爆料TV

If you鈥檙e an NFL fan who鈥檚 frustrated with your search for the right听streaming service, don鈥檛 expect a lot of sympathy from your friends who follow hockey, baseball, and basketball. Among the four major North American sports, only NFL fans can ignore the three little words that are the bane of cord-cutting听sports fans听everywhere:听regional sports networks听(RSNs).听

RSNs are a patchwork of cable channels that present sports coverage on听local channels听in regional markets. Which RSNs you need depends on where you live, and different听streaming services听carry different RSNs. That complicated and inconsistent formula forces many fans to patch together a hodgepodge of different听streaming services听with lots of overlap just to watch their听favorite sports. Beyond the RSN obstacle course, many sports have contracts with national channels that broadcast some games exclusively. NBA fans, for example, have to make sure they have TNT.听

By comparison, NFL fans go through the season their feet up on the desk.

Unlike every other top-tier sport, the NFL shows all of its games on either听ESPN听or the local broadcast affiliates of national networks like听CBS,听NBC, and听Fox, although听Thursday Night Football听will soon move only to听Amazon Prime. That includes both the regular season and the听playoffs. The channel scheduling breaks down like this:听

• Thursday Night Football:听NFL Network, with most games simulcast on听Amazon Prime听Video and听Fox
• Sunday afternoons:听Fox听and听CBS
• Sunday Night Football:听NBC
• Monday Night Football:听ESPN
• Playoffs:听Split between听NBC,听Fox,听ESPN,听CBS听听

In short, if you can get the networks and听ESPN, you can watch every听NFL game鈥攑rovided that you root for the home team in the region where you live. If you鈥檙e a transplant, a fantasy player, a gambler, or anyone else who needs to watch out-of-market games, you鈥檒l need a league package like听NFL Game听Pass, which, along with other league packages, will be discussed in greater detail further down the page. 听

This听live TV听streaming听service听would get you only part of the way there with any other sport, but the network-centric nature of football makes it possible to watch the lion鈥檚 share of the season for free or close to it. Locast is a nonprofit听streaming service鈥攖he only one of its kind in America鈥攖hat streams broadcast television from all four networks (ABC,听CBS,听Fox, and听NBC) as well as a few other key channels like PBS, Telemundo, and Univision.

Locast is currently available to nearly 180 million people in 36 markets, which covers 55% of the country. Since it鈥檚 a nonprofit designed to give low-income households access to basic broadcast television with nothing more than an听internet connection, Locast only recommends donations, which start at $5 per month. If you can鈥檛 afford to pay, you might be able to get the service for free through the .听

If you鈥檙e considering cord-cutting in general and you weren鈥檛 aware of Locast, remember that the networks aren鈥檛 only important for football. All major sports broadcast at least some of their听playoffs听on the networks, which are also home to special sporting events like the听Olympics, the Indy 500, Wimbledon,听PGA听Tour golf, and the Kentucky Derby. The networks also broadcast non-sports specials and annual events like the Academy Awards, the Grammys, and the big holiday parades.听
听

ESPN听is the only missing ingredient

Locast delivers听CBS,听ABC,听NBC, and听Fox. For football fans, that checks all of the boxes except for one鈥擬onday Night Football, which airs on听ESPN. For serious NFL fans and plenty of more casual observers, as well, that鈥檚 a dealbreaker.听

But NFL fans who can forego Mondays鈥攁nd who don鈥檛 need much more non-sports content than network news, sports, sitcoms, and shows鈥攃ould technically cut the cord and get by on Locast alone. It would be a spartan streaming experience鈥攍imited channels, no DVR, no customizable guide鈥攂ut for $5 a month, a budget-conscious football fan who doesn鈥檛 watch much other TV couldn鈥檛 possibly hope to do better.听

Before moving on to the听best听sports听streaming services听for NFL fans, take a look at the league packages that are specific to the sport. Also consider a few general streaming platforms that aren't dedicated to the NFL, but that do show some听football games.

