How to Use NFL RedZone to Watch the Best Parts of NFL Out-of-Market Games
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I can spend hundreds of dollars gaining access to out-of-market NFL games, but NFL RedZone is the better choice for me – and much easier on my wallet.
In a hurry? If you already know all about NFL RedZone, but just aren’t sure how to get it, check out these streaming services. All of them offer great overall NFL coverage and NFL RedZone as an add-on:
- Fubo: The best streaming service for international sports also provides 150+ well-selected channels. Fubo allows you to try out its service with a free trial.
- DIRECTV: Get a great channel lineup with the best selection of RSNs in the industry. A 5-day free trial is now available for DIRECTV.
- Hulu + Live TV: This total entertainment streaming service provides a great on-demand selection and all the essential live TV channels with a 3-day free trial.
If you can’t watch your favorite sports because of your location, get ExpressVPN to access the content you deserve.
Fans of NFL teams based far from where they live may find that NFL RedZone provides an easy viewing option.
If you’re not super hung-up on watching an entire game from start to finish, just as long as you don’t miss a single touchdown, then read on to find out how RedZone could be the answer you’ve been looking for.
NFL Out-of-Market Problem
Most of the weekly NFL regular season games take place on Sunday afternoons. That means many games are not shown on local TV. These out-of-market games represent a problem for some fans – especially those who root for a team based far from where they live.
For example, if you’re a New York Jets fan living in Arizona, the majority of Jets games won’t be aired on local TV channels. There are still ways to watch these games as we discuss in our complete Out-of-Market NFL Viewer’s Guide.
But many fans find NFL RedZone an acceptable or even preferable substitute.
If you happen to live outside the United States, you are in luck, however. See our article about NFL Game Pass International. It allows you to watch whatever games you want live.
NFL RedZone for Viewing Out-of-Market NFL Games
NFL RedZone isn’t a perfect solution for the out-of-market NFL problem. If you’re the kind of fan who likes to plunk down in front of a game and watch it from kickoff to final play, then RedZone isn’t for you.
But, if you’re like many fans who don’t mind skipping the endless time-outs, clock stoppages, penalty checks, and commercial breaks of regular network broadcast games, then you should definitely keep reading.
What is NFL RedZone?
NFL RedZone is a channel owned and run by the NFL itself — along with NFL Network (especially important for watching preseason games). Hosted by Scott Hanson, it airs for seven hours on Sunday afternoons from 12:55 pm to 8:00 pm.
Instead of showing a single game, RedZone features “whip-around” coverage of all the games taking place at any given time on a regular-season Sunday.
RedZone for Out-of-Market NFL Viewing
RedZone’s slogan is “every touchdown of every game,” and it lives up to it.
Hanson guides fans through all the action, jumping from one game to another while others are in a commercial break, halftime, or a timeout – so you can be reassured you’re not missing anything.
If there is action in multiple games, the screen is simply split – up to the signature Octobox that shows eight games at once.
And on those rare occasions when all games are in a commercial break or halftime, the channel cuts back to the studio for analysis and discussion.
Your biggest issue may be finding any downtime for a bathroom break or to refill your chip bowl.
Streaming Services for NFL RedZone
NFL RedZone is offered by most of the major live-TV streaming services. For complete options, see our NFL RedZone Guide.
Here are the top streaming services that give you access to NFL RedZone:
- Fubo: One of the best streaming services when it comes to football, it comes with 150+ channels in the Pro plan ($79.99/month), including ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, ESPN, and NFL Network. The Sports Plus add-on package ($10.99/mo) gives you NFL RedZone and 34 other sports channels. (FuboTV review)
- DIRECTV: The base plan is $86.99/month, but to get NFL RedZone you need either the Sports Pack add-on ($14.99/mo) or the Premier plan ($169.99/month). All plans come with unlimited cloud DVR and unlimited simultaneous device usage. (DIRECTV review).
- Sling TV: Sling TV is the most affordable way to catch up with football games. Sling Blue ($45.99/month) offers Fox, NBC (select markets), and NFL Network. NFL RedZone comes with the Sports Extra add-on ($11.00/mo), which provides 10 other channels. (Sling TV review and RedZone guide)
- Hulu + Live TV: Its $82.99/month plan has 85+ live channels including ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN, and NFL Network. It also includes ESPN+ and Disney+ with its base plan. The Sports add-on is $9.99/mo and includes NFL RedZone and five others. (Hulu + Live TV review)
- YouTube TV: Offers a channel lineup similar to Hulu + Live TV for $82.99/month. NFL RedZone is included in its Sports plus package, but you can also get it as part of the NFL Sunday Ticket add-on.
