Streaming Sports While Travelling: Tools to Bypass Geo-Restrictions

Geo-restrictions imposed on certain websites can be a real pain. Especially when it means missing out on some of the best shows, movies, or events. Nevertheless, it is equally disappointing to miss your favorite team playing just because you are located in a country or traveling to a region where the channel streaming the game is geo-restricted.

For ardent sports lovers, even a day’s delay to see the latest game updates can be torturing. In fact, if you miss out on a game hoping to watch it later, it is likely to get spoiled. You will either end up catching the highlights of the game or finding out who won from newspapers or other media.

Why Are Geo-Restrictions Imposed on Websites?

Various websites are geo-restricted due to licensing and copyright agreements. For instance, HBO, Netflix, and Hulu have been granted a license to operate only in limited areas.

However, geo-restrictions on sports channels are different from the entertainment streaming portals. Geo-restrictions in sports often come in the form of Blackouts wherein online streaming is outright banned, and a game can only be viewed by accessing specific portals over the net. For example, the NHL and baseball games are restricted in the US.

While it is quite frustrating to know that you won’t be able to view your favorite games because they are geo-restricted, there are many ways to bypass these restrictions.

The channels with broadcasting rights for a particular game often impose geo-restrictions on the streaming so that only the viewers located in some geographical regions get to watch the game. While such a restriction becomes absolute when watching the game on a cable TV network, it can be bypassed online with the help of either a Smart DNS or a VPN.

Let’s see how you can use a VPN or a Smart DNS to stream your favorite sports while traveling.

Ways to Stream Sports While Traveling

•         VPN to the Rescue

A Virtual Private Network or a VPN is a service through which you can bypass the geo-restrictions on sports and other channels including YouTube, Hulu, and social media websites. Follow the link to check it out – https://nordvpn.com/unblock/.

A VPN service works by hiding your actual IP address and instead allows you to access the internet through a server located in another country. For example, if you are sitting in a country where streaming of a baseball game is geo-restricted, you can use a VPN service to access the same channel through a server located in a country where the channel is not restricted.

You will, of course, still need a subscription to the channel or streaming service but you will be able to circumvent the geographical restrictions this way. What’s more? In addition to helping you bypass the restrictions, the service also hides your true identity by letting you browse anonymously.

•         Use a Smart DNS

Using a Smart DNS can also help you in streaming your favorite sports on the go. However, it has a few drawbacks. While VPN services allow anonymity and security in browsing, a Smart DNS service only lets you bypass geo-restrictions and access the channel from another server.

In this scenario, the IP address remains the same and only the DNS settings are changed such that the traffic is routed through another location where the channel is not restricted.

Your Turn

That said, VPN services and Smart DNS services are the recommended options through which you can bypass the geo-restrictions, especially while streaming sports channels from a location where the particular channels are geo-restricted.

However, you might also try using the services of free streaming websites. While such websites do work in many cases, you may end up facing connectivity and speed issues. Some of these websites are also illegal and can get you in trouble. Moreover, since the source of these websites is not known, they can also be home to malicious spyware and adware which can damage your device.

So, go ahead, and watch your favorite sports online without any restrictions by applying the methods mentioned above.