How to Get Around NBA League Pass Blackouts in 2024
Many NBA League Pass games are not available due to licensing agreements. These games are blacked out in some states or everywhere.
But, there’s a way to watch these games. You can hide your location with a League Pass VPN. We’ll guide you through it. Plus, we’ll cover some common questions about NBA League Pass blackouts.
How to bypass NBA League Pass blackouts step-by-step – a quick guide:
- Sign up for a good League Pass VPN like NordVPN.
- Download & install the VPN’s app.
- Connect to a server in a different state to bypass local blackouts.
- Connect to a server in a different country to bypass national blackouts.
- Open League Pass streaming website on a browser with Incognito Window
- Watch any NBA game live without any restrictions
How to Get Around NBA League Pass Blackouts
To avoid blackouts, use a virtual private network (VPN) for NBA League. It hides your IP address, so NBA apps can’t find your location. We’ll guide you on how to use a VPN on multiple devices.
To watch local games, pick a VPN server in another state. For national games, choose a server in a nearby country.
Hot to Bypass NBA League Pass Blackouts on a Desktop (Windows/macOS/Linux)
Here’s how to avoid NBA League blackouts on a desktop:
- Choose a good VPN for NBA League, like NordVPN.
- Install the VPN app on your device.
- Connect to a server outside the NBA blackout zone using the VPN.
- Stream NBA League Pass games using your phone’s browser.
Hot to Bypass NBA League Pass Blackouts on Mobile (iOS/Android)
Here’s how to avoid NBA League Pass blackouts on a desktop:
- Sign up for a good NBA League Pass VPN, such as NordVPN.
- Download and install the VPN app on your device.
- Use the app to connect to a server in a state with no NBA League Pass blackouts.
- Open the NBA app and watch NBA games.
You can also use the NBA app, but it might use GPS data to detect your real location. VPNs can’t spoof GPS data; they only hide your IP address. So, the NBA app might see your real location even if you’re using a VPN. If you want to use the NBA app, get Surfshark. Its Android app can spoof your GPS data.
How to Get Around NBA League Pass Blackouts on Smart TVs
Here’s how to watch NBA games on Android TV and Fire TV without blackouts:
- Get a good NBA League Pass VPN, like NordVPN.
- Download the VPN app from your smart TV’s app store.
- Open the VPN app and connect to a server in a state where NBA games are not blacked out.
- Open the NBA app and start streaming NBA games.
If your smart TV doesn’t natively support VPN apps, you have 2 options:
- Set up the VPN on your router — your VPN service will provide you with different setups tutorials, depending on your router model.
- Share your VPN connection — you can use an ethernet cable or a WiFi hotspot to share your laptop/PC’s VPN connection to your smart TV.
What Is the NBA League Pass Blackout?
An NBA TV blackout means you won’t be able to watch a certain match on NBA League Pass depending on your location. You can only watch blackout NBA Games after they have concluded and are moved to the NBA League Pass Archives.
The NBA League Pass uses your IP to determine your location. It checks what country and city you are from, and what your ZIP code is. If your IP is from a state or country where there is a blackout, you won’t be able to watch the blackout game on NBA League Pass.
On mobile, NBA League Passalso uses your device’s GPS data to determine where you are if you enable location services.
NBA blackouts can be local and national. Local blackout games mean they’re not available in your state. National blackouts, on the other hand, mean the game isn’t available across the country.
Here’s an example – if a game is broadcasted nationally on ABC in the US, there will be a national NBA blackout of the game.
Why Does the NBA League Pass Have Blackouts?
It’s because there are local and national content providers that bought the exclusive rights to televise a specific NBA game. This happens before each NBA season. When a content provider owns the exclusive rights, not even the NBA can televise the match in the region for which the provider owns the rights.
Due to that, the NBA has no option but to enforce a blackout. If it wouldn’t do that, it could get sued by the content providers that bought the rights.
Can You Watch Blackout NBA Games on Mobile with a VPN?
