After a challenging year, in which we weren’t sure if we’d even have an NFL season, