I love technology!

So in this blog I wanted to discuss some options for long distance fans as far as viewing opportunities or attending games. The hardest part of being a long distance fan is not being able to attend games at your hometown stadium. I'm usually the first person to look at a season schedule to see if my team is coming into my area. If they are, I have no problem spending some of my hard earned money going to the games. If you don't have the time or money to go to games, or if you're in an area where your team won't play, I want to identify some things I've used in the past to help me satisfy my long distance fandom.

1. Cable or satellite sports packages Cost: $80 - $335
Most cable or satellite companies offer some sort of package that will include all out-of-market games. Check your provider for prices, but most will offer monthly payments lasting the season. I used to order the MLB package every year from 2005-2009, but stopped after I couldn't split the bill with a roommate.

Pros: Anytime I'm at home, I could watch my team on TV. I literally felt like I was in Chicago watching games like I used to be. Many of the games were also in high definition, which was better than any TV I used to watch while I lived in Chicago. I could DVR the games and watch them at my leisure too.

Cons: It can get EXPENSIVE. Especially for a 16 game NFL season that costs about $335. This comes out to more than $20 per game, not to mention if you are rooting for a team that is shown on national TV occasionally like the Bears, who played six games televised on national TV last season. If you take away those six games, cost per game is $33.50! My advice: go hit a bar that shows all the games. Here's a list of bars in the D.C. area that will show your NFL team. You may have to deal with unruly fans, but buying a few beers is much cheaper than spending over $30 on one game.

2. Internet video and radio subscriptions Cost: $20-$100
All the major sports leagues offer video or radio online subscriptions. The NFL is the only one that doesn't offer video service, but most of their games are televised nationally anyways. I've subscribed to MLB.TV for three years now and can watch it on my laptop or even my iPhone with the MLB At-Bat app.

Pros: Watch ANYWHERE. Literally. I watched the White Sox play the Detroit Tigers while in the Grand Cayman Islands one year on my laptop. It's much cheaper than the cable or satellite subscriptions.

Cons: Sometimes the connection is bad and a game will be interrupted. Unless you have high-speed internet, it can be hard to watch. Some games are blacked out because FOX owns the rights to Saturday games before 4:00 p.m. EST. Also, you can't DVR the games, so if you miss a game, you're out of luck.

3. Cell phone applications cost: Free-$15
I mentioned the MLB At-Bat app earlier, but there are hundreds of applications out there for smart phones that users can check up on their games and scores. I prefer ESPN ScoreCenter or FOX Sports. Also if you're in the car, plug in the Radio.com app and look for your city's sports stations. I know on Sundays I can tune into Chicago's WBBM News radio 780 to catch the Bears games absolutely free.

Pros: Most of the applications are free. That can be hard to pass up. They are up to the minute, so you're getting the latest news on your team. Since the apps are already on your phone, they can go with you anywhere.

Cons: Most of the apps don't allow for streaming video. The MLB At-Bat app is the only one I use that can stream live video to your cell phone. These apps can also drain battery life on your cell-phone.