In 2015, Sling launched to modest success within the streaming market. It was once heavily promoted as the anti-cable leader, aggressively pursuing market share of the traditional pay-TV business model. It was designed to liberate customers from expensive cable bills so that they could enjoy internet streaming while retaining the regular programming of many of the same channels and live sports entertainment they loved. In theory, customers could slim down the selection of channels, targeting only the primary ones they would use, and have a significantly smaller monthly bill than cable TV. It was a great model and a leader in the industry for a time.
With the emergence of harsh competition from YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV, Sling has faced a declining user base. This is particularly due to the ability of competitors to include affiliate channels from the major networks that provide users with local news, weather, and other programming. While Sling has gotten on board with this service, the streaming company has had to try other options to reinvigorate growth. One such option was the introduction in 2025 of short-term Sling Passes. However, this flexible option has now been eliminated by the service and is no longer available to users.
What happened to Sling’s short-term passes?
Sling’s most flexible option has gone the way of the dinosaurs
The beauty of the Sling pass is that it built upon Sling’s original premise of better consumer flexibility. While the service once provided a more economical product that could free consumers from costly monthly cable bills, the Sling pass further removed the conditions and constraints that come with a subscription service. Viewers could pay $4.99 for a single-day pass. Weekend Passes were $9.99. You could even grab a temporary week-long pass for just $14.99. It’s a wonderful service that speaks most directly to sports enthusiasts who don’t wish to pay the full price for a subscription service only to watch specific games or seasons. In fact, these short-term passes were launched in August of 2025 just in time for football. The target market was clear, though there were many other reasons a viewer could want only a temporary pass without a full commitment.
Now, according to Sling’s website, these handy passes are no longer available. While no reason for the decision to remove the short-term passes has been provided, there’s reason to speculate. Perhaps the service was cannibalizing its own profits, with a decline in subscriptions in favor of short-term passes. Or, the litigious reality that Sling has faced at the behest of Disney and Warner Bros. could have influenced the decision. These companies had claimed that Dish, Sling’s parent company, was breaching licensing agreements with this short-term offering. Whatever the reason may be, the removal of short-term passes puts users back in the position of deciding whether full-blown subscriptions are right for them. It’s a tough economy, and these types of expenses have to be measured.
There are still many ways to save money when it comes to streaming
If reducing personal costs is what you’re aiming for, try some of these options
If these short-term passes were attractive because they enabled you to keep costs down while watching the entertainment you wanted most, there are other ways to save money in this regard. Previously, we had covered options for free trials among services that still offer them. Be sure to check those out to see if there is something worth your time and money. We’ve also covered many ways to find cost-saving options when accumulating streaming subscriptions. Sometimes the cheapest options aren’t in plain sight, and we cover a few ways to search for the best deals.
However, there’s also always the simple option of subscribing to Sling for a month or two (or a full season) and cancelling when you are ready. There’s never any commitment to stay long-term for a streaming service. You just have to be sure to set yourself a reminder to make the cancellation. You also might consider FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV) options including Tubi, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, Xumo, and more. Even Sling has a “freestream” selection. Also, many smart TVs come with their own FAST platforms. While the demise of short-term Sling passes is unfortunate, there are still many ways to reduce costs if you look in the right places.
- notable shows
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South Park, Deal or No Deal, Baywatch
- Originals
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No
- notable movies
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The Babadook, It Happened One Night, Star Trek: The Motion Picture
- Live TV
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500+ channels