Here’s a handy comparison table:
| Streaming Service | Cost | Add-on Name | Add-on cost | Total cost |
| Fubo (Pro) | $79.99/month | Sports Plus | $10.99 | $85.98/mo |
| Sling TV (Blue) | $45.99/month | Sports Extra | $11.00 | $51.00/mo |
| Hulu + Live TV | $82.99/month | Sports | $9.99 | $86.98/mo |
| DIRECTV | $86.99/month | Sports Pack | $14.99 | $89.98/mo |
| YouTube TV | $82.99/month | Sports Plus | $10.99 | $82.98/mo |
Other Out-of-Market NFL Solutions
There are a few options to watch out-of-market games though :
- NFL+ Premium: This service only provides replays of out-of-market games. It does allow you to watch live NFL games if they’re on primetime and in-market, but only on mobile devices through the NFL app. Note that NFL+ Premium also comes with NFL RedZone. (NFL+ review)
- NFL Sunday Ticket: This provides access to all out-of-market games. Available from YouTube and YouTube TV, it costs from $350 (plus YouTube TV subscription price) to $450 per season.
- NFL Game Pass: This provides access to every game – but it’s only offered outside the US, Canada, and China. (NFL Game Pass review)
Streaming Devices for NFL RedZone
To watch NFL RedZone, you’ll need a compatible streaming device.
All the above streaming services support the following devices: Amazon Fire TV, Android mobile, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, iOS (iPhone), Roku, and web browsers.
The streaming services provide support for many more devices as well, including Samsung smart TVs and Xbox gaming systems.
Hulu and YouTube support PlayStation units.
Today’s NFL RedZone Schedule
Here is today’s schedule in Eastern Time:
| Super Bowl Classics – XLVI: New England Patriots vs. New York Giants The Giants come out on top with a 21-17 victory over the Patriots. Eli Manning posts an MVP-worthy performance highlighted by a nine-play, 88-yard drive for the game-winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter. | |
| Every Sunday Afternoon Follow every NFL football game as teams enter the RedZone. | |
| The Timeline – The Helmet Catch The story of the moment that New York Giants receiver David Tyree secures a seemingly uncatchable pass that thwarts the New England Patriots' chance at a perfect season that was set to end in a Super Bowl victory. | |
| A Football Life – Michael Strahan Chronicling the career of former New York Giants' defensive star and talk show star Michael Strahan. | |
| A Football Life – Tom Coughlin New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin, a man whose life has been about coaching. | |
| NFL Football – 2011 NFC Divisional: New York Giants vs. Green Bay Packers From Jan. 15, 2012. | |
| NFL's Greatest Games – Super Bowl XLII: New England Patriots vs. New York Giants Regarded as one of the biggest upsets in the history of sports, the New York Giants defeat the New England Patriots, 17-14. From Feb. 3, 2008. | |
| Super Bowl Highlights – Super Bowl XLVI: New England Patriots vs. New York Giants In a rematch of Super Bowl XLII, the Giants defeat the Patriots, 21-17. Eli Manning posts an MVP-worthy performance. From Feb. 5, 2012 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | |
| Every Sunday Afternoon Follow every NFL football game as teams enter the RedZone. | |
| America's Game – 1966 Green Bay Packers The story of the 1966 Green Bay Packers with Bart Starr, Bill Curry and Willie Davis. Voted number 6 by a panel of football experts. Narrated by Donald Sutherland. | |
| America's Game – 1967 Green Bay Packers Tom Selleck narrates the story of the 1967 Green Bay Packers with Jerry Kramer, Chuck Mercine and Dave Robinson. | |
| America's Game – 1968 New York Jets The story of the 1968 New York Jets with Joe Namath, Don Maynard and Gerry Philbin. Narrated by Alec Baldwin. | |
| America's Game – 1969 Kansas City Chiefs The story of the 1969 Kansas City Chiefs with Len Dawson, Willie Lanier and Jim Lynch. Voted number 18 by a panel of football experts. Narrated by Martin Sheen. | |
| America's Game – 1970 Baltimore Colts The story of the 1970 Baltimore Colts with Bill Curry, Mike Curtis, Bubba Smith and Ernie Acorsi. Narrated by Ed Harris. | |
| America's Game – 1971 Dallas Cowboys The story of the 1971 Dallas Cowboys with Roger Staubach, Duane Thomas and Bob Lilly. Voted number 15 by a panel of football experts. Narrated by Martin Sheen. | |
