I posted this on another site....hope this helps:
We probably won't be on ESPN+ or SECN+ again this year, however if we are....please post before the game and I can walk you through this. If we are on SECN+, and the tv plan you are on has the SECN.............then you don't have to pay for anything. Plus, on the ESPN app, the options that pop up if you didn't know any better are $99 Annual / $9.99 Monthly. If nothing else, do the monthly and cancel in a few weeks. Well worth $10 to watch our game.
The reason I'm telling you this, is last year I fell for the same trap on our opener and bought ESPN+ for a month to not miss the game. Not a big deal since it's just $10. But it was actually free on SECN+ for me (and you if you have Direct TV). I do Youtube TV, and the only difference is when you log into the ESPN app on the TV, you just have to choose your TV provider.
Here's the slick way they kind of trick you into signing up and paying for ESPN+............when you go to our game that's listed as being on ESPN+ & SECN+ you will see the ESPN+ option. When you click to view, it makes you sign up. If you continue to scroll through the live/upcoming games, you will eventually find the SECN+ option. Click on it. It simply makes you sign in through your tv provider (charter/comcast/direct/dish/etc).
THE EASIEST WAY to avoid getting duped by ESPN is to simply go into the app, use the search function, type in South Carolina vs (whoever we are playing), and you will get the two icons to choose from with one being ESPN+ and the other SECN+ for watching the game. I have walked so many people through it who felt like you did and thought they were stuck. Choose SECN+ and follow the prompts to log in through your existing provider. It's about a 15-20 second process. Hope this helps.