How To Pick the Best TV for Sports | Watch Before You Buy

So you’re gearing up for the big game and you’re thinking about getting a new TV to watch it in all its glory. I like it! Great idea! But a great idea needs an equally great plan. So don’t go buy that new TV for the big game until you’ve watched this video, so you can select the best TV for all your sports viewing.

We talk about what makes one TV better than another for watching sports, what to look for AND what to ignore when shopping for a new TV., and also why anyone who says that “buying a TV just for sports is dumb” probably means well, but is also totally wrong.

So check out the full video for our advice on what’s really important if watching sports is your first priority no matter if your a Football, Soccer or Hockey fan. And the bonus is, a TV that’s great for sports, tends to be great for just about anything else you like to watch.

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00:00 Intro
01:49 When sports looks bad
02:31 Motion blur and 120Hz
06:37 Bright and beautiful
08:06 How to avoid dirty screen effect!
08:59 The best color
10:24 How to watch
12:37 Final Thoughts

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[connormcnicol-day]

Got the LG C1 in April last year and it’s brilliant for sports! I’m a tennis fan so the quality of tournaments such as Wimbledon and the US Open are mind-blowing! Anyway, love your reviews Caleb. Keep it up!

[ScottGibbs]

I was determined to buy a TV from one of the Big Boys (Sony, Samsung, LG) but I unexpectedly needed a new one before I was ready so I decided to go with a TCL 6 series and I have to say I'm now a TCL fan. I watch a lot of basketball and it looks great.

[_JaySho]

Great video! I enjoy the educational approach of this channel VS just telling you what TV/appliance to buy. You’ve helped me to learn the specs and see what works for my space and budget. I recently bought a 65” Hisense U8H Google Tv with the acquire knowledge and couldn’t be happier! Appreciate y’all.

[boom]

Note on antenna for sports. Watching the Olympics over the past month on a TV with ATSC 3.0 was a real treat in the SF Bay area. The signal was 1080p and HDR10. In our household we could see a significant improvement vs the other house TVs with ATSC 1.0.

[steveludwig]

Excellent BUT I'm surprised you didnt say anything about VIEWING ANGLE because when watching sports on big TV there are usually a LOT of folks that are not sitting or standing) directly in front of the TV.

[billtinnell]

Also, the type of signal that the TV is receiving makes a huge difference in picture quality. And also, the bigger the TV, the more distortion it has when watching low bit content that is not 4k. Most 65" and smaller sizes look better than the 75" or larger. Thanks for the great info.

[danc]

Congrats on reaching 1 Million Subs!!!

[DewittOralee]

People don't realize how amazing picture quality can be with antenna in most big cities. I would always try to sell one whenever I sold a TV. It's also nice to hear somebody else preaching the sports streaming apps. They are wayyyy better than cable.

[marksalamon]

Thanks for this guide to choosing a good Sports TV. I agree that OLED TVs are the best in this regard (and OLED TVs offer the added benefit of nearly perfect viewing angles, so sports fans sitting at the sides will still enjoy excellent picture quality). I always encourage folks who are considering a major TV purchase to check the reviews from reputable independent test sites, such as Rtings. Rtings evaluates TVs for factors like dirty screen effect and provides model-by-model rankings of their performance at displaying sports. While big box stores and giant online retailers can be great places for finding good bang-for-the-buck TV prices, they really can't be relied upon for accurate advice about which model will give you the features you want and need.

[skepticralph]

This video just made me remove what was in my online shopping cart! Thank you!

[jewishmomo]

Thanks Caleb, YouTube TV is my way to watch sports so appreciate the validation. Looking forward to my first ever 120 hz native panel!

[jackmanning]

I got a 77” C2 and one of the first things I watched on it was the World Cup. It looked stunning! I don’t care for American football but I’m excited to watch the Yankees on it come April

[torguy]

TIP, when TV manufactures put "240 Motion", it usually mean 120Hz Native, if they put "120 Motion", it usually means 60Hz Native.

[scottboettcher]

Thank you. I just got my new Bravia OLED installed today. Finally got my paid EweTube TV up, and it looked, okay. Going to my OTA/antenna feed, it looked better, but once again the 4 major networks came in/didn't come in, depending on their mood. I've got a very intermittent link in my system, which has haunted me for 8 years now, but at least I have the right TV, with the right settings. Thank you.

[Miizerk]

I was hoping you’d mention your recommendations

[SDATT]

Having watched your review of the TCL 65R646 QLED, and updating it after setting it up. Its super beautiful on the visuals. Didn't break the bank mini led back-lights FTW

[esteban]

Can you address the fact that many people leave their cable boxes and satellite receivers at whatever settings the installer left it at? I'm a former cable tech and seen way too many times people with great TV's weren't getting optimal picture either from using non-HD channels or inputs when HD is available or the default box settings are standard def or auto fill screen format or just not using hdmi. It would help a lot of people realize how good their displays really are when the source settings are better. Thanks.

[jollygood]

What about oled Screen burn? I know sports broadcast has some persistent screen interfaces for scores and team or player names that stay static for a long time.

[_RGAMING]

Thank you Sir...been struggling to buy a TV for a month.

[MoneyMkrMan]

Thanks for these great tips. I have been keeping my eye on the hisense U6H for the big game, as it dropped $20 in price since last Sunday. I still think its a great tv even without a 120Hz panel. Also good to know your from my hood of Portland, OR!