Manufacturers have focused their efforts to release models that will keep sports fans happy. When looking for a sports TV, one must look for brightness, uniformity (to avoid screen shade clouding also known as dirty screen effect), fast motion handling and wide viewing angles to accommodate for your friends when watching the Superbowl together.

We've tested 75 TVs and below are our recommendations for the best ones you can buy to watch sports in 2018.

1. Best TV for Watching Sports: LG B8

   

   LG B8

   SEE PRICE

   Amazon.com
   Usage Ratings - Version 1.2

   ✕

   Test Benches: test

   • 1.2: Winter 2018
   • 1.1: Summer 2017
   • 1.0: Winter 2015
   • 0.9: Winter 2014
   • 0.8: Winter 2013

   See changelog and how ratings work

   8.6

   Sports

   ✕

   What it is Sports in a living room. The TV will be used to watch sports during the day, like football or hockey. Usually watched with a group, so from multiple viewing position.

   Score components:

   • 25% Reflections
   • 20% Response Time
   • 14% SDR Peak Brightness
   • 11% Viewing Angle
   • 9% Gray Uniformity
   • 8% 720p Input
   • 5% Sound Quality
   • 4% Black Frame Insertion (BFI)
   • 2% Permanent Burn-In Risk
   • 1% Flicker-Free
   • 1% Temporary Image Retention

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations
   Type : OLED
   Sub-Type

   ✕

   What it is: Type of display technology used by the TV.

   When it matters: Different technologies have different performance and are suited to different uses

   Good value: IPS maintains good color accuracy at an angle, but has a poor contrast ratio from in front. VA has great picture quality in front, but loses saturation at an angle. OLED maintains good color accuracy at an angle without any of the other issues seen with IPS and VA, as they keep good brightness and contrast at an angle.

   : WRGB
   Resolution : 4k
   Sizes : 55" 65"

   The LG B8 is the best TV for watching sports. The LG B8 (or the LG C8 which performs equally well but is more expensive) has an excellent picture quality with real blacks due to the emissive OLED technology. It can get fairly bright and its wide color gamut allows it to display saturated colors in HDR. It has remarkable motion handling and an instantaneous response time, that allows only a small blur trail when you watch fast sports action. Unlike similarly premium models like the Samsung Q9FN, the good viewing angles of the LG B8 allow for wide seating arrangements, so you can invite your friends to watch the Superbowl together. The TV’s very good gray uniformity guarantees a clouding-free image of the field and your attention can stay focused on the game.

   Like all OLED TVs, it runs the risk of temporary image retention and permanent burn-in. However, we don't expect most people to experience that.

   Overall, if you are a sports fan, the B8 (or the C8) is an excellent choice and will perform very well in most other usages.

   See our review

2. Brighter LED Alternative: Vizio P Series Quantum

   

   Vizio P Series Quantum

   Unavailable

   Amazon.com

   Type : LED

   Sub-Type

   ✕

   What it is: Type of display technology used by the TV.

   When it matters: Different technologies have different performance and are suited to different uses

   Good value: IPS maintains good color accuracy at an angle, but has a poor contrast ratio from in front. VA has great picture quality in front, but loses saturation at an angle. OLED maintains good color accuracy at an angle without any of the other issues seen with IPS and VA, as they keep good brightness and contrast at an angle.

   : VA

   Resolution : 4k

   Sizes : 65"

   If the brightness of the LG B8 is not enough and you want a brighter alternative, then get the Vizio P Series Quantum. The P series Quantum does not have the wide viewing angles or great upscaling of the LG B8, but it is one of the brightest TVs we have tested so far. The PQ65-F1 has an impressive performance in sports due to the remarkable motion handling and good uniformity. Its excellent reflection handling allows you to place it in a bright room with many light sources without any worries.

   See our review

3. Best Mid-Range TV for Watching Sports: Sony X900F

   

   Sony X900F

   SEE PRICE

   Amazon.com
   Usage Ratings - Version 1.2

   ✕

   Test Benches: test

   • 1.2: Winter 2018
   • 1.1: Summer 2017
   • 1.0: Winter 2015
   • 0.9: Winter 2014
   • 0.8: Winter 2013

   See changelog and how ratings work

   8.1

   Sports

   ✕

   What it is Sports in a living room. The TV will be used to watch sports during the day, like football or hockey. Usually watched with a group, so from multiple viewing position.

   Score components:

   • 25% Reflections
   • 20% Response Time
   • 14% SDR Peak Brightness
   • 11% Viewing Angle
   • 9% Gray Uniformity
   • 8% 720p Input
   • 5% Sound Quality
   • 4% Black Frame Insertion (BFI)
   • 2% Permanent Burn-In Risk
   • 1% Flicker-Free
   • 1% Temporary Image Retention

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations
   Type : LED
   Sub-Type

   ✕

   What it is: Type of display technology used by the TV.

   When it matters: Different technologies have different performance and are suited to different uses

   Good value: IPS maintains good color accuracy at an angle, but has a poor contrast ratio from in front. VA has great picture quality in front, but loses saturation at an angle. OLED maintains good color accuracy at an angle without any of the other issues seen with IPS and VA, as they keep good brightness and contrast at an angle.

   : VA
   Resolution : 4k
   Sizes : 49" 55" 65" 75" 85"

   If you find the LG B8 expensive, the best TV we’ve tested in the mid-range category is the Sony X900F. You will not get the excellent picture quality of the LG B8 or its perfect blacks, and for those who plan to place it in a wide room, you will lack the good viewing angles the OLEDs have.