You normally can’t because NBA League Pass checks your device’s GPS data if you enable location services. Even if you use a VPN to hide your IP, NBA League Pass will know what your actual location is simply by checking your phone’s GPS information.
But, that’s only if you use the NBA League Pass app. If you use a web browser on your phone to bypass blackout restrictions for NBA games, you should be able to do it.
Another option is to try to spoof your GPS data. There are apps that let you do that on Android, though we’d recommend just using Surfshark. It’s the only VPN that has a GPS spoofing feature on Android.
Unfortunately, you can’t spoof GPS data on iOS without jailbreaking your device. We don’t recommend doing that. So, stick with the web browser instead.
The Best NBA League Pass VPN Services – our detailed list:
We tested 40+ popular VPNs to see which one can actually bypass regional blackouts to let you watch your local NBA team play anywhere. According to our tests, these are the best 5 NBA League Pass VPNs:
1. NordVPN
🌐 Website: | nordvpn.com |
🏢 Headquarters: | Panama |
📍Servers/Countries: | 5800+ servers in 60 countries |
₿ Accepts Cryptocurrency | Yes |
💸 Deals & Coupons | Get 68% off + 3 months extra |
NordVPN is the top choice for NBA League Pass. It always bypasses regional restrictions, both local and national blackouts. With over 5,000 servers in 55+ countries, including 1,900+ in the US, finding a fast server is easy.
This VPN ensures you can watch live NBA games at lightning-fast speeds. You can also enjoy the US, Canadian, or international version of NBA League Pass. Using NordLynx protocol, HD and 4K videos load instantly without buffering.
It’s also super easy to use. Its apps work on all popular platforms, including iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, and smart TVs. Finding a VPN server to bypass blackouts takes just 5–6 seconds.
NordVPN also offers a Smart DNS service. It hides your location like a VPN but is faster. We saw 30% faster streaming speeds with the smart DNS tool.
Split-tunneling is another great feature. It lets you choose which apps use the VPN and which use your local network. Using NordVPN’s split-tunneling tool increased our speeds by 15%.
NordVPN offers 6 simultaneous connections, excellent security, and 24/7 live chat support. It has affordable plans and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
For more details, read our full NordVPN review.
Pros
- Thousands of lightning-fast and well-optimized servers
- Unblocks all the major streaming sites
- Fully supports Torrenting and P2P
- Strict no-logs policy and RAM-disk servers
- Ad blocker and malware protection features
- Robust security features and military-grade encryption to protect you from DDoS attacks and other online threats
- 24/7 live chat support
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- Only 6 simultaneous connections
- No free trial
2. Surfshark
🌐 Website: | surfshark.com |
🏢 Headquarters: | The British Virgin Islands |
📍Servers/Countries: | 3,200+ servers in 100 countries |
₿ Accepts Cryptocurrency | Yes |
💸 Deals & Coupons | Save 84% Now! |
Surfshark offers unlimited connections and fast streaming speeds. It has 3,000+ servers in 60+ countries. It’s perfect if your whole family needs a VPN to bypass blackouts.
This VPN ensures smooth live-streaming of NBA games. We enjoyed HD and 4K streaming, even with distant servers. It also maintained fast speeds on weak WiFi networks.
Surfshark’s apps are easy to use and feature-rich. The Android app has a GPS hiding option, great for mobile NBA League Pass use. You can trick NBA League Pass and watch games from any location.
It also has a smart DNS service. It’s a backup option for faster streaming speeds or if the VPN doesn’t work.
This VPN offers excellent security, 24/7 live chat, and affordable plans. It also has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
For more information, check out our Surfshark review.
