Watching NFL Games Live on the Web / I Hate Comcast

[dmw16]

I am really getting tired of paying for cable because I feel like the only thing I really want it for is the NFL season and NFL network. I saw someone mention NFL Game Pass in another thread, but when I looked into that it seems like it's only for people outside the US.

Am I missing something? Is there another service out there that I can legally and reliably watch live NFL games? I don't want to dork around with people streaming them from their houses and all that crap.

Thanks.

 

[Anubis]

can legally and reliably watch live NFL games?

nope and yes it fucking sucks

 

[dmw16]

nope and yes it fucking sucks

Super. It is the only thing keeping me from getting rid of cable. GodDamnitSoMuch

 

[SillyOReilly]

The games are on network TV, get an HDTV antenna.

 

[dmw16]

The games are on network TV, get an HDTV antenna.

I've tried and I guess given my location I can't really get them over the air. Plus since I live in a condo there is no good place to put an antenna and it looks like crap in someone's living room.

 

[dougp]

The games are on network TV, get an HDTV antenna.

Not all of them are - Monday, Thursday and Saturday games aren't on network TV.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

you could start by unsubscribing when its not football season. directtv has a webapp for watching sunday ticket, you might be able to find someone with a dish you can chip in with to get the login. that will only work for the sunday day games tho.

 

[AstroManLuca]

Basic cable (as in $10/mo, only-for-the-reception cable) will at least give you your local TV networks in HD. It's an alternative to an antenna if you can't put your antenna in a good place. You can see which games will be broadcast on which channels here:

http://the506.com/nflmaps/

Generally you will get one 1pm (EST) game and one 4:30pm game, and everyone gets the Sunday night game on NBC. Sometimes you will be able to flip between two games (one on FOX, one on CBS) either in the 1:00 or 4:30 timeslot. Also, if your local market team is playing a Monday or Thursday night game, they will broadcast that so you won't need ESPN or NFL Network.

DirecTV is the ONLY option if you want to see more Sunday afternoon games than what is normally broadcast. If you have NFL Network, you will also get NFL Red Zone, a single channel that quickly switches between games in order to show as much action as possible. It's not the same thing because it doesn't let you follow just one game, but it does at least cut out the commercials, provide commentary, and they show all the touchdowns (either live or in replay).

For those Thursday and Monday night games, your ONLY option is to have NFL Network and ESPN, unless your local team is playing that night.

 

[AMDZen]

There are plenty of websites out there you can find to watch NFL games streamed on the internet.

 

[dmw16]

There are plenty of websites out there you can find to watch NFL games streamed on the internet.

That's too much dorking around. I want a legit and fully legal service that works when I sit down to use it.

 

[MotionMan]

That's too much dorking around. I want a legit and fully legal service that works when I sit down to use it.

And this, my friends, is the problem.

Us NFL fans ARE willing to pay to watch the NFL, but the NFL won't let us watch it a la carte. They bundle it with some other crap service(s) and, in effect, create a market for people to pirate it.

MotionMan

 

[crownjules]

And this, my friends, is the problem.

Us NFL fans ARE willing to pay to watch the NFL, but the NFL won't let us watch it a la carte. They bundle it with some other crap service(s) and, in effect, create a market for people to pirate it.

MotionMan

Do you really think the NFL is doing it? Or rather, they enter into contracts with the major providers and they include that they can't broadcast games via any other method? Seems like that would be the reason to me. The NFL could stream it and they'd make some money. But they know and the networks know that the network contracts are far more money and so they use that leverage to make sure viewers are watching their channel. Not some web stream.

 

[MotionMan]

Do you really think the NFL is doing it? Or rather, they enter into contracts with the major providers and they include that they can't broadcast games via any other method? Seems like that would be the reason to me. The NFL could stream it and they'd make some money. But they know and the networks know that the network contracts are far more money and so they use that leverage to make sure viewers are watching their channel. Not some web stream.

