Come Sunday, February 1, the NFL will have a new champion.
Super Bowl XLIX, starring the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks, kicks off Sunday at 6:30 p.m. EST / 3:30 p.m. PST. on NBC.
"Wait a minute," you say incredulously. "I thought the Super Bowl was only broadcast on Fox or ABC." Well it is, sometimes. But not this year. Every year the network rotates in order to spread the wealth amongst the top three biggest broadcast stations.
But just because NBC's running the show, you don't need cable to watch the big game: Check down below for ways to watch with - or without - a cable subscription.
Your best bet – NBC Sports Live Extra app or website
If you've got a desktop or laptop, I've got good news. All you need to do come Sunday is head on over NBCSports.com where the network will broadcast everything from pre-game coverage to the post-game wrap up in an 11-hour block.
Tablet owners have it a bit harder as they've got to download the Live Sports Extra app from either the iOS or Google Play stores. Log in to the app on Sunday and you, my friend, are ready for some football. It's that simple.
"Wait," here we go again. "If it's so simple why don't we do it all year round?" Oh you!
NBC Sports typically locks this section of the website down during the NFL season, requiring you to enter in your cable provider information to get anywhere close to the gridiron. Everyday of the season, that is, except Super Bowl Sunday.
This year the stream is not only free but, for the first ever, will include the halftime show featuring Katy Perry and special guest Lenny Kravitz.
Having the rights to the music has always been a huge barrier to showing the spectacle, but it looks like NBC has made it happen for Super Bowl 49. Stick around after the game's done and you'll be able to catch an episode of The Blacklist before the service goes back under lock and key.
A good backup - Verizon NFL Mobile app
NBC, as powerful as it is, bends a knee to Verizon come Super Sunday.
Verizon has exclusive rights to show the big game, along with commentary, behind-the-scenes interviews and four different cameras for replays, all on its NFL Mobile app.
The problem however, is that you need to have Verizon's signature "More Everything Plan" to access the NFL Mobile app. The plan, for the most part, isn't costly ($45 a month for individuals and family plans for $140 a month), but unless you're the biggest fan of football in the world, upgrading your plan just to watch the game seems a little silly.
OK, but what if you don't have a laptop or a desktop or a smartphone with Verizon service? We've got two more ideas for you. Make a friend at your local alehouse or watch the game with a buddy at their place. I mean, what's Super Bowl Sunday if you don't have someone to share it with?
Image credit: Daniel X. O'Neil
- Need a new screen for the big game? Check out our list of the best 4K TVs in the world!
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