year price tier makes a compelling argument for budget minded sports fans. That works out to a little more than $8 per month for tons of live MMA, boxing, soccer, eSports, and more. You get documentaries, live news shows, and hundreds of hours of archival fights.
At $19.99 per month DAZN is a bit expensive. However, for users who’d watch five fights a year, 12 months of DAZN is only $20 more than one Pay-Per-View. In short, DAZN isn’t for everyone, but if you’re giving it serious consideration DAZN is probably for you.
Editor’s note: This article is regularly updated for relevance.
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