Pros
- A very affordable VPN provider
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- Ad-blocking feature
- Unblocks streaming platforms
- Ad blocker and malware protection features
- A fast and light WireGuard protocol
- Allows split-tunneling and has a multi-hop VPN feature
- No-log policy and robust security features
- GPS spoofing on Android devices
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- No free version
- Does not allow P2P seeding
3. PrivateVPN
🌐 Website: | privatevpn.com |
🏢 Headquarters: | Sweden |
📍Servers/Countries: | 200 servers in 60 countries |
₿ Accepts Cryptocurrency | Yes |
💸 Deals & Coupons | Save 85% Now! |
PrivateVPN is great for beginners who want to bypass NBA League blackouts. Its apps work on all platforms and are easy to download and install. The design is intuitive, making it easy to connect to servers and find settings.
Accessing NBA League Pass with PrivateVPN was effortless. All videos loaded in HD quality instantly. We never experienced buffering in the middle of a game, and 4K videos loaded in just 2–3 seconds, which is very fast.
This provider has 200+ servers in 60+ countries, including 10+ locations in the US. So, it’s easy to watch games without local blackouts.
We love PrivateVPN’s customer support. The provider has helpful support guides and its live chat reps are always helpful and knowledgeable. We actually asked the reps which server we should use for this NBA season, and they provided us with an accurate answer in less than 20 seconds.
This VPN also comes with great security features and some of the cheapest plans on the market. It backs each purchase with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Pros
- Supports P2P traffic and allows port forwarding
- Unlimited bandwidth and great speeds
- Unblocks most streaming platforms
- Zero-logging policy
- Free Static IP servers
- A fast and light WireGuard protocol
- 10 simultaneous connections
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- Not as many servers as other VPN providers
- No split-tunneling
4. ExpressVPN
🌐 Website: | expressvpn.com |
🏢 Headquarters: | The British Virgin Islands |
📍Servers/Countries: | 3000+ servers in 94 countries |
₿ Accepts Cryptocurrency | Yes |
💸 Deals & Coupons | +3 months FREE! |
ExpressVPN is easy to use, very fast, and is really good for bypassing geo-restrictions. If you’re interested in accessing more than just nationally broadcast games, this VPN is a good pick. It can also unblock 65+ streaming apps.
This provider has 3,000+ servers in 90+ countries, making it great for international NBA League Pass content.
It has its own protocol, called Lightway, which is designed for security and very fast speeds. In our tests, HD videos always loaded instantly, and 4K videos loaded in less than 5 seconds. We didn’t experience random quality drops.
Its VPN apps are very user-friendly. They work on all platforms and are simple to navigate. The apps also have a feature called Shortcuts, which lets you create 1-click shortcuts for apps and sites. Once you connect to a server, those shortcuts show up on your screen. So, you can create 1-click shortcuts for NBA sites and apps to get instant access to them.
ExpressVPN also comes with high-end security features, a smart DNS, and 24/7 live chat. Its plans are a little pricey, but they provide excellent value. Plus, this VPN has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Pros
- Works with streaming
- Supports torrenting
- No-logs policy
- TrustedServer technology with RAM-only servers
- Premium security features
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- Expensive subscription plans
- Only 5 simultaneous connections
5. AtlasVPN
🌐 Website: | atlasvpn.com |
🏢 Headquarters: | United States |
📍Servers/Countries: | 1000 servers in 49 locations |
₿ Accepts Cryptocurrency | Yes |
💸 Deals & Coupons | 85% OFF + 3 Months FREE! |
AtlasVPN lets you connect unlimited devices. It’s perfect for bypassing NBA League restrictions on many platforms. It has 700+ servers in 30+ countries, making it easy to find a server outside blackouts.
It’s one of the few NBA League Pass VPNs with a good free plan. The free plan offers fast speeds, servers in the US and the Netherlands, and strong security. But, it limits you to 10 GB of data and doesn’t include specialty servers.
We tested AtlasVPN’s speeds and streamed NBA games in HD and 4K without issues.
This provider also has apps for the most popular platforms that are extremely easy to install and use. On average, it only took us 1–3 minutes to set up the VPN and start unblocking NBA TV content.
