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Looking to watch a live stream of New England Patriots 2017 preseason games? There are a number of different ways to do so, largely dependent on where you live.
Because this is the preseason and the games are broadcast on different local channels in different cities, the live stream options aren’t nearly as cut-and-dry as they will be during the regular season. But there are options nonetheless.
The first step is to figure out what TV channel the games are on where you live. If the Pats are in your television market (you can click here to see what channel the game is on in areas around New England), the game will be on a local channel (CBS, ABC, NBC, or Fox affiliate) and your options will be the following: CBS All Access, Fubo TV, Sling TV or DirecTV Now.
If the Pats aren’t in your market, you can watch every preseason game live online via NFL Game Pass.
Here’s a complete rundown of every option:
CBS All Access
This is going to be the best option for fans in Boston (games are broadcast on WBZ-CBS) or any city inside the Patriots market where games are being broadcast on your local CBS channel.
CBS All Access allows users to watch a live stream of their local CBS channel, as well as providing access to on-demand content and and exclusive originals, for $5.99 per month.
Here’s a rundown of how to start a free trial and start watching the Patriots if they’re on your local CBS affiliate:
1. Click here to go to the CBS All Access website
2. Click on “Try It Free” and then create an account
3. Select the subscription type you want (“Limited Commercials” is $5.99 per month and “Commercial Free” is $9.99 per month) and enter your payment information. If you cancel your subscription before the trial period ends (one week for “Limited Commercials” or two days for “Commercial Free”), you will not be charged
4. Return to the CBS All Access website to start watching live CBS. You can also watch on a streaming device via the CBS app, but note that you can not watch NFL games via CBS All Access on mobile phones
Over-the-Top Streaming Services
Designed to replace cable, over-the-the top streaming services allow viewers to watch a live stream of a package of channels for a monthly fee.
If the Patriots are playing in your market, you can click here to see what channel the game is on, then you can check out the following services to see if that local channel can be streamed live in your area.
DirecTV Now: ABC, NBC and Fox (and soon-to-be CBS) are available in select markets. To see what local channels are available in your area, click here and enter your zip code.
Sling TV: ABC, NBC and Fox are available in select markets. To see what local channels are available in your area, click here and enter your zip code. Also note that Sling TV offers NFL Network, which will broadcast a replay of every preseason game.
Fubo TV: NBC and Fox (and soon-to-be CBS) are available in select markets. To see what local channels are available, click here.
All of these offer a free trial, so you can check them out if you’re still not sure if the Patriots will be live in your area. Here’s a rundown of how to sign up for each of these services:
Most Markets: DirecTV Now
Sling TV may have the cheaper initial price point (more on that below), but DirecTV is the cheapest way to get ABC, NBC and Fox, which are all included in the “Live a Little” bundle at $35 per month. Additionally, local channels are available live via DirecTV in more markets, and CBS will soon be added to the service. You can click here to see what local affiliates are available in your area.
Here’s how to start a free trial:
1. Click here to go to the DirecTV Now website
2. Click on “Start your free trial now” and then create an account
3. Select the channel package you want. Every bundle includes ABC, NBC and Fox
4. Enter your payment information. The “Live a Little” package is the cheapest at $35 per month, “Just Right” is $50 per month, “Go Big” is $60 per month, and “Gotta Have It” is $70 per month. If you cancel your subscription within seven days of signing up, you will not be charged
5. Return to the DirecTV Now website to start watching on your desktop. You can also watch via the DirecTV Now, which is available via a handful of different mobile or streaming devices. You can click here for the complete list of compatible devices
Cheapest Long-Term Option: Sling TV
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Sling TV offers the cheapest long-term price point, but the package you select is dependent on what channel you want. NBC, Fox and the NFL Network (If you don’t have a way to watch live, a replay every preseason game will be broadcast on the NFL Network) are part of the “Sling Blue” package at $25 per month, while ABC is part of the “Sling Orange” plus “Broadcast Extra” package, which also runs you $25 per month. If you want to include all of that, it’s $45 per month.
You can click here to see what local affiliates are available live in your area.
Here’s how to start a free trial:
1. Click here to go to the Sling TV website
2. Click on “Watch Now 7 Days Free” and then create an account
3. Select the channel package you want. “Sling Blue” includes your local NBC and Fox channels, as well as NFL Network. “Sling Orange” plus the “Broadcast Extra” add-on includes ABC
4. Enter your payment information. “Sling Blue” costs $25 per month, “Sling Orange” plus “Broadcast Extra” is also $25 per month, or you can get all of it for $45 per month. If you cancel your subscription within seven days of signing up, you will not be charged
5. Download the Sling app on your computer or mobile device and begin watching TV. If you’re interested in watching Sling TV on a mobile or streaming device, you can do so via their app, which is free to download. You can click here for a full list of compatible devices
Ongoing Sale: Fubo TV
While Fubo TV is usually $35 per month, it is currently offering a deal that allows users to sign up for $19.99 per month for two months, making it temporarily the cheapest OTT service.
Fubo TV’s package includes Fox and NBC (click here to see what local channels are available in your market), while CBS is expected to be added right around the start of preseason. You can find a list of markets that carry live local affiliates here.
Here’s how to start a free trial:
1. Click here to sign up and launch your free trial. You’ll need to enter your credit card information when signing up, but if you cancel your subscription before the trial ends, you won’t be charged.
2. If you’re on a computer, you can start watching TV right away in your Internet browser without having to download a desktop app. If you’re on a mobile device, download the Fubo app.
Click here to download the app in the iTunes App Store
Click here to download the app in the Google Play Store
Full list of compatible devices can be found here
If the Patriots Aren’t in Your Market: NFL Game Pass
This one is a lot more simple. If you’re looking to watch any NFL preseason game that features teams that aren’t in your television market (and isn’t nationally televised), you can do so via NFL Game Pass. The service, which costs $99.99 for the entire season, allows you to watch replays of every regular season game in addition to live out-of-market preseason games.
You can click here to start a free trial.