You’re all geared up to switch on the Real Madrid vs. Barcelona channel and watch some fútbol. The first leg of the Copa Del Rey semi-finals kicks off today as Real Madrid and FC Barcelona clash at Santiago Bernabeu stadium. This is one of the most anticipated matches of the year, and the hype is high. Barca is coming off a two-loss streak with Sunday’s 1-0 loss to Almeria and Thursday’s 2-1 loss to Man United. Their spirits aren’t as high as they were before their 3-1 win in the Supercopa final against Madrid last month. Real Madrid may have tied 1-1 to Atlético Madrid last week, but were on a five-win streak before that, including a resounding 5-2 victory over Liverpool. Only one team can progress in La Copa. Who wants it more?
Real Madrid vs. Barcelona is only available on ESPN+. That means you won’t be able to watch it live on a cable channel. But don’t worry, it’s still possible to watch the game live in the US. We just have to turn to ESPN’s streaming platform. Streaming continues to dominate basic cable, and tonight is no exception. ESPN could easily have put such a popular matchup on one of their many cable channels but elected to make it an ESPN+ exclusive. This is likely a sign that international sports will continue to stay exclusive to online streaming for now, but you can still get the Real Madrid vs. Barcelona live stream on a television, as ESPN+ is available on most smart TVs, as well as set-top boxes like the Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, and more.
The match starts at 3 p.m. ET today, March 2. The only way US viewers can watch is on ESPN+. You’ll need a subscription, and there are a few options for how to get one. ESPN+ on its own currently costs $10 per month or $100 for a year-long plan. There is currently no ESPN+ free trial. You can also get ESPN+ as part of the Disney Bundle, which includes ESPN+, Hulu, and Disney. That costs $13 per month for the ad-supported plan or $20 per month for ad-free, but that will only affect your Hulu watching. If you don’t have any of the services yet, this is the best way to save money. If you’re only concerned with watching today’s game, the $10 monthly subscription is your cheapest bet.
Some of the best shots in Grok Imagine’s AI-made Odyssey don’t contain actors. Ancient landscapes stretch into the distance. Close-ups of grimy hands suggest people who have touched something rougher than a keyboard. For a few seconds, the illusion holds.
https://twitter.com/imagine/status/2113712964419063911
YouTube videos could soon look better without eating quite so much data, right? Thankfully, the platform plans to introduce a new video format called AV2 on its web player in early 2027, promising more efficient streaming and potentially fewer playback hiccups on slower internet connections. The big headline is a roughly 30% improvement in compression efficiency over AV1, YouTube's existing video format. That doesn't guarantee every video will use 30% less data, but it could make streaming a little easier on both internet connections and data allowances.
What is AV2, and why should viewers care?
YouTube is changing how its Home page works, giving viewers more control over what shows up there and making some of the app’s most-used sections easier to reach. Custom Feeds are now replacing the existing topic chips for eligible users, while YouTube is also testing a redesigned top bar on mobile that moves Subscriptions closer to the Home feed.
YouTube first started experimenting with Custom Feeds earlier this year, letting you type out what you wanted to watch and turning that request into its own stream of recommendations. Now, the feature is starting to look less like a side experiment and more like something YouTube actually wants people to use as part of their everyday Home page.