Do You Need NFL Sunday Ticket and/or Cable TV to Watch the 2023 NFL Season?

At the time of writing, the next NFL season 2023 is less than two months away (56 days). With Kansas City Chiefs pitting against the Detroit Lions, the road to Super Bowl LVIII is set to kick off on September 7, 2023, at 8.20 PM EDT. Even though it is called “American Football,” all around the world, fans are surely turning to watch every single adrenaline-pumping game. However, not everyone can go watch the game in person. So, what is the best way to tune in to the games? For your reference, this 2023 NFL season, there are 18 weeks and 272 games. THAT IS A HUGE AMOUNT OF GAMES!

By the looks of it, we have games through Christmas Eve and even into New Year’s Eve! It is going to be one of the most action-packed, adrenaline-pumping, hair-raising, seasons of all time! As avid enthusiasts of NFL games, like yourselves, we cannot wait to discuss how to watch the 2023 NFL season so you don’t miss any live games.

But before we get into that, there is an important notice about NFL Sunday Ticket (one of the best ways to watch out-of-market games).

Notice: Starting from this year (2023), NFL Sunday Ticket will not be a part of DirecTV discount packages, the previous provider of NFL Sunday Ticket until 2022. The contract has instead been given to YouTube TV.

What Are In-Market Games?

When it comes to NFL games, there are in-market games and out-of-market games. In-market games are referred to as regular games that are made to broadcast on the localized network during the season. Most of the regular games are in-market games that are broadcast on Sunday afternoons. Since the games take place on Sunday afternoons and nights, as well as Monday and Thursday nights, confusion tends to occur, which can result in geological barriers and this market classification.

So, where can you watch these in-market games? In-market games are (99.9% of the time) shown on CBS and FOX on Sunday afternoons. One of the most important things to remember is that in-market games are broadcast differently across the nation. For example, if you are from Dallas, you can probably watch the Dallas Cowboys game or a fixture with an opportunity for a playoff for the Dallas Cowboys.

What Are Out-of-Market Games?

The matches that remain from the in-market game pool are known as out-of-market games. These are matches that are not slated to broadcast in your local area. One of the main reasons for this “classification” is believed to be the “interest towards the local games.” Local fans were more interested to see their favorite team and not much interested in other games. But that is changing considerably. More and more people are starting to watch out-of-market games. So, what is the best way to watch out-of-market games? The answer is NFL Sunday Ticket.

NFL Sunday Ticket – What Is It?

NFL Sunday Ticket is a pass that allows you to watch all the out-of-market games (Sunday afternoon games) via YouTube TV. It is simple to get one. Visit the YouTube TV site and click on NFL Sunday Ticket. Enter your information and pay for the pass ($349 to $489 per season), and that’s it!

Also getting NFL Sunday Ticket allows you to access other services such as CBS, FOX, ESPN, and NFL network. Now you have access to watch all the out-of-market games in one place.

Important to note that you might miss a handful of games, which are:

1. Non-local Thursday night games
2. An international match
3. Two streaming service-exclusive matches

So, how do you watch these games? Surely, we don’t want to miss any action. Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered.

Now you know about in-market and out-of-market games, and even the NFL Sunday Ticket. We’ll take a look at the NFL schedule for 2023, and go from there on how to watch these games, as well as the best place to stream them.

NFL Game Schedule for 2023

Total Number of Games – 272

Best Way to Watch In-Market and Out-Market Games

Service: Paramount+

Check out the TV service provider here!

Check out YouTube TV here!

Now that Sunday afternoon matches are out of the way, it is time to focus on Sunday, Monday, and Thursday night matches.

Where to Watch Monday Night Football?

ESPN is the home to Monday Night Football. Monday night involves 22 games during the season. You can watch all 22 games on the ABC network, which can be accessible through most TV providers. Apart from that, you can also watch the games on ESPN and ESPN+ with different commentary. There is also an option to watch in the Spanish language, which you can watch from ESPN Deporte.

Where to Watch Sunday Night Football?

Next to Sunday afternoon match-ups, Sunday Night Football is probably the most popular, and one of the best ways to watch them is NBC. If you want to stream all of the games, Peacock is the best streaming place. There are 21 Sunday Night games in the coming session, and out of 21, 18 are Sunday Night Football games, the annual Kickoff game on Week 1, the Thanksgiving night game, and lastly one Peacock exclusive.

