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How to Watch Super Bowl XLIX on Your iPad or Computer

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MacRumors

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Apr 12, 2001
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Super Bowl XLIX is airing this Sunday, with the New England Patriots facing off against the Seattle Seahawks. If you don't have a cable subscription, you might be worried about missing the game -- but rest easy, there are several ways to watch if you have an iPad, computer, or Verizon iPhone.

We've outlined all of the ways you can catch the Super Bowl in the video below, and we've also got a walkthrough complete with links in this post.

iPad and iPod touch

NBC is running a promotion called "Super Stream Sunday" that will let all U.S.-based users watch 11 continuous hours of NBC content through the NBC Sports Live Extra app on the iPad or iPod touch.

The app normally requires a cable subscription and authentication to log in, but beginning at noon Eastern Time on February 1, the login requirements will be eliminated. NBC's Super Stream Sunday will include the full game, the halftime show with Katy Perry, and pre- and post-game shows.

Apple TV users can use AirPlay mirroring to watch content from their iPads on their televisions.

The NBC Sports Live Extra app can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Mac/PC

Super Stream Sunday also extends to Macs and PCs, which can be used to watch the Super Bowl by visiting the NBCSports.com website. As with the app, streaming content from the NBC website will include the game itself, plus all of the add-ons.

superbowl-800x454.jpg
Mac users can use AirPlay with an Apple TV to stream content to their television sets.

iPhone

NBC does not have the rights to stream Super Bowl content to iPhone users, so the NBC Sports Live Extra app will not work for streaming the game on the iPhone. Verizon has an exclusive content deal with the NFL, which means that if you don't have a Verizon phone, you'll need to find an alternate way to watch the Super Bowl.

If you are a Verizon subscriber with a MORE Everything plan, you can stream the Super Bowl on your iPhone through the Verizon NFL Mobile app.

NFL Mobile can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

International

If you're not in the United States but want to watch Super Bowl XLIX, you can purchase an NFL Game Pass that gives access to a live stream of the Super Bowl for $9.99. NFL Game Pass lets you stream NFL games on your computer or iPad.

Article Link: How to Watch Super Bowl XLIX on Your iPad or Computer
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2015/01/27/how-to-watch-super-bowl-xlix-without-cable/
SuperMatt

SuperMatt

Suspended
Mar 28, 2002
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Why they don't put this on Apple TV is beyond me. Missing out on viewers of their ads.
 
69Mustang

69Mustang

macrumors 604
Jan 7, 2014
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In between a rock and a hard place
How to watch the Super Bowl on your iPad or Computer

Don't. Seriously, don't. It's an event that should be watched with friends; on the biggest screen possible. Preferably at their house cuz clean up is a B.

The idea of sitting in front of an iPad or computer watching the SB seems sad to me. If it's your only option, okay. Otherwise, get out and socialize. Others may differ in opinion and that's okay too.
 
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pubb

macrumors regular
Mar 13, 2007
152
156
If you can't watch it on a big screen, watch it at a bar. With pizza, beer, and other people.
 
CrAkD

CrAkD

macrumors 68040
Feb 15, 2010
3,180
255
Boston, MA
That's why I couldn't bring up the playoffs on my phone in the nbc app but it came up on my iPad.....the nbc app needs data use settings. It has 1 quality HD. Which is fine and good unless you don't have wifi I burned 2gigs before halftime trying to watch a divisional round game.
 
Anonymous Freak

Anonymous Freak

macrumors 603
Dec 12, 2002
5,561
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Cascadia
To those complaining about "don't watch it on a tiny screen!"...

My TV is an older "HDTV-ready" TV. It is 1080, and plenty large for me. But it doesn't have a digital TV tuner, only an old, now-obsolete NTSC-analog tuner. So it doesn't get broadcast TV.

I use a media center PC and/or an AppleTV to watch content. My media center PC has a TV tuner, but my reception of NBC sucks.