I recognize that the networks pay a ton of money for the rights, and the NFL loves that money. However, in the end, it is the NFL who controls their content - though the networks pay all that money, you can STILL get EVERY GAME IF you are willing to have DirectTV.

If the NFL would, instead, allow you to get NFL Sunday Ticket online at a reasonable price, there would be almost no pirating of NFL games.

That being said, as it is, I can sometimes enjoy 6 games at once

MotionMan

 

[Joseph F]

I see five games there.

 

[MotionMan]

I see five games there.

No, you don't.

MotionMan

 

[SP33Demon]

Yep and that's why MLB and NHL > NFL in my book. Only games I watch are OTA and Super Bowl, period.

 

[dmw16]

Yep and that's why MLB and NHL > NFL in my book. Only games I watch are OTA and Super Bowl, period.

They are better in every respect maybe except for their products. I have zero interest in NHL or MLB.

 

[zinfamous]

The games are on network TV, get an HDTV antenna.

yes, but you're stuck with whatever games the networks choose to broadcast to your market area. ...which is often the last game that you want to see.




there are.....streaming options.

 

[Zstream]

I just want to watch my Chiefs play. I would be willing to pay 25$ to stream something like this.

No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm not allowed.

 

[drebo]

And this, my friends, is the problem.

Us NFL fans ARE willing to pay to watch the NFL, but the NFL won't let us watch it a la carte. They bundle it with some other crap service(s) and, in effect, create a market for people to pirate it.

MotionMan

Yep. As a baseball fan, I absolutely love MLB.tv. $120/yr and I get to watch all my Yankee games. It's excellent.

And I sure as shit wouldn't subscribe to MLB Network if MLB.TV didn't exist.

All sports should have an MLB.TV-like service. If they don't, they're missing out on tons of money.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

Yep. As a baseball fan, I absolutely love MLB.tv. $120/yr and I get to watch all my Yankee games. It's excellent.

And I sure as shit wouldn't subscribe to MLB Network if MLB.TV didn't exist.

All sports should have an MLB.TV-like service. If they don't, they're missing out on tons of money.

the nfl isn't missing out on any money. they stand to gain nothing by undercutting their own tv channel and the other broadcasters.

 

[MotionMan]

I see five games there.

Did you every figure it out?

MotionMan

 

[mvbighead]

Can't you get Sunday Ticket on the PS3?

The subscription price was insane, but luckily I didn't have the funds at the time (was buying a house) to make it possible to watch every Colts game last year.

http://mashable.com/2011/08/17/nfl-sunday-ticket-ps3/

Not finding references from 2012 yet, but I did install the app on my PS3 last year. Might put it to use this year just to watch the rebuilding begin.

 

[AstroManLuca]

Can't you get Sunday Ticket on the PS3?

The subscription price was insane, but luckily I didn't have the funds at the time (was buying a house) to make it possible to watch every Colts game last year.

http://mashable.com/2011/08/17/nfl-sunday-ticket-ps3/

Not finding references from 2012 yet, but I did install the app on my PS3 last year. Might put it to use this year just to watch the rebuilding begin.

That's actually much less expensive than what you would pay otherwise. Buying a DirecTV subscription is $30/mo in itself (and that's just the intro rate), then you have to pay another $60/mo for Sunday Ticket normally or $300 up front for the entire season, and you have to buy a receiver for $100. So you're looking at $580 for a six month football season (not including any installation/activation fees or taxes that they will certainly tack on). Compared to that, $340 is a deal, assuming you won't use the TV subscription for anything else.

Too bad I don't have a PS3. It'd be nice if they'd offer that sort of package for a wide range of devices, but of course the NFL and DirecTV hates competition.

 

[IAteYourMother]

the nfl isn't missing out on any money. they stand to gain nothing by undercutting their own tv channel and the other broadcasters.

are you serious? There's huge inefficiencies in the market because there are many people who want to watch their team, but can't, because they don't live locally to their team.

With a better system, you would have more people watching football, and therefore, more people watching ads/paying to watch football. I don't see how you can argue that it's optimal as it stands.