Yes, you can watch NFL football on Apple TV, but the specific games and how you access them depend on the NFL’s broadcast rights and Apple TV’s partnerships. Apple TV, the streaming device itself, acts as a gateway to various apps and services that carry NFL content. This guide will break down the ways you can enjoy NFL games on your Apple TV, covering everything from Thursday Night Football Apple TV broadcasts to exploring your options for NFL Sunday Ticket Apple TV.
Fathoming NFL Broadcasts on Apple TV
The landscape of sports broadcasting is always evolving, and the NFL is at the forefront of these changes. Apple TV, as a popular streaming platform, has become a key player in how fans access live sports. While Apple has not historically been a primary broadcaster of NFL games in the same vein as traditional networks, their involvement is growing, particularly through their exclusive partnership with Major League Soccer (MLS). However, when it comes to the NFL, the primary avenues for watching are through apps that carry those broadcast rights.
Your Primary Options for NFL Games Apple TV
To watch NFL games on Apple TV, you’ll typically need subscriptions to services that hold the broadcasting rights for the games you want to see. Here are the main ways to tune in:
- Over-the-Air Broadcasts via Live TV Streaming Apps: Many NFL games are broadcast on national networks like CBS, NBC, FOX, and ESPN. You can access these networks through various live TV streaming services that have apps available on the Apple TV.
- NFL+, the League’s Own Streaming Service: The NFL offers its own streaming service, NFL+, which provides access to live local and primetime games on mobile devices, as well as other league content.
- Specific Game Packages: As broadcasting deals change, dedicated packages like NFL Sunday Ticket Apple TV (which has moved to YouTube TV) are crucial for out-of-market games.
Thursday Night Football Apple TV: Where to Watch
Thursday Night Football Apple TV games have primarily been a cornerstone of Amazon Prime Video’s exclusive deal. This means that to watch these games on your Apple TV, you will need an Amazon Prime subscription and the Amazon Prime Video app. The app is readily available on the Apple TV App Store. Simply download the app, log in with your Prime account, and navigate to the sports section to catch the weekly Thursday night matchups. It’s a straightforward process that brings live NFL action directly to your living room via your Apple TV.
Monday Night Football Apple TV: Getting Your Fix
Monday Night Football Apple TV broadcasts are primarily carried by ESPN. To watch these games on your Apple TV, you have a couple of options:
- ESPN App with a Cable/Live TV Subscription: If you have a traditional cable subscription that includes ESPN, you can download the ESPN app on your Apple TV and log in with your cable provider credentials. This will give you access to live ESPN content, including Monday Night Football Apple TV.
- Live TV Streaming Services: Services like YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, and FuboTV all carry ESPN as part of their packages. Subscribing to one of these services will allow you to stream Monday Night Football Apple TV games through their respective apps on your Apple TV.
Sunday NFL Broadcasts Apple TV: A Mixed Bag
When it comes to Sunday NFL games, the approach is more varied because different networks carry different games.
Regional and National Sunday Games
- FOX and CBS: These networks typically broadcast early and late afternoon games. You can watch these by subscribing to a live TV streaming service that includes FOX and CBS, or by using an over-the-air antenna if you are within range of broadcast towers (though this doesn’t involve Apple TV directly, it’s a way to get those channels).
- NBC: Sunday Night Football is broadcast on NBC. Similar to FOX and CBS, you’ll need a live TV streaming service with NBC or an over-the-air antenna.
NFL Sunday Ticket Apple TV: The Out-of-Market Solution
For fans who want to watch games that aren’t being broadcast in their local market, NFL Sunday Ticket is the essential package. Historically, NFL Sunday Ticket was exclusive to DirecTV. However, for the 2023 season and beyond, NFL Sunday Ticket is exclusively available on YouTube TV.
This means that if you want to watch all out-of-market Sunday afternoon games on your Apple TV, you will need:
- A YouTube TV subscription.
- The NFL Sunday Ticket add-on for YouTube TV.
