At long last, we know the winners of the NFC and AFC conferences. The Philadelphia Eagles beat the San Francisco 49ers, and the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Cincinnati Bengals. The winning teams will go on to compete for the Lombardi Trophy at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona for Super Bowl LVII.
Come Sunday, February 12, we’ll see who wins it all. The best way to watch the game is, of course, to see it live. But, when the Super Bowl ticket prices range from not quite $5,000 to an eye-watering $40,000, most of us will be watching it from our living rooms.
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So, unless you watch the game, which is being broadcast by Fox and, in Spanish, on Fox Deportes, over the air (OTA) with an antenna, the best and cheapest way to watch the Super Bowl will be with one of the streaming services listed below. Unlike last year, the game will also be available in 4K OTA and on a few streaming networks.
DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream has gone through a number of name changes. In the past, it’s been AT&T TV, AT&T TV Now, and DirecTV Now. Whatever you call it, you’ll get Fox on even its cheapest package: The $69.99 Entertainment package. Of course, $70 for all practical purposes a month still isn’t cheap. It does, however, include Fox Deportes.
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DirecTV’s other packages offer additional channels, with prices from $90 to $150 per month. Unfortunately, DirecTV does not offer 4K streaming at this time.
On the plus side, DirecTV Stream now comes with generous unlimited Cloud DVR storage. At home, you can watch the game, or any other show, on up to two streaming devices at once. Away from home, you can share your stream with three other devices.
FuboTV
Like the name says, FuboTV is all about sports. But it’s not just sports. It’s also a full-fledged streaming service with all the usual networks, including the one that matters for the game, Fox. Its starter plan, Pro, has over 100 channels and comes with 1,000 hours of cloud DVR storage. You can stream to up to three screens at once for $74.99 a month. It also includes Fox Deportes. One huge plus for FuboTV is that it offers 4K streaming on its Elite or Premier plans.
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This service also encourages new users to sign up for the big game with a free seven-day trial. FuboTV is convinced that once you’ve tried its service, you’ll stick.
Hulu with Live TV
Hulu with Live TV’s combination of on-demand video and live TV is nice, and it also comes with Disney+ and ESPN+ bundled. For $82.99 a month, that’s a good deal. For that, you can also stream two sessions at once. You can also watch Fox Deportes on it. For another $10 a month, you can play as many streams at once at home. But you’re still limited to three screens when you’re away from home.
Another nice plus is you can store an unlimited number of videos in your cloud DVR archive for up to nine months. One thing you can’t do, however, is watch or store the Super Bowl in 4K. While you can watch many Hulu shows, such as Only Murders in the Building, Kindred, and Reboot, in 4K, live TV shows, including the Super Bowl, aren’t available.
Sling TV
Sling TV’s à la carte approach to channels that separates it from its competitors. While the others tend to offer only two to four packages, Sling TV offers two basic packages — Blue and Orange — and a wide variety of packages bundling up to a dozen-related channels.
For the Super Bowl, you need Blue, which includes Fox. This comes with 41 channels for $40 a month, and you can stream it on up to three devices. You can get half off your first month. It also includes 50 hours of DVR storage. The better deal, if you want to keep using Sling, is to combine it with Orange. This kicks you up to over 47 channels for $55 and half off your first month. However, if your primary language is Spanish, you should be aware that Sling TV does not currently provide Fox Deportes. Another down check is that Sling TV doesn’t support 4K.
YouTube TV
With over 100 channels, YouTube TV offers more of the most popular channels than its competitors. It also enables you to watch your local ABC, CBS, Fox, PBS, and NBC channels in most areas. By CNET’s count, out of the top 100 networks, YouTube TV offers the most — 79 — of any streaming service. With the Spanish Plan, you can watch Fox Deportes.
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YouTubeTV also has unlimited cloud storage. And you get six accounts to share with your household. For this, you’ll pay $54.99 for your first three months and then $64.99 monthly. You can use this service on three screens at once. For Super Bowl watchers, you can also watch the game in 4K, but to get that resolution, you must pay an additional $20 for 4K Plus
Enjoy the game, my friends!
Specs Comparison
|
Subscription Cost |
FOX included with the base plan? |
Fox Deportes included with base plan? |
4k available? |
|
| DirecTV Stream | $70 | Yes. | Yes. | No. |
|
FuboTV |
$75 | Yes. | Yes. | Yes, with $85 Elite plan or higher. |
|
Hulu with Live TV |
$83 | Yes. | Yes. | No. |
|
Sling TV |
$40, Blue Package | Yes. | No. | No. |
| YouTube TV | $65 | Yes. | No. It is available however on the $25 Spanish Plan | No. It is available on the $20 4K Plus plan. |
FAQ
Some international providers will be offering the Super Bowl. In Canada, for example, you can watch it on CTV or with a DAZN streaming subscription for $19.99 per month. If you’re in the United Kingdom, you’re in luck. You can just watch it on BBC One or the BBC iPlayer. Or, if you want to watch the US version, with most virtual private networks or VPNs, you can stream the game from your home streaming service. For travelers, ZDNET recommends NordVPN.
The game will begin on Sunday, February 12th at 4:30 p.m. Mountain Time. For those on the East coast, that’s 6:30 p.m. ET.
That depends on how you define free. To get the big game if you don’t have cable, satellite, or over-the-air (OTA), you’ll need a live TV streaming service that offers your local Fox station.
Your choices include DirecTV Stream, FuboTV, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV, and YouTube TV.
Regardless of how you watch the game, you’ll need at least an 8Mbps or better internet connection. Faster is always better. If your service provides it in 4K, you’ll want a speedy 16 Mbps or faster connection.
Rhianna, a music artist with nine Grammy wins, will grace the stage at halftime of Super Bowl LVII.
In theory, the cheapest way to watch the game — unless you can watch it with an antenna — is to install the Fox Sports App on your smart TV or streaming device. It’s free. The reality is, you must log into a paid TV account. Fox doesn’t care if it’s cable, satellite, or streaming, if you don’t pay, you can’t use the app. So, it’s something of a Catch-22.
Finally, make sure your streaming service supports your local Fox station. Before putting your money down, make certain that the service will deliver the game. Sure, 99% of the time, you’ll be fine, but you don’t want to explain to your buddies that they can’t watch the game after all, if you’re one of the unfortunate few who can’t stream a local Fox station.
Unlike last year, you will be able to watch in 4K. If, of course, your streaming service supports 4K. To watch the Super Bowl in 4K, your least expensive choice is FuboTV, which bundles in 4K on its higher-level plans. Your other option is YouTube TV, but you’ll pay an extra $20 for 4K. The game may also be available in 4K via the Fox sports app.
Unless you can get the game with an antenna from a local Fox station, you’ll need one of the TV cable replacement services listed above. There are gray-market streaming services that may show the big game as well. Don’t try them. Some of them don’t work well, while others can infect your smart TV with malware. Yes, malware is now targeting Samsung TVs and Amazon Fire TVs and Sticks. It is so not worth taking a chance with your smart TV, even if it is the Super Bowl.
Sorry, no can do. Maybe next year.
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