• NFL Game听Pass:听If you can wait until after your favorite out-of-town team plays live,听NFL Game听Pass delivers out-of-market replays and live preseason action for $99 a year. A subscription also includes special content like classic games, documentaries, and more.听

• NFL Sunday Ticket TV:听This is the move for anyone who wants to watch live out-of-market action. Sunday Ticket is normally an听add-on听for DirecTV, but it鈥檚 now available as an听脿 la carte online offering through NFL Sunday Ticket TV鈥攂ut听. It delivers every single Sunday afternoon game nationwide, but you鈥檒l pay $73.49 a month or one payment of $293.96. Upgrade to the Max bundle for $99 a month or $395.99, and you鈥檒l get听NFL RedZone. NFL Sunday Ticket TV is available only outside of听DirecTV鈥檚 service area so check for local availability.听

• NFL RedZone:听Fantasy players鈥攁nd anyone else who lives for inside-the-20 action鈥攎ight consider RedZone, which delivers every touchdown from every game on up to eight games at once. You can subscribe to it, and the听NFL Network, through听Hulu听+听Live TV,听YouTube听TV, Sling, and听Fubo TV.听

• Paramount+:听All听Paramount+ packages, which start at $4.99 per month, deliver six to seven live local听NFL games听on Sundays via听CBS.

• Amazon Prime听Video:听Watch 11听Thursday Night听Football听games听live with your听Amazon Prime听subscription. Amazon is currently sharing Thursdays with听Fox听and the听NFL Network, but Prime Video will be the exclusive home of听Thursday Night Football听starting in 2022.听

If Locast is too bare-bones, if you don鈥檛 care about out-of-market games, and if you don鈥檛 want to cobble together an NFL experience piecemeal through Prime and听Paramount+, then it鈥檚 time to look into a full-service streaming site. Each of the following听streaming services听delivers all or most of the NFL season鈥攁nd the best among them can replace cable altogether.

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• Cost per month:听$32.99-$79.99
• No. of packages:听3
• Cloud DVR听storage:听250 or 1,000 hours, depending on package
• No. of streams:听3 or 10, depending on package
• Risk-free trial:听7 days
• Compatible devices:听Roku,听Apple TV,听iOS,听Android, select Samsung smart TVs, Amazon Fire TV, Xbox, and听Chromecast.

FuboTV delivers the NFL and much more

FuboTV听is the most sports-centric streaming platform on the market鈥攏o other service showcases more leagues, events, teams, and tournaments. It's an especially strong choice for NFL fans who also dabble in that other football鈥擣uboTV听is teeming with soccer and other听international sports, including听Champions League,听La Liga听and听Premier League. It's also a top choice for fans of the听UFC听and other MMA action.

What can NFL fans expect?

FuboTV听delivers all the networks鈥擜BC,听NBC,听CBS, and听Fox鈥攑lus听ESPN, which is everything an NFL fan needs to watch every game in the regular season and the听playoffs. On top of that, you get the听NFL Network听and for $10.99, you can upgrade to the听Sports Plus听with听NFL RedZone听add-on.听FuboTV's DVR storage is among the beefiest you'll find, so you don't have to worry about recording all your favorite pre-game and post-game shows.

What other sports channels come with it? 听

In terms of sheer volume, no听streaming service听can boast anything approaching the number of听sports channels听that听FuboTV听delivers:听CBS听Sports听Network,听Olympics听Channel, Universo, Pac 12 Networks,听ESPN听2,听ESPN听HD听Deportes,听ESPN听News,听ESPN听SEC Channel,听ESPN听U, ACCN,听Bein Sports,听Bein Sports听Extra, Big Ten Network, Fight Network,听Fox听Deprtes,听Fox听Soccer Plus,听Fox听Sports, FS1, FS2, Fubo Sports Network, Game, Ginx Sports,听NBA TV,听NBC听Golf,听NBC听Sports, NBCSN,听NHL Network, NXT LVL Sports, Outdoor Channel, Outdoor TV, SEC听ESPN听Network, Sports Washington, SNY, Sportsman Channel, Stadium, Tennis Channel, TUDN, TV5Monde, Golf TV English, Golf TV Spanish, Insight TV, LAFC, MAVTV,听MLB Network, MLB Strike Zone, TVG, TVG2, TyC Sports, UniMas, World Fishing Network, and Zona Futbol.

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• Cost per month:听$35-$65
• No. of packages:听3听
• Cloud DVR听storage:听50 hours, or 200 hours for $5 extra per month
• No. of streams:听1 or 3, depending on plan
• Risk-free trial:听N/A
• Compatible devices:听AirTV, Amazon Fire TV,听Roku, Samsung, Tivo Stream, Windows, Xbox One,听Android,听Android听TV,听Chromecast,听iOS, LG, Oculus, and听Apple TV

Sling TV can be cheap, but saving requires hard compromises听

Sling tantalizes with the promise of $35 streaming, but that price delivers only half a portion. For both sports and traditional content alike, Sling uses surgical precision to distribute the best channels evenly between the $35 Sling Blue and听Sling Orange听packages so that they both feel incomplete on their own.听

The听Sling Orange听+ Sling Blue option gives you both packages for $50, and you can tack on the听Sports Extra听add-on听for $15 more. But that鈥檚 a monthly spend of $65, the same as听YouTube TV听and听Hulu听+听Live TV, both of which are far more comprehensive services with acclaimed original content and superior听on-demand听libraries. Sling is currently running a special for $10 for the first month for Orange or Blue or $20 for Orange + Blue.