   On the upside, the Sony X900F, just like its predecessor the X900E (that you should get if you can still find it) is a great TV with an excellent brightness that can be placed in well-lit rooms. It has good gray uniformity and thus it is unlikely that you will notice any dirty screen effect. This TV has a remarkable response time and excellent motion handling, better than more expensive models like the Samsung Q7FN, and you will enjoy every moment of your favorite sport. Finally, since the Sony has a VA panel, you do not have to worry about burn-in.

   Overall, the Sony X900F is a great choice if you are a sports fan and want good quality at a reasonable price.

   See our review

4. Wider Room Alternative: LG SK9500

   

   LG SK9500

   SEE PRICE

   Amazon.com

   Type : LED

   Sub-Type

   ✕

   What it is: Type of display technology used by the TV.

   When it matters: Different technologies have different performance and are suited to different uses

   Good value: IPS maintains good color accuracy at an angle, but has a poor contrast ratio from in front. VA has great picture quality in front, but loses saturation at an angle. OLED maintains good color accuracy at an angle without any of the other issues seen with IPS and VA, as they keep good brightness and contrast at an angle.

   : IPS

   Resolution : 4k

   Sizes : 65"

   If you often watch sports with a group of friends and you find the Sony X900F does not have the good viewing angles you want, then get the LG SK9500. The LG does not have the Sony’s excellent response time, so you might see a longer blur trail, but on the upside, the SK9500 is a great TV that you can place in a large bright room and enjoy your favorite sport. The picture quality is good, and the motion handling will not let you down.

   See our review

5. Best Budget TV for Watching Sports: LG UK7700

   

   LG UK7700

   SEE PRICE

   Amazon.com
   Usage Ratings - Version 1.2

   ✕

   Test Benches: test

   • 1.2: Winter 2018
   • 1.1: Summer 2017
   • 1.0: Winter 2015
   • 0.9: Winter 2014
   • 0.8: Winter 2013

   See changelog and how ratings work

   7.8

   Sports

   ✕

   What it is Sports in a living room. The TV will be used to watch sports during the day, like football or hockey. Usually watched with a group, so from multiple viewing position.

   Score components:

   • 25% Reflections
   • 20% Response Time
   • 14% SDR Peak Brightness
   • 11% Viewing Angle
   • 9% Gray Uniformity
   • 8% 720p Input
   • 5% Sound Quality
   • 4% Black Frame Insertion (BFI)
   • 2% Permanent Burn-In Risk
   • 1% Flicker-Free
   • 1% Temporary Image Retention

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations
   Type : LED
   Sub-Type

   ✕

   What it is: Type of display technology used by the TV.

   When it matters: Different technologies have different performance and are suited to different uses

   Good value: IPS maintains good color accuracy at an angle, but has a poor contrast ratio from in front. VA has great picture quality in front, but loses saturation at an angle. OLED maintains good color accuracy at an angle without any of the other issues seen with IPS and VA, as they keep good brightness and contrast at an angle.

   : IPS
   Resolution : 4k
   Sizes : 55" 65"

   If you think that the Sony X900F is expensive, the best budget sports TV we’ve tested is the LG UK7700. The UK7700 does not have the great picture quality or the excellent motion handling of the Sony X900F.

   It is not only a good TV for mixed usage but also a good choice for sports watching due to its fast response time and good gray uniformity. It has excellent reflection handling so placing it in a room with many lights should not be a problem. Also because of its IPS panel, watching from the side is ok since the viewing angles are better even when compared to more expensive models that have VA panels, like the Samsung Q6FN.

   Overall the UK7700 is a good TV for watching sports and can be placed in a variety of rooms with different lighting conditions.

   See our review

6. Cheaper Alternative: TCL R617

   

   TCL R617

   SEE PRICE

   Amazon.com

   Type : LED

   Sub-Type

   ✕

   What it is: Type of display technology used by the TV.

   When it matters: Different technologies have different performance and are suited to different uses

   Good value: IPS maintains good color accuracy at an angle, but has a poor contrast ratio from in front. VA has great picture quality in front, but loses saturation at an angle. OLED maintains good color accuracy at an angle without any of the other issues seen with IPS and VA, as they keep good brightness and contrast at an angle.

   : VA

   Resolution : 4k

   Sizes : 55" 65"

   If you're looking for a cheaper alternative than the LG UK7700, then get the TCL 6 Series R617. You will not get the wide viewing angles of the UK7700 and you might spot some dirty screen effect depending on your panel. However, the TCL R617 is a TV with very good picture quality, good reflection, and motion handling, that will keep you happy for almost any usage and certainly for sports.

   See our review

7. Larger Screen Alternative: Vizio E Series 2018

   

   Vizio E Series 2018

   SEE PRICE

   B&H

   Type : LED

   Sub-Type

   ✕

   What it is: Type of display technology used by the TV.

   When it matters: Different technologies have different performance and are suited to different uses

   Good value: IPS maintains good color accuracy at an angle, but has a poor contrast ratio from in front. VA has great picture quality in front, but loses saturation at an angle. OLED maintains good color accuracy at an angle without any of the other issues seen with IPS and VA, as they keep good brightness and contrast at an angle.

   : VA

   Resolution : 4k

   Sizes : 43" 50" 55" 65" 70" 75"

   If you would like a TV in the budget category that is available in bigger sizes than the LG UK7700, then get the Vizio E Series 2018. You will not get the wide viewing angles or the excellent reflection handling of the UK7700. On the upside, the E Series 2018 is a TV with decent picture quality, low input lag and good motion that will perform well in most usages including sports, and is only found in larger sizes.

   See our review