Is there anything worse than the dreaded “unavailable to stream” messages that constantly plague live sporting events? Luckily, the NFL has gotten better at streaming live games but some local channels may want to keep the NFL preseason action for themselves. Last year, fans of five teams could not stream local preseason games and fans of 11 other teams reported that their secondary markets were blacked out.
NFL preseason games have different blackout restrictions when compared to regular season games. Regular season broadcasts are operated by the NFL, while the teams organize their own preseason telecasts. This means that the teams negotiate broadcast rights with a local station, hire on-air and behind-the-scenes talent, and run their own productions. This also means that they are subject to blackouts should the local station not want to share the love with individuals trying to stream the game. In order to easily watch your team’s preseason matchups, consider signing up for a live TV streaming service.
How to Stream 2023 NFL Pre-Season Games
| DTV STREAM | DTV Internet | Fubo | Hulu | Philo | Sling TV | YouTube | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Get $100 Back | Free Trial | Free 3-Day Trial | Free Trial | Get 50% OFF | Sign Up | |||
| $86.99 | $69.99 | $94.99 | $82.99 | $28 | $40 | $40 | $72.99 | ||
| CBS | ✓ | + $0 | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ | |
| ESPN | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| Fox | ✓ | + $0 | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| NFL Network | + $15 | + $15 | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
The four national networks that will broadcast NFL pre-season games are NFL Network, CBS, FOX, and ESPN. All four networks are available on DIRECTV Stream, Fubo, Hulu Live TV, and YouTube TV. To watch NFL Network on DIRECTV Stream, you will need to upgrade to the service’s Choice plan.
The only concern around DIRECTV STREAM’s service is that the company is currently involved in a carriage dispute with the largest local affiliate owner in the country. So, if your team’s preseason games are set to air on a Nexstar-owned channel, you might want to look for another streaming service.
Our normal next best option for live streaming is Sling TV, but that service does not carry CBS on either of its plans. However, you can replace your CBS feed by signing up for Paramount+, which streams NFL games on CBS live through the app. Keep in mind that in order to watch ESPN, FOX, and NFL Network, you will need to subscribe to both Sling’s Blue and Orange plans.
Best Streaming TV Choices for Watching 2023 NFL Preseason Games
Our Top Recommendation for Watching 2023 NFL Preseason Games: DIRECTV STREAM
- Five-day free trial
- Biggest selection of top cable and sports channels
- $10 off the first month for a limited time
Our Choice for Huge Sports Fans to Watch 2023 NFL Preseason Games and More: Fubo
- Seven-day free trial
- Large array of national and regional sports networks
- Fubo Sports Network shows exclusive live sports and studio content
What About NFL+?
With NFL+, all in-market preseason games will be unavailable to stream live but you can watch all the out-of-market preseason games you'd like. If your local team is playing on a national broadcast airing on CBS, FOX, ESPN, NBC, or Amazon Prime Video, you will only be able to watch the game on your mobile device.
What Else Can I Stream With NFL+?
With an NFL+ subscription, you can watch live local and primetime games, listen to live game audio for all NFL matches, and access ad-free NFL library content. Upgrading to NFL+ Premium gets you ad-free full, condensed, and all-22 coaches game replays too.
NFL+ costs $4.99/month or $39.99/year, while NFL+ Premium is $9.99/month or $79.99/year.
NFL+
NFL+ allows fans to watch live local and primetime games on mobile and tablet devices. And with an NFL+ Premium subscription, you can watch replays of every single game without ads, condensed game replays, and coaches film. The service also allows fans to choose their audio stream (home, away, and national calls). The Premium plan also includes NFL RedZone on TV.