So for me, my two options for watching on my big screen are: PC or AppleTV. This guide is great for me. I know that I will be able to watch via the website. Or I can choose to watch via AppleTV through AirPlay from my iPad or iPhone.

There are perfectly good use cases for wanting to watch via one of the mentioned devices. Don't blast the use case, just because it doesn't apply to you. Heck, some people may be required to be somewhere without a TV, and watching on a phone/iPad is better than nothing. (You know, people with serious jobs like police, fire fighters, EMTs... I know an EMT that will be on duty during the Super Bowl. He will be watching on his iPad between calls.)

JosephAW said:
How do I trick the app to think that my iPhone is an iPad?
Click to expand...

You don't. Watch it on your computer.

pubb said:
If you can't watch it on a big screen, watch it at a bar. With pizza, beer, and other people.
Click to expand...

Some people don't WANT to be in a noisy bar.

DougTheImpaler said:
If you don't have cable, just watch on your local NBC affiliate. All you need is an antenna. Unless you're one of those "I don't even own a TV" hipsters.
Click to expand...

Some people don't have cable by choice, and can't get an NBC affiliate reliably. My NBC reception is spotty at best, with a rooftop directional antenna, only 5 miles from the transmitter - thanks hills! (NBC is the only station I care about that I don't get reliably. I also don't get CBS, but I don't care about CBS.)

69Mustang said:
Don't. Seriously, don't. It's an event that should be watched with friends; on the biggest screen possible. Preferably at their house cuz clean up is a B.

The idea of sitting in front of an iPad or computer watching the SB seems sad to me. If it's your only option, okay. Otherwise, get out and socialize. Others may differ in opinion and that's okay too.
Click to expand...

Some people literally just care about the game itself. My aunt and grandmother, were they not going to the event itself in Arizona (long-time Seattle residents who both now live in different cities in Arizona,) would likely be watching it just to watch it; not for socialization purposes.
 
mrgraff

mrgraff

macrumors 65816
Apr 18, 2010
1,089
837
Albuquerque
iPad + Apple TV + projector + big screen = sweet party at my place! My NBC reception is pretty poor also, so this is pretty cool.
 
furi0usbee

furi0usbee

macrumors 68000
Jul 11, 2008
1,790
1,382
I subscribe to NFL2Go.com. $25.00 for the all games throughout the year. Just like Sunday Ticket. I can watch SB on any device, but I'll be watching it over cable this year.
 
Keane16

Keane16

macrumors 6502a
Dec 8, 2007
810
671
69Mustang said:
Don't. Seriously, don't. It's an event that should be watched with friends; on the biggest screen possible. Preferably at their house cuz clean up is a B.

The idea of sitting in front of an iPad or computer watching the SB seems sad to me. If it's your only option, okay. Otherwise, get out and socialize. Others may differ in opinion and that's okay too.
Click to expand...

Being in the UK I usually watch the 2nd half on my iPad - in bed. It starts about midnight here and I have work the next day. So I'm glad for these options (although I use the Sky Go app). Shame it's not on a Saturday night, I would probably meet with a few friends to watch it if it was.

On the whole it's pretty hard to find many other NFL fans here to socialise with. Lots of people know that the Super Bowl is on and it's getting more popular but it's still feels like a small niche compared to the big sports.

I've personally followed the Super Bowl game for ~15 years. But over the last few years I've also started watching the playoffs too (same with Basketball, although I can't stand Baseball!). The popular American sports are certainly growing on me.
 
2

2457282

Suspended
Dec 6, 2012
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next year, lets all sit together and watch it on our watches. oh, that will be awesome.

/s
 
C

C DM

macrumors Sandy Bridge
Oct 17, 2011
51,390
19,458
pubb said:
If you can't watch it on a big screen, watch it at a bar. With pizza, beer, and other people.
Click to expand...

Or whichever way works for you.

----------
JosephAW said:
How do I trick the app to think that my iPhone is an iPad?
Click to expand...

Yeah I'm not really following this. Fine on iPad but somehow just won't work on an iPhone. What's the rationale there?
 