The VPN’s paid plans include dedicated streaming servers that regularly refresh their IP addresses. That makes it very hard for NBA’s apps and web services to detect and block the VPN.
AtlasVPN provides live chat support on its paid plans and very responsive email support on its free plan. Getting a paid VPN subscription with this provider is practically a no-brainer. Its plans are super cheap, and it backs all purchases with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Pros
- Very affordable plans and it has a free version
- Fast Speeds
- Helpful against an ISP throttling your connection
- Unlimited device support
- WireGuard protocol, DNS leak protection, and strong security features
- Torrenting-friendly
- Unblocks streaming services
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- Limited Linux app
- Based in the US
- Not so many servers
Are NBA Playoff Games Blacked Out?
NBA Playoffs kick off in mid-April and wrap up by late May. The Playoffs have 4 rounds, and games in the first 2 rounds might not be on national networks. They’ll be on local and regional networks instead.
If you don’t have cable, you can watch the Playoffs online. Sites like YouTube TV, fuboTV, or DAZN offer this option. Or, you can get the International League Pass, which doesn’t have blackouts.
To get the International League Pass, you need a VPN. This connects you to a server outside the US or Canada. Then, you can subscribe to the International League Pass.
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Bypass NBA Blackouts FAQs
Here are some common questions about NBA League Pass blackouts and VPNs. If you have more questions, just leave them in the comments.
What’s the Best NBA League Pass VPN?
NordVPN is a top pick. It easily gets past NBA game blackouts. It also streams fast, has lots of servers, and is easy to use. Plus, it’s affordable and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Does NBA League Pass Work With a VPN?
Yes, it does if you use a good VPN like NordVPN. NBA League Pass might block some VPNs by their IP addresses. But, if your VPN changes its IP often, you won’t have trouble.
Also, NBA League Pass can find your location. But, a VPN with a Smart DNS service can hide it. Just remember, mobile apps might not work with a VPN.
For mobile apps, you can use a browser or Surfshark with GPS spoofing on Android.
Can a Free VPN Help You Avoid Blackouts on NBA League Pass?
Free VPNs are unlikely to help with NBA blackouts. NBA League Pass blocks VPNs that don’t change their IPs fast enough. Free VPNs usually can’t do that.
Even if you manage to bypass blackouts, free VPNs are not worth it. They’re slow and have data limits. Watching a game in 720p can use up to 4 GB of data. So, you might not even see the whole game!
Free VPNs are also buggy and have poor customer support. And, some free VPNs found on app stores might log your data and expose you to malware.
Can You Watch NBA League Pass Blackout Games Without a VPN?
Yes, if you have a cable subscription with the right channels. For example, if ESPN has the game, you need a cable with ESPN. But, cord-cutting is popular, so this isn’t a common solution. Some people borrow friends’ or family members’ cable accounts to get around blackouts.
You can also watch blacked-out games on a sports streaming service. They just need to have the channels that broadcast the games. But, this isn’t the cheapest option.
Another alternative is a proxy. It hides your IP like a VPN to bypass blackouts. You might get faster speeds because proxies don’t use strong encryption. But, this means less privacy and security.
Can You Bypass NBA Blackout Restrictions on NBA League Pass with NBA League Pass Audio?
NBA League Pass Audio is free of blackouts. So, you can use it to avoid restrictions.
But, you only get the audio. If you want to watch the game, NBA League Pass Audio won’t work.
What Countries Have NBA League Pass Blackouts?
NBA blackout rules only apply in the US and Canada. This is because local or national TV networks have exclusive rights there. But, other countries don’t face these blackouts. So, you can always use a VPN server in places like Poland, France, Italy, or India.
Can You Unblock Raptors Games with a VPN?
Yes — to watch Raptors games in Canada, just use a VPN. Connect to a VPN server outside the blackout area.
For local blackouts, connecting to a server in another city or province works. But, for national blackouts, you need a VPN server in another country.
VPN and Privacy Expert