What can NFL fan expect?

Sling forces hard choices on anyone who wants to hold their bill to $35, but NFL fans face the most unenviable decision of all. Go with Blue and you forfeit听ESPN, and with it, Monday Night Football. With the Orange package, you lose听NBC鈥攕ay goodbye to Sunday Night Football.听

That reality all but demands an upgrade to the $50 option of Sling Blue + Orange, which gives you听NBC听and听ESPN. But even when you double up, Sling doesn鈥檛 carry听ABC听or听CBS听and听Fox听isn鈥檛 available in all markets. That means that even with a $50-per-month subscription, you鈥檇 need to set up an antenna just to catch Sunday afternoon games or to watch something like 鈥淔amily Feud鈥� on听ABC. 听

Sling reminds customers that they have the option of combining its service with Locast to fill in the gaps, but that鈥檚 a fairly big hoop to jump through just to get rabbit-ear broadcast networks on what鈥檚 supposed to be a full-service, cable-replacement streaming platform.听

What other sports channels come with it? 听

SEC Network Pac 12 Network, ACCN,听MLB Network,听NHL Network,听NBA TV, the Golf Channel, the Tennis Channel, Longhorn Network,听ESPN听U,听Olympic听Channel, TNT, TBS, Big Ten Network, FS2, ESPNews, and Fox听Sports.

• Cost per month:听$69.99 - $139.99
• No. of packages:听4
• Cloud DVR听storage:听20 hours or $10 extra per month for unlimited
• No. of streams:听3
• Risk-free trial:听14 days
• Compatible devices:听Chromecast,听Roku, select Samsung smart TVs, Fire TV,听Android,听Apple TV, and AT&T's exclusive听streaming device

DirecTV Stream offers a complete package at a hefty price

Until recently,听AT&T TV听had been AT&T Now. Before that, it was DirecTV Now.听, customers were hustled through yet another rebranding鈥攖his time, the听streaming service听formerly known as听AT&T TV听morphed into DirecTV Stream. AT&T TV听users were not affected by the change and both the service's live and听on-demand听content听are the same.

DirecTV Stream is the most expensive option on the list but it鈥檚 not necessarily overpriced. While it doesn鈥檛 unify as many far-flung sports leagues, tournaments, and channels as听Fubo TV, it provides a much richer and more complete streaming experience than Sling鈥攅ven with all of Sling鈥檚 available upgrades.听

DirecTV听Stream's price tag looks more like that of a traditional cable subscription鈥攑articularly at the top tiers鈥攁nd its听cloud DVR听is stingy unless you pay for an upgrade. But DirecTV Stream delivers more than 65 channels with the base package鈥攎ore than 140 at the top tier. Its expansive听on-demand听library is packed with up to tens of thousands of titles, depending on your subscription package. Currently, you get three free months of HBO Max with all but the entry-level package.听

What can NFL fans expect?

DirecTV Stream gives football fans everything they need, although those who like to cherish the memories will want to upgrade to unlimited DVR. Fans get full network coverage,听ESPN, and one of the most complete packages on the market for cord-cutters looking to mimic the cable experience. But听Hulu听+听Live TV听and听YouTube TV听certainly give DirecTV Stream a run for its money at a lower price.听

What other sports channels come with it? 听

Although it doesn鈥檛 directly affect NFL fans, DirecTV Stream is the last remaining streaming platform that includes the听听(Fox听RSNs), a nationwide collection of RSNs that provides听live sports听coverage to nearly 20 markets across the country. For fans of all non-NFL sports, the inclusion of the听Fox听RSNs is a game-changing convenience that is now exclusive to DirecTV Stream. In 2019, Sling Dropped the听Fox听RSNs鈥攐wned by Sinclair鈥攁nd听Hulu, YouTube, and听Fubo TV听did the same within a year.听

Aside from local and regional sports coverage, the networks, and听ESPN,听DirecTV听Stream delivers NBCSN,听NHL Network,听Olympic听Channel, SEC Network, TBS, TNT, ACCN, Big Ten Network,听CBS听Sports听Network, FS1, FS2, the Golf Channel, Sportsman Channel, the Tennis Channel, TUDN, TVG, MLB HD,听NBA League Pass,听NBA TV,听ESPN2,听ESPN听News, and ESPN听U.

