The Best TVs for Watching Sports in 2023

The LG C2 is lauded by many as the top dog for watching sports thanks to its OLED panels. OLED is going to provide the best viewing for sports, as the panel type provides a lightning-fast pixel response that results in crystal clear following of balls, pucks, and more. The trick when dealing with an OLED TV though is making sure your viewing situation is void of any bright light nearby. OLED TVs are made with panels that have a gloss effect, and so when placed near a window or exposed to bright light a weird mirror effect can happen that inhibits viewing.

TCL makes some of the best wallet-friendly TVs for watching sports, and the secret is its QLED lineup. You get proper color accuracy, proper brightness levels, and proper refresh rate (120 Hz) with this new Q7 model, making it perfect for watching games in bedrooms and living rooms. The Q7 works well for covered patios too, but it is worth noting reviewers that the TV has better viewing in darker settings. The Q7’s audio quality will suffice, but it’s not ideal. This is probably where TCL was able to keep a lot of extra costs out on this model, and so investing in a sound bar, or using the sound bar you currently have, is a recommended solution if you want big-game audio to go with your picture.

If you don’t want to have to worry about the gloss effect OLED TVs can create, then something like this Neo QLED from Samsung is a solid alternative. QLED technology is known for its ability to create advanced levels of brightness and color accuracy, but it does not do as well when measuring shadows on the screen. This viewing formula might be a knock on a TV if you want to get the very best movie quality—the shadows of a TV screen help create stronger contrast and depth—but shadows are not such a priority for watching sports due to the fact a broadcast crew can only do so much in doctoring the picture of a live game. All-in-all, this is a high-grade level TV that caters to those who want to avoid that glossy look QLED TVs can create and potentially place their TV outside or close to a big living room window.

Sony makes a couple of different BRAVIA TVs, but when it comes to getting a crisp, ultra-responsive picture we like the OLED model. You have the same downsides of the potential mirror glare other OLED screens have, but the benefits of this model are pretty awesome if you can avoid the lighting issue. With this TV you get all the brightest and fullest colors on the screen, making everything from the grass of a field to the uniforms of players pop. BRAVIA TVs are also optimized for Playstation 5 gaming, so pairing this TV with a PS5 will essentially yield you the best picture quality and image processing you can get for a TV that doubles for watching sports and gaming. Oh, and did we mention this TV is great for watching movies too? We give this TV the Triple Crown.

Any of the TVs we named above are going to be great for watching sports, but if we had to say what panel type provides the best viewing experience it’s an OLED display. OLED TVs have rich colors, smooth motion, and high-quality 120 Hz refresh rates that guarantee all movements are captured during a game.

Your refresh rate, also known as hertz (Hz), is how fast a TV resets its image per second. A faster refresh rate is going to help capture quick movements on the screen the best, so a TV with a high level of hertz is good for watching sports. The general consensus on what exact number is good for watching sports is 120 Hz.