Getty Members of the New England Patriots celebrate after defeating the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 in overtime during Super Bowl 51 at NRG Stadium on February 5, 2017 in Houston, Texas.
Tonight is the 2018 Super Bowl, but there is also major programming going on prior to the big game. From 1 – 6 p.m. ET, several performers, including Sting, will participate in the NBC special Super Bowl Pre-Game Show. According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, along with Sting, Shaggy and Darius Rucker are reported to be participating in the pre-show festivities. The pre-show will take place in the Minneapolis Convention Center, but not all of the performances will make it to air. Sting and Shaggy have been working on an album together, that is set to drop on April 20, 2018 and they recently performed together at the Grammy Awards. Together, the two are said to be performing their new reggae-flavored song “Don’t Make Me Wait” for the Super Bowl pre-show.
For those who do not have cable or a television subscription, they still can watch the pre-show online, as well as the game itself. Viewers can sign-up for a cable-free, live-TV streaming service, which allows you to watch a handful of channels online without the year-long contracts or cable boxes. Many of these services include NBC, such as FuboTV, DirecTV Now or Sling TV.
All options cost a monthly fee, but they also all come with FREE trials, so you can watch the Super Bowl Pre-Game Show live online at no cost. Note that with all streaming services, NBC (and other local channels) are only available live in select markets. You can read on for more information about that, as well as what else these services provide, and how to sign up to start watching:
Fubo TV
GettySinger Lady Gaga performs during the Pepsi Super Bowl LI Halftime Show at Houston NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, February 5, 2017.
Though it originally started as a streaming service aimed at international sports fans, Fubo TV has grown into a major contender among the OTT streaming companies, as it now includes a handful of both sports and entertainment channels, including NBC. Moreover, it has the lowest price point among all services, as it normally costs $39.99 per month but is being offered at $19.99 for the first two months. Considering that package includes 70-plus channels, that’s by far the best deal in terms of most channels for your dollar. Here’s everything you need to know about Fubo TV:
Markets That Include NBC Live: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas/Ft. Worth, San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose, Washington D.C., Houston, Boston, Detroit, Miami/Fort Lauderdale, New Orleans, Green Bay/Appleton, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and many others (FuboTV has NBC live in the most markets). You can find a complete list of markets here.
Total Channels Included: Fubo Premier: 70-plus, depending on local channels available. You can find the complete channel list here.
Price: Fubo Premier: $19.99 per month for the first two months, and $39.99 per month after that.
Extras: Watch on two different devices at the same time; Cloud-DVR is included, while extra DVR space is an extra $9.99 per month.
How to Sign Up: Head to the Fubo TV webiste and select “Start Your Free Trial.” After creating an account, select your channel package–NBC is included in the main bundle, “Fubo Premier”–and any other extras if you want. You’ll need to enter your payment information, but if you cancel your subscription within seven days of signing up, you won’t be charged.
How to Watch Via FuboTV: If you want to watch on your computer, return to the Fubo TV website, make sure you’re signed in, and navigate to NBC to start watching live TV. If you want to watch on your phone, tablet or other device, you can do so via the Fubo TV app, which is free to download for the following devices: Amazon Fire TV or TV Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, AndroidTV, Android phones and tablets, and iPads and iPhones. You can read here for more information on compatible devices.
How to Watch Via NBC: You can also watch NBC live on your computer via NBC.com or NBCSports.com (depending on what it is you want to watch), or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the NBC app, which is compatible with Amazon Fire TV or TV Stick, Apple TV, Roku, Android phones and tablets, iPads and iPhones, XBox One and select Smart TVs. When asked to log-in to your TV provider, you can sign in using your FuboTV credentials.
DirecTV Now
GettyA Super Bowl LII hat is shown during the AFC Championship Game between the New England Patriots and the Jacksonville Jaguars at Gillette Stadium on January 21, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
NBC is included in all four of DirecTV Now’s main channel packages, which range from $35 to $70 per month. That’s an expensive price-point relative to some other streaming services, but you’re getting more channels, and you can either $25 off your first month with promo code “YESNOW” or you can get a free Amazon Fire TV when you prepay two months. Here’s everything you need to know about DTV Now:
Markets That Include NBC Live: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas/Fort Worth, San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose, Washington DC, Boston, Miami/Fort Lauderdale, Pittsburgh, San Diego and others. You can enter your zip code here to see if NBC is live in your area.
