Kentucky Derby without a TV?

May 4, 2017 12:14 PM

I'm hosting a Kentucky Derby party but I do not own a TV. Can I stream the race online? Better yet, is there a way to watch it through Roku?

That's pretty much it. I don't have any sort of cable. I would love to stream it through the Roku, but will settle for regular online if I need to.

Any help is much appreciated!

Thanks!

posted by Lutoslawski to Technology (9 answers total)

Best answer: I get NBC through SlingTV; I pay up a little for NBC SN. That's how I'm going to stream it.

If you don't already have SlingTV there's a 7-day trial you could take advantage of to get the race for free.
posted by teabag at 12:33 PM on May 4, 2017

Best answer: I should add: SlingTV is available on the Roku. You only need NBCSN for the full weekend coverage (according to the derby site). You will need "Regular" NBC for the race. NBC on SlingTV is for US subscribers in certain geographic markets.
posted by teabag at 12:38 PM on May 4, 2017

Response by poster: This is great. Thank you. I'm going to do the free trial, great idea.
posted by Lutoslawski at 12:39 PM on May 4, 2017

So you do have a TV, right? Just no cable subscription?

Because you'll probably be able to get the major networks over the air with an HD antenna. You can check this site to see what signals are available where you are, and then just pick up a cheap antenna at Target or Big Lots or something. I got mine for I think $10.
posted by ernielundquist at 12:43 PM on May 4, 2017

Best answer: Another option is if you have someone coming to the house who DOES have cable, you may be able to log in to their account via your Roku and stream it from there as an "authorized" user.
posted by jessamyn at 1:06 PM on May 4, 2017

Wait a minute! Something is missing here. If you do not own a TV, then what screen - and more importantly, what size of screen - will you use to watch the Derby? Do you expect your guests to all crowd around said screen? Keep in mind that even the shots of the homestretch are from far enough away that, on a small screen, the horses will look pretty tiny.
posted by John Borrowman at 3:37 PM on May 4, 2017

If you have any interest in watching the rest of the Triple Crown, keep in mind those will also be on NBC, and your trial subscription will be over by then. So you may have to look for other options down the line.
posted by sardonyx at 3:57 PM on May 4, 2017

Response by poster: Sorry about the confusion! My gf has a tv with a roku I can use!
posted by Lutoslawski at 4:20 PM on May 4, 2017

Best answer: Word of advice: with streaming there's a somewhat significant lag behind regular TV (antenna/cable). I watch sports on my Roku (using a variety of apps/channels) and my phone gets push notifications about games (final scores etc) anywhere from 30-90 seconds before it happens on my screen. The Kentucky Derby is something that many news services will send out a push notification about, so make sure to tell your guests to put their phones away during the race so they don't get spoiled.
posted by acidic at 9:24 PM on May 4, 2017