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Best VPN Server Locations for Sports Blackouts: City-by-City Guide (2026)
The hardest part of bypassing sports blackouts isn't the VPN setup — it's knowing which server to connect to. Pick the wrong city and you're still in the blackout zone. Pick a city too far away and your stream buffers.
This guide gives you the exact server location to use for every major blackout scenario across MLB, NBA, NHL, and NFL.
How Blackout Zones Work
Sports blackouts are geographic restrictions enforced by streaming apps (ESPN+, MLB.TV, NBA League Pass, etc.) based on broadcast contracts:
- Local/Regional blackouts: Your team's games are blacked out within the local broadcast territory — typically a multi-state region around the team's home city.
- National blackouts: Games on national TV (ESPN, TNT, ABC, Fox) are blacked out on streaming packages nationwide.
Quick rules:
- Connect to a server at least 2 states away from the team's home city.
- Avoid servers in cities with an MLB/NBA/NHL team in the same division (they often share blackout overlaps).
- For national blackouts, connect to a Canadian or international server.
- On Fire Stick, enable GPS override in Surfshark settings.
MLB Blackout Server Locations
| Team / Market | Blackout States | Recommended Server |
|---|---|---|
| New York Yankees / Mets | NY, NJ, CT, PA (eastern) | Miami, Dallas, or Chicago |
| Boston Red Sox | MA, CT, NH, VT, ME, RI | Dallas, Atlanta, or Miami |
| Los Angeles Dodgers / Angels | CA (southern), NV, HI | Dallas, Chicago, or Seattle |
| Chicago Cubs / White Sox | IL, IN, IA, WI | Miami, Dallas, or Los Angeles |
| San Francisco Giants / Oakland A's | CA (northern), NV, HI | Dallas, Chicago, or Miami |
| Houston Astros | TX (most), LA, AR, OK | Miami, Chicago, or New York |
| Atlanta Braves | GA, AL, MS, TN, SC, NC | New York, Chicago, or Dallas |
| Philadelphia Phillies | PA, NJ, DE, MD | Miami, Dallas, or Chicago |
| St. Louis Cardinals | MO, IL, AR, IA, IN, OK, TN, KY | Miami, New York, or Los Angeles |
| Seattle Mariners | WA, OR, AK, MT, ID | Dallas, Miami, or Chicago |
| Toronto Blue Jays | All of Canada | New York, Dallas, or Miami |
NBA Blackout Server Locations
| Team / Market | Blackout Region | Recommended Server |
|---|---|---|
| New York Knicks / Brooklyn Nets | NY metro area | Miami, Dallas, or Chicago |
| Los Angeles Lakers / Clippers | Southern California | Dallas, Chicago, or Miami |
| Golden State Warriors | Northern California | Dallas, Chicago, or Miami |
| Chicago Bulls | IL, IN, IA, WI | Miami, Dallas, or Los Angeles |
| Boston Celtics | New England | Dallas, Miami, or Atlanta |
| Miami Heat | Florida | Chicago, Dallas, or New York |
| Dallas Mavericks | TX, OK, AR, LA | Miami, Chicago, or New York |
| Philadelphia 76ers | PA, NJ, DE | Miami, Dallas, or Chicago |
| Phoenix Suns | AZ | Dallas, Los Angeles, or Chicago |
| Toronto Raptors | All of Canada | New York, Miami, or Dallas |
NHL Blackout Server Locations
| Team / Market | Blackout Region | Recommended Server |
|---|---|---|
| NY Rangers / Islanders / Devils | NY, NJ, CT | Miami, Dallas, or Chicago |
| Boston Bruins | New England | Dallas, Atlanta, or Miami |
| Chicago Blackhawks | IL, IN, IA, WI | Miami, Dallas, or Los Angeles |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | PA, WV | Miami, Dallas, or Chicago |
| Toronto Maple Leafs / Ottawa Senators | Ontario, Canada | New York, Dallas, or Miami |
| Montreal Canadiens | Quebec, Canada | New York, Dallas, or Miami |
| Tampa Bay Lightning / Florida Panthers | Florida | Chicago, Dallas, or New York |
| Colorado Avalanche | CO, WY, MT, NE | Los Angeles, Miami, or Dallas |
| Vegas Golden Knights | NV | Chicago, Dallas, or Miami |
| Seattle Kraken | WA, OR, AK | Dallas, Miami, or Chicago |
For more NHL-specific instructions, see our NHL blackout bypass guide.
