If you’re on the lookout for the easiest way to observe the Super Bowl in 2025, the reply is extra sophisticated than it must be.
Between cable suppliers, stay TV streaming providers, free streaming choices, and a trusty antenna, there are an assortment of the way to observe the sport. Unfortunately, lots of them supply various ranges of video and audio high quality, but it’s weirdly tough to get exact particulars on what these variations are.
Seriously, I shouldn’t should spend hours chasing down PR contacts and interrogating them on 4K, HDR, and encompass sound choices for the Super Bowl. This stuff should just be posted online by the companies involved.
But since they received’t, I’ll. These are what I imagine are all of the Super Bowl viewing choices, ranked from finest to worst:
1. Comcast’s “Enhanced 4K” feed
- Quality: 4K, Dolby Vision HDR, Dolby Atmos, low-latency
- Requirements: X1 field for low latency
Though it’s painful to confess, the highest-quality Super Bowl broadcast is just obtainable on cable; particularly, by way of Comcast and its X1 cable bins.
As with the Paris Olympics final yr, Comcast is providing an “Enhanced 4K” feed that helps each Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio, a combo that no different streaming platform will supply. The firm can be promising “ultra-low latency,” which ought to solely path behind stay motion by about 10 seconds.
Comcast can even supply Enhanced 4K by means of its Xfinity Stream app, however a spokesperson confirms that it received’t help ultra-low latency. That means you’ll want an X1 field if you would like no threat of social media spoilers. (The app is obtainable on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Samsung TVs, LG TVs, Xumo gadgets, and Xfinity Flex bins.)
2. Tubi
- Quality: 4K HDR, 5.1 encompass sound, probably low latency
- Requirements: Compatible Roku, Fire TV, Android TV/Google TV, or Apple TV for 4K HDR and encompass sound
Tubi is Fox’s free streaming service, and this yr it would stream the Super Bowl for the primary time. Tubi will carry the identical actual broadcast as Fox correct, and it’ll help 4K HDR video and encompass sound on suitable Roku, Fire TV, Android TV/Google TV, and Apple TV gadgets.
Note that Fox just isn’t natively broadcasting the sport in 4K, and is as a substitute upscaling a 1080p sign. Still, Tubi ought to present an general higher image than over-the-air broadcasts when you have the right {hardware}. Hopefully it additionally gives the identical low-latency feed that the Fox Sports app did in 2023.
There’s only one potential snag: Tubi’s app will have a sign-in requirement, and also you’ll have to create an account should you don’t have already got one. Given that Tubi has by no means lined a stay occasion at this scale earlier than, and that numerous individuals will all of a sudden be signing up on recreation day, there’s loads of potential for issues to go incorrect.
3. An antenna and ATSC 3.0 tuner
- Quality: 720p to 1080p, HDR, 5.1 encompass sound, low latency. (Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision or HDR10+ in choose markets)
- Requirements: ATSC 3.0-compatible TV or tuner field
The Super Bowl is a giant occasion for ATSC 3.0, also referred to as NextGen TV, because it brings HDR to the massive recreation’s over-the-air broadcasts. Using an antenna additionally provides you decrease latency than most streaming providers, and it’s not liable to any buffering points or service outages.
Caveats apply, nevertheless; you’ll want a TV or external tuner with ATSC 3.0 support, and your native Fox station should help HDR on its NextGen TV feed. (The NextGenTV website’s station lookup tool exhibits which channels in your space supply HDR.)
Some native Fox associates owned by Gray Media will go a step additional, providing HDR10+ and Dolby Vision in choose markets. TVTechnology reports that these embody Atlanta, Ga.; Las Vegas, Nev.; Davenport, Iowa; Mobile and Birmingham, Ala., Pensacola, Fla.; Greenville-Spartanburg, S.C.; and Portland, Ore.
Gray can even present Dolby Atmos audio in New Orleans, La.; Atlanta, Ga.; Springfield, Mo.; Louisville, Ky.; Honolulu, Hawai; Tucson, Ariz.; Davenport, Iowa; and Portland, Ore.
4. An antenna with out ATSC 3.0
- Quality: 720p to 1080i, SDR, 5.1 encompass sound, low latency.
- Requirements: Just an antenna
Even on TVs that use the longstanding ATSC 1.0 normal, an antenna a advantageous method to watch the Super Bowl. Assuming reception is robust in your space, you’ll get a 5.1 encompass sound and a lower-latency sign than streaming providers; plus, no threat of buffering points or outages. Picture high quality may also be higher than the extra compressed feeds of cable and streaming, although that may differ by station and the variety of subchannels it’s carrying.
5. YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream, or Fubo
- Quality (DirecTV and YouTube TV): 4K HDR, 5.1 encompass sound
- Quality (Fubo): 4K HDR, stereo sound, plus Dolby Vision on Roku, Android TV/Google TV, and Fire TV
- Requirements: See compatibility lists for YouTube TV 4K, YouTube TV surround, DirecTV 4K, and Fubo 4K
DirecTV’s service consists of 4K HDR video at no further cost and can carry Super Bowl LIX on channel 105. YouTube TV costs $10 monthly further for 4K video, however is providing the add-on as a 30-day free trial for brand new customers. Fubo will stream Super Bowl LIX in 4K HDR, however solely in its Elite bundle, which prices $108 monthly after regional sports activities charges.
While their capabilities differ, I’m rating all of them the identical. Fubo is the one stay TV streaming service that can supply the Super Bowl in Dolby Vision HDR, however doesn’t help encompass sound. The different two providers supply encompass sound, however help HDR10 solely. You shouldn’t join any of them simply to observe the sport—not with free various obtainable—however the options are good to have should you’re already a subscriber.
6. Sling TV
Sling TV, whose Blue bundle carries Fox in select markets, will carry the sport in 4K, however the firm has not responded to an inquiry on HDR help. At least 4K doesn’t price further should you’re a Sling subscriber.
7. Regular cable TV
- Quality: HD, 5.1 encompass sound
- Requirements: A cable field
I’ve but to see another cable suppliers moreover Comcast announce 4K HDR help for Super Bowl LIX, so let’s assume for now that they’ll stick to the standard HD high quality. If you’re nonetheless a cable TV subscriber, you’ll in all probability simply keep it up for the Super Bowl as a substitute of chancing the vagaries of streaming, however the free 4K feed on Tubi is likely to be price a search for comparability’s sake.
8. Hulu + Live TV
- Quality: HD, 5.1 encompass sound
- Requirements: Any gadget with the Hulu app
Unlike most of its stay TV streaming friends, Hulu + Live TV received’t supply a 4K feed of the Super Bowl, although the service not less than helps encompass sound on select devices.
Dead final: The NFL app
- Quality: HD, 30 frames per second, stereo sound
- Requirements: Any gadget with the NFL app
As in earlier years, the NFL app will stream the Super Bowl with no TV supplier authentication required. Too dangerous the app’s video high quality is rubbish, with boring colours streamed at a uneven 30 frames per second.
Now that the NFL affords its own streaming service, you’d assume the league would carry high quality consistent with fashionable streaming requirements; however no, it continues to insult its viewers by doing absolutely the naked minimal. Rant over. You can not less than maintain it in thoughts as a free backup resolution if all different choices disintegrate on gameday.
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