Chicago football fans are legendary. No matter how badly the Bears do, from the way the fans cheer them, you’d think it was still 1985. But Bears fans outside Chicago can have a hard time finding Sunday afternoon games with their TV dial. If that’s you, you do have options — read on to see what they are.
In a hurry? NFL fans in the US have one option for all the Sunday games: YouTube’s NFL Sunday Ticket. But if you’re not ready to subscribe, there are some alternatives:
- ExpressVPN: Get the games you want to watch no matter where you are with private browsing and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Fubo: Watch all local and primetime games as well as all the action Sunday afternoon with NFL RedZone. Sign up for a free trial!
- NFL Sunday Ticket: Available through YouTube and YouTube TV.
- DAZN Canada is streaming every NFL game live, which means preseason, regular games, playoff games, and of course the Super Bowl.
Table Of Contents
It’s no secret that after failing to secure a spot in the playoffs last year, the Chicago Bears have an uphill battle to regain their former glory years of the mid-eighties. Dedicated fans will recall the impressive 2006-2007 NFL season, where the Bears won the NFC Championship and faced the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLI.
Are the Bears on today? We have an easy way to find out!
Regardless of the Bears’ struggles as of late, they remain a dynamic team on the field and one that’s due for another comeback. Unfortunately, many fans of the team who reside outside the region find it challenging to catch all the live games.
This Week’s Chicago Bears Game
- Sun Oct 1 : vs Denver Broncos (CBS)
How to Watch Out-of-Market Chicago Bears Games
NFL football is one of the most accessible sports to follow due to teams playing only one weekly game. Keeping up with a favorite team is usually as simple as tuning in at kickoff.
However, regional programming is the one hurdle fans outside the broadcast area face. NFL games usually only air on Fox and CBS, with the networks prioritizing the teams located in the viewer’s region.
Regional broadcasting is ideal for in-market fans supporting their local team and features the games they care about. The fans trying to cheer on their team from out-of-state often find it difficult or near impossible to see their favorite players take the field. In the case of the Chicago Bears, a die-hard fan living in Phoenix, Arizona, for example; won’t have an opportunity to tune in for kickoff.
Enough NFL fans have demanded a solution to this problem, and there are some options. In the case of other live sports, baseball fans can subscribe to MLB.TV while hockey fans, along with soccer enthusiasts, have ESPN+. Football’s solution to this problem is NFL Sunday Ticket.
If Sunday Ticket solves the issue, why not just subscribe to that service? Unfortunately, to get this service, you must also sign up for YouTube or YouTube TV. While a YouTube or YouTube TV subscription may work for some, it’s not feasible for everyone.
What Channels Do I Need to Watch Out-of-Market Chicago Bears Games?
Here are some choices for Bears fans who reside out-of-market.
- NFL Sunday Ticket: If fans don’t mind signing up for satellite service, this option allows them to watch every Chicago Bears game televised.
- NFL+ Premium: At first glance, this $9.99/mo service may seem like the solution granting on-demand access to out-of-market games. However, one glance at the fine print and fans realize it includes only replays and not full games. For those on the go, this service does offer in-market live streams for mobile users and every preseason matchup. (NFL+ review)
- NFL RedZone: While this service doesn’t permit viewing all out-of-market games, it allows watching Sunday afternoon games simultaneously. (NFL RedZone Out-of-Market)
- VPN: Another way to circumvent regional programming is for fans to appear local while, in reality, being thousands of miles away. VPNs can route online information through different regions, and while not a direct solution for watching football, it is a powerful tool nonetheless. (VPNs for Out-of-Market Viewing)
- SiriusXM: A subscription to this satellite radio provider allows fans to listen to the entire game. Although a similar feature is also available on NFL+.
- The Local Sports Bar/Friends: Any decent sports bar will have several televisions playing all the available games but will require fans to purchase some drinks. The best-case scenario is a friend who roots for the same team and has the capability to watch Chicago Bears games.
NFL fans outside the US can watch every match from the preseason games to the regular games and the playoffs with NFL Game Pass International.