Once you have both, you can access the NFL Sunday Ticket games through the YouTube TV app on your Apple TV. This is the definitive way to ensure you don’t miss any of your favorite team’s games, regardless of your location.
Apple TV Sports: Expanding Horizons
Apple TV’s commitment to Apple TV sports is evident in their growing content partnerships. While the NFL is a major focus for many, Apple has made significant strides in other sports.
Apple TV Live Sports: Beyond the NFL
The most prominent example of Apple TV live sports is their exclusive deal with Major League Soccer (MLS). Through the MLS Season Pass subscription service, available directly within the Apple TV app, fans can watch every single MLS game live and on demand, with no blackouts. This sets a precedent for how Apple might approach future sports broadcasting rights.
While the NFL isn’t currently on Apple’s own dedicated sports streaming service like MLS Season Pass, the Apple TV device is the platform where you will access the apps that carry the NFL. This makes NFL on Apple TV a reality through third-party services.
Navigating NFL on Apple TV: A Step-by-Step Approach
Let’s break down how to get set up to watch NFL on Apple TV based on the type of game you want to see.
Step 1: Ensure You Have the Right Apple TV Device
You’ll need an Apple TV set-top box (e.g., Apple TV HD, Apple TV 4K) or an Apple TV app on compatible smart TVs, smartphones, or tablets. The physical Apple TV device provides the most integrated experience for a television viewing setting.
Step 2: Set Up Your Apple TV and App Store Account
- Connect your Apple TV device to your TV and internet.
- Sign in with your Apple ID. If you don’t have one, you’ll need to create one.
- Access the App Store on your Apple TV.
Step 3: Download the Necessary Streaming Apps
This is where you’ll choose the apps that carry the NFL games you’re interested in.
For National Games (Thursday Night Football, Sunday Night Football, Monday Night Football):
- Amazon Prime Video: For Thursday Night Football Apple TV. Download the Amazon Prime Video app from the App Store. You’ll need an active Amazon Prime subscription.
- ESPN App: For Monday Night Football Apple TV. Download the ESPN app. You’ll need to log in with credentials from a cable provider or a live TV streaming service that includes ESPN.
- NBC App (for Sunday Night Football): Download the NBC app. You’ll need to log in with credentials from a cable provider or a live TV streaming service that includes NBC.
- FOX Sports App / CBS Sports App: For Sunday afternoon games broadcast on FOX and CBS in your local market. Similar to NBC, you’ll need to authenticate with a cable or live TV streaming subscription.
For Sunday Afternoon Out-of-Market Games:
- YouTube TV App: This is crucial for NFL Sunday Ticket Apple TV. Download the YouTube TV app. You will need a YouTube TV subscription and the NFL Sunday Ticket add-on.
Step 4: Subscribe to the Services
Once the apps are downloaded, you’ll need to subscribe to the relevant streaming services.
- Amazon Prime: If you want Thursday Night Football.
- YouTube TV + NFL Sunday Ticket Add-on: If you want out-of-market Sunday games.
- Live TV Streaming Service (e.g., YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, FuboTV): If you want access to ESPN, NBC, CBS, and FOX for local and national games without a traditional cable subscription. Many of these services offer free trials, which can be a great way to test them out.
Step 5: Tune In!
With your subscriptions active and apps downloaded, you can now navigate to the respective apps on your Apple TV and start watching your favorite NFL games.
What About NFL RedZone on Apple TV?
NFL RedZone, hosted by Scott Hanson, is a highly popular channel that shows every touchdown from every Sunday game. It’s typically part of the NFL Network package.
- How to Watch NFL RedZone on Apple TV:
- NFL+ Premium: NFL+ Premium includes NFL RedZone. So, if you subscribe to NFL+ Premium, you can watch it through the NFL app on your Apple TV.
- Live TV Streaming Services: Many live TV streaming services that carry the NFL Network also offer NFL RedZone as part of a sports package or a higher-tier subscription. Services like YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV (Sports Extra package), and FuboTV are good places to check. Download the app of your chosen service and look for the NFL Network or RedZone channel.
