THE BEST STREAMING SERVICES FOR NFL GAMES

Looking to watch NFL without cable this season? You’re in the right place! Read further as we break down the pros and cons as well as where, when, and how you can catch all of your games from your favorite team. In today’s user oriented, on-demand world many streaming services are giving cable a run for its money, and it’s no wonder why. Between work, errands, and maintaining a social life, rushing home at 8pm for your favorite show or running to the nearest sports bar to catch the game is can be inconvenient.

Many sports fans opt to keep their cable subscription only because of the sports games available, which streaming options fail to replicate. Below we will profile which streaming services are providing which NFL games, where to watch NFL games on TV, and how to watch NFL blackout games as well so you can decide if it's time to stream without cable in your house. 

Where to watch NFL games on TV? 

Due to the NFL’s extreme popularity every major network has wanted a piece of the action at one point or another, and many have just that- a piece. Monday Night Football is almost always a single game, broadcast by ESPN starting at 8pm. Thursday Night Football is also a single game broadcast on the NFL Network. Sundays are a full slate of 14 games beginning at 1pm with various games being broadcast on FOX, and CBS; with one 8pm game on NBC. With all of these games attracting millions of viewers it's easy to understand why each network has bid for a spot, but it does cause confusion as to who has what game. 
This incredible popularity coupled with streaming's own popularity, has led the NFL to branch out to streaming platforms. Below we will explore what NFL games streaming services have to offer. 

Hulu 

Hulu offers a live TV plan that includes all the channels you need to watch your locally accessible NFL broadcasts and is available on almost all media streaming devices, meaning your Roku or smart TV will support it. They also offer a massive live TV channel lineup and selection of TV series, but conversely their base level on-demand plan includes ads, and offline downloads require a premium account. 

Amazon Prime Video

Amazon Prime Video currently only provides Live Thursday Night Football, albeit the games are broadcasted in 4k, and they do frequently offer a choice between commentary teams. Amazon Prime Video also offers an extensive TV series and movie selection as well, however they continue to lose content to other streaming
services. 

YouTube TV 

YouTube TV provides the same NFL coverage as local cable services and is renowned for its DVR features. They have an easy to use interface and support three simultaneous streams per account, an industry leader with this option. 

FuboTV 

FuboTV has the channels and networks you need to watch all of your markets' NFL games too. They are centered around sports and offer many sports package add-ons. One of their drawbacks is that these packages are relatively expensive and most of their live streams are only available in 720p. 

Sling TV 

Sling TV allows users to watch Monday Night Football on ESPN and all the NFL games that regularly air on their local NBC or FOX channels. They also offer movie rentals, tiered subscription options, and are known for their reliable streaming performance, although they have a very limited offering of local channels and regional sporting networks. 

AT&T TV 

AT&T TV offers the channels, both local and national, you need to watch NFL games any day of the week. They also offer playback features that allow you to rewind or restart live games, a pretty cool feature for most sports fans. They are however typically more expensive than that of their competitors' services, and without a notable advantage in service quality or type. 

Where can I watch NFL out-of-market or Blackout Games? 

NFL Blackout games are games whose broadcasting is limited, or blacked-out, by the NFL usually in order to encourage attendance to the game instead of streaming, they accomplish this by blocking markets from viewing it live. These are usually two games every Sunday that are Blackout Games. Some of these games even take place in the U.K., and are then blacked-out due to their broadcasting rights. The only truly legal way to view these games is through the NFL Sunday Ticket streaming service app. NFL Sunday ticket delivers out-of-market regular-season NFL games on Sunday afternoons. They offer high quality playback modes, closed caption customization options, and reliable streaming performance. But due to its high cost, lack of any other games, coverage restrictions, and inability to opt out once the NFL season has started, many are dissuaded from subscribing. 

Should I stream TV or not? 

While no single streaming provider has each and every NFL game live and on demand, it may be a better option for you if your schedule is often changing, or if you want access to a particular show they have. 
However, if you’re a true diehard fan and want to catch every game you can through streaming you can try bundling all the streaming services together in order to do so, but you may be surprised to see your streaming service cost outweigh your cable bill. 

If you have a more consistent, less hectic schedule than some, cable may be your best choice. Streaming requires a decent internet connection, and still may freeze or lag behind, and no NFL fan wants the action to cut out right as a touchdown is thrown. 

As of now the best way to follow the NFL is through cable, as the NFL has long been intertwined with the industry, and continues to be. It’s important to consider all of this before deciding to stream TV or not. One thing is for sure, the NFL will continue to be in demand and will always be trying to reach new fans.