Watch the Bears on NFL RedZone
Many TV streaming services have NFL RedZone available, and here is a brief list:
- Fubo (formerly called FuboTV): A starting price of $74.99/mo, the standard package comes with over 130 channels. RedZone is an extra $10.99/mo with the Sports Plus add-in but includes 28 additional sports channels. (Fubo review)
- DIRECTV STREAM: Subscribe to DIRECTV’s Entertainment plan for $74.99/mo and get 75+ channels including local channels that air NFL games. The Sports Plus add-on has more channels including NFL RedZone. (DIRECTV STREAM review)
- Sling TV: For access to Fox, NBC, and an additional 40+ channels, the standard Blue plan runs $40.00/mo. For RedZone service, fans will need to opt for the Sports Extra at an additional $11/mo, which includes 10 sports channels. (Sling TV review)
- Hulu + Live TV: With hundreds of on-demand streaming titles and more than 85 live channels, Hulu with Live TV costs $69.99/mo. However, fans will need to opt for the Sports add-on for RedZone. (Hulu + Live TV review)
- Vidgo: RedZone is included with the premium plan and offers more than 140 channels at $84.99/mo. (Vidgo review)
- YouTube TV: At $72.99/mo, YouTube TV offers over 100 channels, and RedZone is accessible through the Sports Plus package.
All streaming services offer cloud DVR storage and the ability to watch on multiple devices at the same time.
Use a VPN to Watch Chicago Bears Games Out of Market
A VPN is one of the most powerful methods for getting the desired content regardless of location. While it doesn’t directly provide content, out-of-market NFL fans can stream their game of choice.
See our VPN guide for complete information on how to stream out-of-market football games.
Unblock Your Favorite Events & Teams With a VPN
If you can’t watch your favorite events or teams because of your location, a VPN will allow you to get the access you are entitled to, plus extra security and unequaled privacy. Check out our VPN Guide for everything you need to know, including our top pick ExpressVPN.
Other brands worth checking out include Hotspot Shield and CyberGhost.
Streaming Devices to Watch Out-of-Market Chicago Bears Games
There are a variety of streaming devices available such as Roku, Amazon FireTV, Apple TV, and Chromecast, mobile devices, among others. Many televisions now include smart technology for streaming content, and most gaming consoles also support it.
Some products don’t support VPNs; however, there are solutions that can get VPNs working on any platform.
Wrapping Up
Those passionate Chicago Bears fans who find themselves out-of-market for televised games have options. With NFL Sunday Ticket, fans can tune into whichever game they choose with a YouTube or YouTube TV subscription. The next best solution is NFL RedZone, which fans can get on streaming TV platforms like Sling TV and Fubo.
FAQ
Is DIRECTV STREAM a solution to watching out-of-market Chicago Bears games?
Yes, it is. This streaming service allows watching all the televised games in-market and will also assist a Bears fan living in Phoenix, for example. Out-of-market viewers can choose NFL Network and NFL RedZone, available with DIRECTV STREAM’s Choice plan and Sports Plus add-on respectively.
What radio stations are the Chicago Bears on?
The Chicago Bears can be heard on their flagship station ESPN 1000 AM or 100.3 FM. Spanish-language radio broadcasts are available on Latino Mix 93.5 FM. Those interested in streaming Bears game radio feeds online can access them through NFL+ or NFL+ Premium (US only) and Sirius XM NFL Radio.
Do Chicago Bears games sell out?
Many Chicago Bears games are sold out. For such games, fans have the option of watching the games through streaming services, NFL RedZone, NFL Sunday Ticket, or other options discussed above. Note that game sell-out status does not affect local viewers anymore as the NFL no longer imposes the blackout rule. Hence, viewers can continue to watch all games without any hassles.
Besides the Chicago Bears, how do I watch out-of-market games?
Here are individual team viewer’s guides for watching out-of-market NFL games:
More Info on NFL Without Cable
If you still have questions, these resources should help:
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