September is finally here, and it marks the start of the fall sports season and the return of several broadcast TV favorites. The past couple of weeks have also brought a slew of streaming service price hikes, pushing monthly entertainment budgets to the limit.
We always say that one of the best ways to save on streaming services is to unsubscribe from the platforms you're not using. One of the joys of streaming is that most plans are month-to-month, and you're rarely locked into a long-term contract like cable. If you don't think you'll use a service much this month, it's worth unsubscribing, since you can always subscribe again next month.
But what streaming service should you hang onto (or sign back up for) this month, and what can you probably ditch at least until October? We've rounded up our two main recommendations below. If you're looking to save even more on streaming, check out our guide to this month's best streaming deals.
Get This: ESPN Unlimited
ESPN Unlimited has everything from ESPN Plus, in addition to all that the ESPN linear networks have to offer, along with some exclusive events not found on broadcast channels.
Fall sports kick off this month, with an emphasis on football at both the collegiate and professional levels. ESPN and its family of networks (ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN on ABC, the SEC Network, and more) make up a lot of that coverage. The NFL's Monday Night Football coverage belongs to ESPN and ABC, and loads of college football games air on ESPN networks. Additionally, several college games that aren't nationally broadcast are available as ESPN+ exclusives. All of this is available under the ESPN Unlimited umbrella for $32 a month.
ESPN Unlimited is also the comprehensive streaming home for all things US Open, which runs throughout the first half of September. Even if you have access to ESPN, ABC, and ESPN2 via cable or a live TV service, you'll still need access to the ESPN streaming service if you want to watch every single match of the Grand Slam tournament.
While broadcast shows start to return this month, the bulk of the fan-favorite scripted ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC TV series don't have their fall premieres until next month, since seasons are so much shorter than they used to be. Unless you're a huge fan of "Survivor" or FOX's medical dramas, we think you might be able to hold off on a pricier live TV streaming service and get away with just ESPN Unlimited this month.
Cut That: HBO Max
HBO Max's Standard plan includes ad-free on-demand streaming for HBO series, Warner Bros. blockbusters, original HBO Max shows, and much more. Plus, all ad-free subscribers get the B/R Sports Add-on, so they can live stream NBA, NHL, MLB, and more for no extra cost.
HBO Max is a great platform (we still think it's one of the best streaming services), but most people can probably go without it this month. The biggest things landing on the service in September are new episodes of "Lanterns," the premiere of Sharon Horgan's new comedy "Youth," and the streaming debut of the horror flick "Backrooms." The latter two won't turn up until September 20 and 25, respectively, so there's no harm in waiting until October to tune in.
HBO Max has also become known for its live sports offerings (at least in the Standard and Premium tiers), but this month's line-up is pretty tame. If you're interested in streaming the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup and don't have access to TNT Sports on your TV, then HBO Max will be worth it. Otherwise, there aren't many other interesting sporting events on HBO Max in September.
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