NBC is a great way to watch the Sunday night games. Most of the TV providers give access to NBC. In addition to local TV, NBC is included in cable packages such as DirecTV discount packages, Comcast Xfinity channel packages, and Spectrum cable TV discount packages. Or you can use Peacock to stream the live games at high quality.

Where to Watch Thursday Night Football?

Amazon Prime video is the home to Thursday Night Football with 16 games in the pipeline for the 2023 season. But an important thing to be aware of is that not all matches are streamed via Amazon Prime videos. Some of the games from Week 1 to Week 12 air on NBC. If you are a new user, you can also opt for the Amazon free trial which can last 30 days. After that, you have to pay for the subscription. The subscription cost you $8.99/mo.

In summary:

Now, when you take a look at the above table, you can see there is one service that streams all the NFL games and it is NFL+.

What Is NFL+?

NFL+ is the holy grail for all NFL fans and enthusiasts. From the coverage of local to pre-week games, you can access almost all the games at your fingertips. You can access these games on different devices, and even through the NFL app. What is more interesting is that NFL+ has a replay function that allows you to savor your favorite moments. Another thing is, when you watch the games with NFL+, you do not have to worry about commercials interrupting the latest information and scores. All you have to do is sit back and watch your favorite team score a touchdown on a big screen!

NFL International Matches

So, there are five international matches that are expected to take place at venues in Germany and the U.K. Streaming this can be tricky, but here is the outline for the game fixture. The first game will be streamed by ESPN+ and the remaining four will be streamed by the NFL network. If you are wondering how to watch these international matches, don’t worry. Most TV providers carry the NFL network. ESPN+ costs you $9.99/mo, but if you have a Hulu+Live TV subscription you do not need to subscribe to ESPN+ since Hulu comes with ESPN+.

Is There a Way to Watch NFL Games for Free?

Most TV providers cover almost all NFL games. You can watch NFL games for free in very specific situations, such as if you live near either one of the CBS, FOX, ESPN, or NBC stations, where you can use the over-the-air antenna to stream the games; However, that has restrictions as well. Not all over-the-air antennas work in every area. So, if the antenna does not work, don’t worry. A lot of services have a free trial which you can use to watch your favorite gameplay.

NFL Preseason Game

The last thing about the NFL are the preseason games. The preseason games, along with the Hall of Fame games, start in the first week of August. You can watch all the games on NBC or Peacock. Most of these games are aired on the local network. But if you ask, NFL+ is the best way to watch the preseason games. More games on big screen TV at low cost is a no-brainer.

What Cable and Satellite TV Is Best for the NFL?

Cable TV can be really expensive when it comes to NFL coverage. But providers, such as However, Spectrum cable TV discount packages and Comcast Xfinity channel packages offer great benefits. Also, these providers stream their programmers over fiber-optics cable. Meaning, you are sure to get the best coverage possible.

DirecTV is one of the best satellite TV services for sports coverage, which offers great in-market and out-of-market coverage and affordable DirecTV discount packages, along with access to ESPN.

FAQs

• How do you get NFL Sunday Ticket in 2023?

Getting NFL Sunday Ticket is easy. With a few simple steps, you can enjoy your NFL coverage. Visit YouTube TV and sign up for NFL Sunday Ticket by clicking on the signing up option.

• How can I watch all NFL game sessions?

One of the best ways to cover all NFL games is by getting access to an NFL+ subscription. This subscription allows you to access all the in-market, out-of-market, and even the preseason games.

• Is the NFL network on Amazon Prime?

No, the NFL network is not on Amazon Prime. But, Amazon Prime videos are the home to Thursday Night Football with 16 games in the pipeline for the 2023 season.

Final Thoughts

What better way to unite people than a sports game? NFL is not only famous in the U.S., but also all over the world. As said, it is not possible to watch all the games in person. But thanks to technology, we can enjoy them in the comfort of our homes. NFL games are scattered among different streaming services and it can be quite confusing if you are a new fan. This article hopes to clear your doubts about how to watch the 2023 NFL season. With NFL+, you can almost access all the games and even the preseason games without an issue.

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