| America's Game – 1972 Miami Dolphins The story of the 1972 Miami Dolphins with Manny Fernandez, Don Shula and Larry Csonka. Narrated by Alec Baldwin. | |
| America's Game – 1973 Miami Dolphins The story of the 1973 Miami Dolphins with Bob Kuechenberg, Mercury Morris and Dick Anderson. Narrated by Ed Harris. | |
| Every Sunday Afternoon Follow every NFL football game as teams enter the RedZone. | |
| America's Game – 1974 Pittsburgh Steelers The story of the 1974 Pittsburgh Steelers with Joe Greene, Andy Russel and Franco Harris. Narrated by Ed Harris. | |
| America's Game – 1975 Pittsburgh Steelers The story of the 1975 Pittsburgh Steelers with Lynn Swann, Mike Wagner and Dwight White. Voted number 7 by a panel of football experts. Narrated by Bruce Willis. | |
| America's Game – 1976 Oakland Raiders The story of the 1976 Oakland Raiders with John Madden, Phil Villipiano and Ken Stabler. Voted number 10 by a panel of football experts. Narrated by Laurence Fishburne. | |
| America's Game – 1977 Dallas Cowboys The story of the 1977 Dallas Cowboys with Charlie Watters, Tony Dorsett, Drew Pearson and Thomas Henderson. Voted number 11 by a panel of football experts. Narrated by Laurence Fishburne. | |
| America's Game – 1978 Pittsburgh Steelers The story of the 1978 Pittsburgh Steelers with Rocky Bleier, Randy Grossman, Mel Blount Joe Greene. Voted number 3 by a panel of football experts. Narrated by Bruce Willis. | |
| America's Game – 1979 Pittsburgh Steelers The story of the 1979 Pittsburgh Steelers with John Stalworth, LC Greenwood and John Banaszak. Narrated by Ed Harris. | |
| America's Game – 1980 Oakland Raiders The story of the 1980 Oakland Raiders with Jim Plunkett, Matt Millen and Gene Upshaw. Narrated by Ed Harris. | |
| America's Game – 1981 San Francisco 49ers The story of the 1981 San Francisco 49ers with Dwight Clark, Ronnie Lott and Randy Cross. Narrated by Gene Hackman. | |
| Every Sunday Afternoon Follow every NFL football game as teams enter the RedZone. | |
| America's Game – 1982 Washington Redskins The story of the 1982 Washington Redskins with Russ Grimm, Joe Theismann and Rick Walker. Narrated by Alec Baldwin. |
Our Choice
I tried out all kinds of streaming services, and YouTube TV’s Sports Plus package is hands-down the best for NFL RedZone. The streaming is smooth and reliable – no freezes or buffering to mess up the game – and their unlimited DVR lets you record everything without a second thought. It’s super user-friendly, works on all the devices you’d expect, and the channel lineup is packed with other great sports content.
FAQs
What is the cheapest way to watch out-of-market NFL action with RedZone?
NFL+ Premium is the cheapest way to get NFL RedZone. It costs $14.99/month. If you want it with live TV, the cheapest option is Sling Blue + Sports Extra. Sling’s base package is $45.99/month, and the Sports Extra is an additional $11.00/mo, so you’re paying a grand total of $51 (or $56 if you get ABC with Sling Blue).
Does NFL+ include NFL RedZone?
The base NFL+ plan for $6.99/month does not include NFL RedZone. NFL+ Premium for $14.99/month does include NFL RedZone now though. You will still be limited to watching live games on your mobile device, but this is a good deal if you just want RedZone – especially if you get local channels with an antenna.
More Info on NFL Without Cable
If you still have questions, these resources should help:
- NFL Preseason
- NFL Regular Season
- Thursday Night Football
- Sunday Night Football
- Monday Night Football
- Out-Of-Market Football Games
- Sunday Ticket Review
- VPN Out-of-Market How-To
- Out-of-Market Games With NFL+
- Out-of-Market Games With NFL RedZone
- NFL Playoffs
- AFC Championship
- NFC Championship
- Super Bowl
- NFL Combine
- NFL Pro Bowl
- NFL Honors
A passionate cord-cutter and longtime subscriber to numerous streaming services, Frank has first-hand experience navigating the complexities of sports streaming.
With a PhD in Atmospheric Physics from the Oregon Graduate Institute and a professional background in early streaming technology, Frank combines deep technical insight with practical, real-world knowledge.
His mission at Hotdog.com was straightforward: help sports fans get hassle-free access to the games they love, at the best price, without frustration.
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