There’s got to be a better way for cord cutters to watch the Super Bowl at home than hanging tin foil on a TV antenna, as a colleague of mine did to watch a playoff game.
Live sports coverage is a challenge to cord cutters everywhere. Sure, new Internet TV services stream live broadcasts, but local channels nearly always are limited to specific cities. And three of the larger live-TV streamers — Sling TV, Playstation Vue and the DirecTV Now — don’t have permission to stream Fox live in Denver.
But this year Fox is letting all cord cutters watch the game online.
For a few hours on Sunday, Fox is nixing subscription requirements and opening its to anyone who has cut cable from their lives or has a temperamental TV antenna. After the game ends, Fox’s live stream goes back to paid users only — or those with a decent antenna.
“Live TV, particularly live sports, has long been a challenge for cord cutters,” said Brett Sappington, senior director of research at Parks Associates, which tracks the internet TV market. “Because those rights are so expensive, they are often held behind a paywall or are only accessible via a local broadcast network.”
That’s part of the reason why Fox isn’t available in Denver on Sling, DirecTV Now or other streaming services that offer the Fox channel. Only Fox’s owned and operated channels are part of the internet TV services. Those markets are Atlanta; Austin, Texas; Charlotte, N.C.; Chicago; Dallas; Fort Worth, Texas; Detroit; Gainesville, Fla.; Houston; Los Angeles; Minneapolis; New York; Orlando, Fla.; Philadelphia; Phoenix; San Francisco; Tampa, Fla.; and Washington, D.C.
Streaming companies must negotiate contracts with local affiliates, like Denver’s KDVR Fox 31.
Still, every year cord-cutting sports fans seem to get a little more streaming love than the year before. Two years ago, Sling launched with a live ESPN channel. Last fall, the to livestream 10 Thursday Night Football games. And in December, of the TV network’s $6 monthly All Access service stream NFL games that also appeared on CBS TV. The games were previously blocked.
The Super Bowl’s online history goes further back. In 2012, the first Super Bowl was streamed for free, although online viewers had a 30-second delay plus . In 2015, NBC . This year, Fox is letting consumers watch the game on computers, connected tablets and even devices that make it easier to stream video to a TV so you can watch on a big screen. (See Fox’s help page at .)
Only Verizon Wireless customers can watch the game on a smartphone, which has been the case for the last few years.
“The idea was that no pay-TV subscription meant no ESPN and regional sports networks,” said Glenn Hower, senior research analyst with Parks Associates. “That has kind of changed as streaming TV services like Sling TV, PlayStation Vue, and DirecTV Now have incorporated live sports in their bundles.”
If you’ll be watching the game outside one of those specific markets — cord cutters in Denver can’t watch Fox using the top streaming services — the local Fox affiliate recommends a good antenna.
Dave Stromberg, chief engineer for KDVR Fox 31 and Channel 2 in Denver, recommends getting advice from your local Best Buy or antenna installer. They will know what antenna works best in your part of town. To see what’s even accessible at your home, the Federal Communications Commission maps coverage based on home addresses at .
Reception can be especially challenging for apartment dwellers who use indoor antennas.
Inside your own home, be smart about where you set up the TV and antenna. In the Denver area, try to place it on a west-facing balcony or wall. Or have it as close to the western-most wall since Fox’s tower is , which is west of Denver. Nearly all the local networks have towers on the same mountain.“If you live on the east side, you’ll struggle more than the west side,” Stromberg said. “If you have buildings across the street, lots of trees or anything blocking your sight to Lookout Mountain, that will lessen your chances of getting good reception. You’ll have to get a bigger antenna.”
Also consider that local TV stations broadcast over different frequencies. Fox uses UHF, while ABC, NBC and PBS use a mix of UHF and VHF. If you want to receive a mix of channels, make sure the antenna you buy works with both UHF and VHF.
Denver-area residents will get a better Fox signal than people who live west of Lookout Mountain because Fox uses a directional antenna to shoot the broadcast toward downtown.
To get a clear Fox signal, you may need to move your antenna around your house until you find the best reception.
“People have been doing this since 1948,” Stromberg said. “It’s doable.”