• Cost per month:听$64.99 per month
• No. of packages:听1
• Cloud DVR听storage:听50 hours or $10 extra per month for 200 hours
• No. of streams:听2
• Risk-free trial:听7 days
• Compatible devices:听LG, Samsung, Nintendo Switch,听iOS,听Android, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Xbox 360, Fire TV and Fire Stick,听Roku, Gen-4听Apple TV, and听Chromecast

Hulu听+听Live TV听Could Be the Best All-Around Live Streaming Option听

DirectTV Stream offers more package options and听live听streams听than听Hulu.听YouTube TV听has better cloud storage and听Fubo TV听has more听sports channels. But if you鈥檙e looking for a jack of all trades that covers all of its bases well and excels where it really counts, it鈥檚 hard to argue that any service checks as many boxes as听Hulu听+听Live TV.听

None of the previously mentioned听streaming services, for example, deliver original programming.听YouTube TV听has some, but nothing approaching the quality or relevance of what comes out of Netflix,听Disney+, and Prime.听Hulu, on the other hand, delivers a full spectrum of 75听live channels, it has an听on-demand听library that can battle any competitor, and it also delivers original programming, including acclaimed movies and prestige听TV shows听like 鈥淭he Handmaid鈥檚 Tale.鈥� 听听

That makes听Hulu+听Live TV听the only platform that can serve as a legitimate standalone replacement for both cable and the many supplementary听on-demand听apps like Netflix and听Disney+ that viewers tend to accumulate over time.听

What can NFL fans expect?

For NFL fans specifically,听Hulu+听Live TV听delivers听ESPN听and the network coverage you need to catch every game from preseason through the Super Bowl.听Hulu听makes it easy for fans to customize their profiles and record their team鈥檚 games automatically.听Hulu听now carries the听NFL Network听and offers a sports听add-on听for $10 a month that includes听NFL RedZone.

What other sports channels come with it? 听

In many cities,听Hulu听customers can get regional sports through听local channels.听Hulu听also delivers听ESPN听2, College Extra,听ESPN听U, FS1, Golf, NBCSN, TNT, TBS, ACCN, BTN,听Fox听Sports, and听CBS听Sports听Network.

• Cost per month:听$64.99
• No. of packages:听1
• Cloud DVR听storage:听Unlimited
• No. of streams:听3
• Risk-free trial:听14 days
• Compatible devices:听Xbox One,听Android,听iOS, Amazon Fire TV,听Roku,听Chromecast听with Google TV,听Apple TV, LG, Samsung, PlayStation, Vizio, and Sharp.

YouTube TV: Easy NFL viewing, solid channel lineup, endless DVR

YouTube TV听is听Hulu鈥檚 strongest competitor for the title of best all-around听streaming service. They鈥檙e even both priced the same. But just as听Hulu听has advantages over YouTube, the latter outshines the former in plenty of cases, too.听

YouTube TV听brings something to the table that no competitor can match鈥攗nlimited DVR storage. That鈥檚 a game-changer for anyone who likes to record multiple HD games and all their affiliated pre- and post-game coverage.听YouTube TV听delivers an impressive 85听live channels听and an equally impressive library of content that includes lots of original series.听

What can NFL fans expect?

YouTube TV听provides full network coverage plus the听ESPN听channels, which will get NFL fans through to February intact. But听subscribers听also get the听NFL Network, not to mention the MLB and NBA networks.听Hulu, on the other hand, doesn鈥檛 deliver any league networks whatsoever. 听

What other sports channels come with it? 听

CBS听Sports,听ESPN听2,听ESPN听U,听ESPN听News, ACCN, BTN, SNY, TBS, TNT, FS1, FS2, MLB Game of the Week,听NBA TV,听NBC听Sports, NBCSN,听Olympics听Channel, SEC听ESPN听Network, Golf Channel, LAFC, and Fox听Sports.

There鈥檚 also a听Sports Plus听Add-On, which gives you听NFL Red Zone,听Fox听College Sports, TVG, GOLTV,听Fox听Soccer Plus, TV, Stadium.