6 Effective Fixes For ESPN Media Not Allowed Error

You may experience the ESPN media not allowed error on your Roku device because the authentication has failed, and you do not have permission to access the channel.

ESPN requires a cable provider to allow streaming. When the authentication fails, you cannot load the ESPN app. However, you can easily resolve this problem by updating the ESPN application and trying other fixes if that doesn’t work.

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Key Takeaways

• The media not allowed error appears when you open the ESPN app on a Roku device.
• It may occur due to authentication issues, server outages, outdated devices, or the ESPN app.
• You can fix the error by updating the ESPN app, authenticating to the correct TV provider, re-installing the app, and installing the latest firmware update on your Roku device.

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Causes Of Media Not Allowed Error On ESPN

This error is caused due to the following reasons:

• Authentication failure between ESPN and the Roku TV.
• Outdated app.
• Incorrect TV provider details in ESPN.
• A server outage.
• Slow internet connection.

How To Fix ESPN Media Not Allowed Error

You can find a list of fixes for it below:

1. Check the ESPN server status
2. Authenticate TV provider on ESPN again
3. Restart your Roku Device
4. Log into ESPN again
5. Re-install ESPN on Roku
6. Switch your internet connection

Check The ESPN Server Status

Before you jump into the guide, I suggest you take a minute to ensure that there is no server outage on ESPN’s end. ESPN officials told this to a Reddit user who was facing the error.

1. Go to DownDetector.com.

   

2. Type “ESPN” in the search bar.
3. Scroll down to see the server outage status for the ESPN app.

   

You will be able to see ESPN+ outages in the past 24 hours. If the server is down, there is nothing you can do but wait out the storm.

You can also visit the ESPN Plus Official Twitter for updates about server issues. If the server is down for maintenance, you will likely find information about it there.

Authenticate TV Provider On ESPN Again

When you try to watch a game on ESPN, it asks you whether you want to use your TV service provider to access that program. I would advise you to authenticate the TV provider before continuing to stream on ESPN. A Reddit user tested this and said it solved the issue.

Follow these steps to change/authenticate the TV provider on ESPN.

1. Log out of the ESPN app.
2. Go to “Settings” on your Roku device.

   

3. Select “Account Information > “TV Provider” and log out of your TV provider.
4. Open the ESPN app.
5. Then, select a program to watch on ESPN.
6. You will see a dialogue box asking you to allow the TV provider to access the content. Choose “Allow.”
7. Next, choose your TV provider.
8. Enter your TV provider credentials.

Restart Your Roku Device

If you are trying to stream ESPN shows on Roku and the “Media Not Allowed” error pops up, a user on Roku Community suggested restarting your Roku Device. You can perform a soft reset by unplugging the device from power and waiting a minute before reconnecting it.

You can also follow these steps to restart it:

1. Go to “Home” by pressing the home icon on the remote.

   

2. Select “Settings” > “System” > “Power” > “System Restart” to restart your Roku Device.

Log Into ESPN Again

An easy fix you can try to solve the authentication error on ESPN is to log out and log into ESPN again. This has helped a user on Reddit and will clear the app’s cache and memory, and you can continue streaming on ESPN.

1. Open ESPN on your device.
2. Select “Settings” > “Account Information” > “Login to ESPN Account” to find your activation code.
3. Enter the activation code here.

   

4. Sign in to ESPN again to resolve the media not allowed problem.

Re-install ESPN On Roku

A user on Reddit suggested that uninstalling and re-installing ESPN+ on Roku can solve the media not allowed error. If you are using an outdated version of the app, re-installing it will update to ESPN’s latest version.

1. Sign out of the ESPN app from Account Settings.
2. Go to “Home” > “Streaming Channel.” Find the ESPN channel in the list of installed channels.

   

3. Select the ESPN channel on the screen and press “*” on your Roku remote.
4. You will see a pop-up dialogue with different options related to the channel.
5. Select “Remove Channel.”

   

6. Go back to Home.
7. Go to “Roku Channel Store” by going to “Search Channel.”

   

8. Install “ESPN” on Roku again by selecting “Add Channel.”

   

9. Log in using your credentials.

You will be able to stream on ESPN now. However, if this doesn’t work, I advise you to attempt to restart the Roku device before installing ESPN on Roku again. Once the Roku device has been restarted, go to the Channel Store to install it and authenticate yourself using your account information.

Switch Your Internet Connection

You can change your internet connection in an attempt to fix the error, as it has helped a user on Reddit. Sometimes the Roku device glitches set your internet as the cable provider and try to activate ESPN through your internet connection.

To resolve this, follow these steps:

1. Go to “Settings” > “Account Information” > “TV Provider” and log out.
2. Log out from your ESPN account as well.
3. Press the “Home” button on your Roku remote.
4. Choose “Settings” > “Network.”

   

5. You can connect to another internet provider from Network Settings.

   

6. Disconnect the Roku device from your internet connection and switch it to another.

   

7. Log into ESPN again using the activation code.
8. Select a program and allow access to the TV provider.
9. Choose your correct TV provider and enter its credentials.

Additional Tip

One last thing you can try to resolve the error is to remove the ESPN app, reboot your Roku device, and re-install the app again. Keep in mind that you need to follow these steps in the correct order to fix the issue.

You can contact Roku Support for help if you think the issue lies with your Roku device and not with the ESPN app.