The NFL Broadcast Apple TV Ecosystem
The NFL broadcast Apple TV experience is largely about leveraging the Apple TV device as a central hub for various streaming apps. Apple itself doesn’t produce or exclusively broadcast NFL games (with the exception of past ventures like Friday Night Baseball which are not NFL). Instead, they provide the hardware and the platform for you to access content from broadcasters and leagues.
Here’s a breakdown of the key players in the NFL on Apple TV ecosystem:
- Apple TV Device: The hardware that connects to your TV and provides access to apps.
- Apple TV App Store: Where you download all the necessary streaming applications.
- Streaming Service Apps: Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV, ESPN, NBC Sports, FOX Sports, CBS Sports, NFL.
- Subscription Services: Amazon Prime, YouTube TV (with NFL Sunday Ticket add-on), various live TV streaming packages.
Key Takeaways for NFL on Apple TV
- No Single Apple Service for All NFL Games: Unlike MLS Season Pass, there isn’t one overarching “NFL Pass” directly from Apple for all NFL games.
- Amazon for Thursday Night Football: Amazon Prime Video is the exclusive home for Thursday Night Football.
- ESPN for Monday Night Football: Monday Night Football is on ESPN, accessible via live TV streaming services or cable login through the ESPN app.
- YouTube TV for Sunday Out-of-Market Games: NFL Sunday Ticket, which covers all out-of-market Sunday afternoon games, is exclusively on YouTube TV.
- Local Sunday Games: Sunday afternoon games on CBS and FOX are typically tied to your local affiliate and require a live TV streaming service that includes those channels. Sunday Night Football is on NBC.
- NFL+ for Mobile and More: NFL+ offers live local and primetime games on mobile devices and can be accessed via the NFL app on Apple TV.
Frequently Asked Questions About NFL on Apple TV
Q1: Can I watch all NFL games on Apple TV?
A1: You can watch all NFL games on Apple TV, but you will need subscriptions to multiple services depending on the game you want to watch. For example, Amazon Prime Video for Thursday Night Football, YouTube TV for out-of-market Sunday games, and live TV streaming services for national games on ESPN, CBS, FOX, and NBC.
Q2: Is NFL Sunday Ticket available on Apple TV?
A2: No, NFL Sunday Ticket is not directly available on Apple TV as a standalone Apple product. It is exclusively available through YouTube TV. However, you can watch the NFL Sunday Ticket games on your Apple TV by subscribing to YouTube TV and adding NFL Sunday Ticket to your subscription, then using the YouTube TV app on your Apple TV.
Q3: Do I need a separate Apple TV subscription for NFL games?
A3: You do not need a separate subscription from Apple for NFL games. Apple TV is the device, and you subscribe to third-party services like Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV, or other live TV streaming providers that carry the NFL broadcasts.
Q4: How can I watch Thursday Night Football on Apple TV?
A4: To watch Thursday Night Football on Apple TV, you need an Amazon Prime subscription and the Amazon Prime Video app. Download the app on your Apple TV, log in with your Prime account, and stream the games.
Q5: How can I watch Monday Night Football on Apple TV?
A5: You can watch Monday Night Football on Apple TV by using the ESPN app. You’ll need a subscription to a live TV streaming service or a cable package that includes ESPN to log into the ESPN app.
Q6: What about NFL RedZone on Apple TV?
A6: You can watch NFL RedZone on Apple TV through services that offer it, such as NFL+ Premium (via the NFL app) or through various live TV streaming services that include the NFL Network or a sports package with RedZone.
Q7: Does Apple TV have an exclusive NFL streaming deal?
A7: As of my last update, Apple TV does not have an exclusive, league-wide NFL streaming deal akin to their MLS Season Pass. Their involvement is primarily through providing the platform for apps that broadcast NFL games.
By carefully selecting the right apps and subscriptions, you can ensure your Apple TV becomes your go-to device for enjoying the entire NFL season.