69650

69650

Suspended
Mar 23, 2006
3,367
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England
Keane16 said:
Being in the UK I usually watch the 2nd half on my iPad - in bed. It starts about midnight here and I have work the next day. So I'm glad for these options (although I use the Sky Go app). Shame it's not on a Saturday night, I would probably meet with a few friends to watch it if it was.

On the whole it's pretty hard to find many other NFL fans here to socialise with. Lots of people know that the Super Bowl is on and it's getting more popular but it's still feels like a small niche compared to the big sports.

I've personally followed the Super Bowl game for ~15 years. But over the last few years I've also started watching the playoffs too (same with Basketball, although I can't stand Baseball!). The popular American sports are certainly growing on me.
Click to expand...

Doesn't kick off until 11.30pm so I'll just record it and watch it Monday so I can skip through the endless ad breaks. It's a shame it kicks off so late as I like to watch the NFL games live on Sky Sports on a Sunday evening.
 
A

aperantos

macrumors regular
Feb 18, 2008
168
184
London, U.K.
If you are not going to put any effort into researching the "International" section it would have been better not to bother at all if it is going to be misleading.

In the UK the NFL Game Pass option is not available as it is blacked out to protect the league's broadcast partners here. But the game is freely streamed online and via apps, as it has been for the past seven years.

Canada also has the same blackout restrictions on NFL Game Pass, whilst the service is not even available in Mexico.

And in many countries the game will also be streamed live by local broadcasters for free without the need to waste US$9.99. This is certainly the case for W9 in France which streams its channel anyway, and in Germany where SAT.1 will stream the game on their sport site.
 
Zorba

Zorba

macrumors regular
Jul 12, 2009
151
64
Belgium
In Belgium we have the NFL NOW channel on AppleTV, so I assume if I buy the SB subscription (€7,99) I can watch it live on AppleTV?

EDIT: Ok seems no live streaming on AppleTV. But AirPlay will work just fine :)
 
Last edited:
B

blevins321

macrumors 68030
Dec 24, 2010
2,768
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Detroit, MI
MacRumors said:
International

If you're not in the United States but want to watch Super Bowl XLIX, you can purchase an NFL Game Pass that gives access to a live stream of the Super Bowl for $9.99. NFL Game Pass lets you stream NFL games on your computer or iPad.
Click to expand...

I was really really hyped about this. On their site apparently does real commercials, too. Then I read their FAQ session and live streaming is blacked out in Canada and the UK.

Guess my party mates and I will just have to do Youtube instead during breaks. At least we'll get the commercials in 2017 (new Canadian FCC rule for that Bowl to allow US adds instead of Canadian ones).
 
3bs

3bs

macrumors 603
May 20, 2011
5,434
24
Dublin, Ireland
I don't see the option to pay $9.99 to watch the game. The link you have takes you to this SEASON PLUS
Access Through 31 July 2015
£29.99
 
A

aperantos

macrumors regular
Feb 18, 2008
168
184
London, U.K.
3bs said:
I don't see the option to pay $9.99 to watch the game. The link you have takes you to this SEASON PLUS
Access Through 31 July 2015
£29.99
Click to expand...

Were you accessing through a UK provider, as you should at least be seeing euro prices in Ireland. But the same UK blackout rules now apply in Ireland too, even despite having no Irish broadcaster, so only the off-season package (Season Plus) is offered.

Which means unless you are a Sky subscriber, so have access to Sky Go, I am not sure there was a way to legally stream the game in Ireland.

Channel 4's own free live streaming I believe is still UK-only, and even for cable customers I do not think UPC's Horizon Go offers either Channel 4 or, if you subscribe, Sky Sports.
 
richwoodrocket

richwoodrocket

macrumors 68020
Apr 7, 2014
2,133
112
Buffalo, NY
I told myself i was going to watch only for the commercials. Nope wasn't worth my time to sit through the boring game to see the commercials. Well, i did watch katy perry but thats it ;)
 
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