Total Channels Included: Live a Little: 60-plus, depending on local channels available | Just Right: 80-plus | Go Big: 100-plus | Gotta Have It: 120-plus | You can find the complete channel list right here.
Price: Live a Little: $35 per month | Just Right: $50 per month | Go Big: $60 per month | Gotta Have It: $70 per month | Plus, if you enter the promo code “YESNOW” before checking out, you can get $25 off your first month.
Extras: Watch on two different devices at the same time; DVR is in Beta stage; free Amazon Fire TV if you prepay two months.
How to Sign Up: Head to the DirecTV Now website and select “Start your free trial now.” After creating an account, select your channel package–NBC is included in every bundle–and add the free Fire TV if you want to prepay two months. You’ll need to enter your payment information, but if you cancel your subscription within seven days of signing up, you won’t be charged.
How to Watch via DirecTV Now: If you want to watch on your computer, return to the DirecTV Now website, then navigate to NBC to watch live TV. If you want to watch on your phone, tablet or other device, you can do so via the DirecTV Now app, which is free to download for the following devices: Amazon Fire TV or TV Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Android phones and tablets 4.4 and higher, and iPads and iPhones with iOS 9 and higher. You can read here for more information on compatible devices.
How to Watch Via NBC: You can also watch NBC live on your computer via NBC.com or NBCSports.com (depending on what it is you want to watch), or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the NBC app, which is compatible with Amazon Fire TV or TV Stick, Apple TV, Roku, Android phones and tablets, iPads and iPhones, XBox One and select Smart TVs. When asked to log-in to your TV provider, you can sign in using your DirecTV Now credentials.
Sling TV
GettyTom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots celebrates after the Patriots celebrates after the Patriots defeat the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 during Super Bowl 51 at NRG Stadium on February 5, 2017 in Houston, Texas.
The first to dive in to the cable-free, live-TV streaming service, Sling TV remains the lowest price point if you’re planning on keeping a service for the long term. The downside is that you won’t get as many channels as the other streaming services unless you include a bunch of add-ons, but if you’re looking to keep things basic, the Sling Blue base package includes NBC and costs $25 per month. Here’s everything you need to know:
Markets That Include NBC Live: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas/Fort Worth, San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose, Washington DC, Boston, Miami/Fort Lauderdale, San Diego and others. You can enter your zip code here to see if NBC is live in your area.
Total Channels Included: Sling Orange: 25-plus | Sling Blue: 45-plus | Sling Orange + Blue: Everything from both Sling Orange and Sling Blue | You can find the complete channel list right here
Price: Sling Orange: $20 per month (News Extra is $5 per month) | Sling Blue: $25 per month | Sling Orange + Blue: $40 per month
Extras: Watch on one device at once with Sling Orange, or three devices at once with Sling Blue; 50 hours of cloud DVR is $5 per month extra (restrictions with certain channels)
How to Sign Up: Head to the Sling TV website and select “Watch Now 7 Days Free.” After creating an account, select your channel package–NBC is included in Sling Blue–and any extras if you want. You’ll need to enter your payment information, but if you cancel your subscription within seven days of signing up, you will not be charged
How to Watch via Sling TV: If you want to watch on your computer, just return to the Sling TV website and navigate to NBC to watch live TV. If you want to watch on your phone, tablet or other streaming device, you can do so via the Sling TV app, which is free to download for the following devices: Amazon Fire TV or TV Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Android phones and tablets, iPads and iPhones, Fire tablets, and Xbox One. You can read here for more information on compatible devices.
How to Watch Via NBC: You can also watch NBC live on your computer via NBC.com or NBCSports.com (depending on what it is you want to watch), or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the NBC app, which is compatible with Amazon Fire TV or TV Stick, Apple TV, Roku, Android phones and tablets, iPads and iPhones, XBox One and select Smart TVs. When asked to log-in to your TV provider, you can sign in using your Sling TV credentials.
The 2018 Super Bowl will be the third time that halftime show headliner Justin Timberlake will perform at the Super Bowl. Previously, he took center field with his former band-mates N’SYNC and also with Janet Jackson, who was headlining at the time. Pink is set to perform the “National Anthem” prior to the start of the game and “Hamilton” performer Leslie Odom Jr. will sing “America the Beautiful”. And, don’t forget to check out the pre-game special from 1 – 6 p.m. ET on NBC.