NFL Blackout Information
NFL blackouts are different from other leagues:
- NFL Sunday Ticket (YouTube TV) blacks out games in the local broadcast market.
- Local CBS/Fox games are not available on streaming in the local market — they air on local broadcast TV only.
- Thursday Night Football (Amazon) and Monday Night Football (ESPN) have no local blackouts — they're available nationwide.
| Scenario | Blacked Out? | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Local CBS/Fox game on Sunday Ticket | Yes | VPN to any city outside the broadcast market |
| Thursday Night Football on Prime Video | No | No VPN needed |
| Monday Night Football on ESPN | No | No VPN needed (requires ESPN subscription) |
| NFL+ local game | Yes (in-market) | VPN to any out-of-market city |
ESPN+ Blackout Bypass
ESPN+ enforces blackouts for all MLB, NHL, and some MLS games. The same server recommendations above apply. Key notes:
| Sport on ESPN+ | Blackout Type | VPN Fix |
|---|---|---|
| MLB (out-of-market) | In-market blackout | Connect to server outside team's territory |
| NHL (out-of-market) | In-market blackout | Connect to server outside team's territory |
| MLS | In-market blackout | Connect to server outside team's territory |
| UFC / Boxing | Usually none | No VPN needed for most events |
Best Fallback Cities (Work for Most Teams)
If you're not sure which server to pick, these cities are outside almost every team's blackout zone:
- Miami, FL — only blocked for Marlins, Heat, Panthers, and Dolphins home games. Works for virtually every other team.
- Dallas, TX — only blocked for Texas-based teams. Works for all East Coast and West Coast teams.
- Denver, CO — only blocked for Avalanche, Nuggets, Rockies. Works for most other markets.
- Atlanta, GA — only blocked for Braves, Hawks, Thrashers. Works for most Midwest and West Coast teams.
For national blackouts: Connect to a server in Canada (Toronto or Vancouver in Surfshark). National US blackouts don't apply outside the US.
How to Switch Servers in Surfshark
- Open the Surfshark app on your Fire Stick.
- Tap the Locations button.
- Search for the city from the tables above.
- Tap to connect. The app will automatically disconnect from your current server and connect to the new one.
- On Fire Stick, make sure GPS override is enabled (Settings → Override GPS location).
- Force-close your streaming app (ESPN+, MLB.TV, etc.) and reopen it. This clears any cached location data.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know which city my team is blacked out in?
Each league publishes blackout maps. Generally, games are blacked out within a 75-mile radius of the team's home city (MLB, NBA, NHL) or the entire local broadcast territory. The tables above list the blackout zones for each team.
Can I use any VPN server outside the blackout zone?
Yes, any server outside the blackout territory works. However, we recommend choosing a server in a major city for best speed and reliability. Avoid servers in cities that share a blackout zone with your team.
Do I need GPS override for sports blackout bypass?
On Fire Stick, yes. ESPN+ and MLB.TV check GPS location in addition to IP address. Surfshark's GPS override spoofs your location to match the VPN server. On Roku (via router), GPS override isn't needed since Roku doesn't have GPS hardware.
What if the game is nationally blacked out?
National blackouts (ESPN, TNT, ABC, Fox) are enforced nationwide. A VPN server in another US city won't help. You need to connect to a server outside the US (e.g., Canada or Mexico) or watch on the broadcast network that has the exclusive rights.
What to Read Next
- 🏒 How to Bypass NHL Blackouts on Fire Stick & Roku — step-by-step NHL guide
- ⚾ How to Watch Geo-Blocked Sports on Roku — all sports on Roku
- 🆚 NordVPN vs Surfshark for Fire Stick — which VPN to use
- 🔐 Best VPNs for Fire Stick (2026) — full 5-VPN comparison
iStreamPilot guides are for informational and educational purposes. VPN use is legal in most countries. Bypassing blackouts may violate the terms of service of your streaming provider. You are responsible for compliance with applicable terms and laws in your jurisdiction.