You can still watch NFL games without breaking the bank
Financial insights for everyone
Before you pick a service, know where the NFL shows its games. Coverage is split across multiple networks:
| Game | Broadcaster / Platform |
|---|---|
| Sunday day games | CBS & Fox |
| Sunday night | NBC |
| Monday night | ESPN |
| Thursday night | Amazon Prime Video |
| Special/holiday games | Varies (Netflix, Prime, etc.) |
Mix and match or spend $765 to watch them all (estimate based on Forbes)
What you get: Everything. CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN, NFL Network, and often more.
Cost: $80–85/month.
Examples: YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo Pro.
Pros: Reliable, simple, all in one place.
Cons: You’re still paying cable-level prices.
What you get: Only the networks you care about. More flexibility, lower cost, but fragmented coverage.
Pros: Control costs, pick favorites.
Cons: More logins, more juggling, and you’ll miss some games.
What you get: Whatever comes over an antenna plus maybe one or two streaming add-ons.
Cost: Antennas are cheap and sometimes free if you already own one. Add $8–15/month for a streamer.
Pros: Cheapest path to Sunday football.
Cons: Reception depends on your location. You’ll miss ESPN, Prime exclusives, and other specialty games.
What you get: Every game your local sports bar is paying for, plus food and drinks you didn’t plan to buy.
Cost: Depends on your bar tab. If you spend $40 every Sunday for a 17-week season, that’s $680—comparable to streaming.
Pros: Social atmosphere, zero tech setup, no missed games.
Cons: Costs add up fast, not great if you actually want to pay attention, and you’re locked into bar hours.
| Bundle | Coverage | Monthly cost | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full bundle | All major games | $80+ | Simple, complete, but expensive |
| Lean bundle | Sunday games + selective primetime | $28–40 | Cheaper, but you’ll miss some |
| Sports bar | All games your bar carries | Variable, $40–60 per visit | Social, but not cost-efficient |
The good news is, no matter what you do, Thursday Night Games should be covered because most people are already paying for Amazon Prime. Add on whatever package works with your budget and if there's a game you have to watch, either grab a streaming service for a month, use a free trial, or jump down to your favorite sports bar.
If you watch a lot of football, a full live-TV streaming package is expensive but efficient. If you’re a casual fan, stacking a couple of selective services or an antenna plus one streaming add-on will cover most of what you want.
Sports bars can work as a supplement, but once you do the math, they’re not cheaper than streaming. The smart move is to match your viewing habits to the smallest set of subscriptions you need, then reevaluate each season before price hikes and network shifts catch you off guard.
* Based on a study published by the Canadian research center CIRANO. View the study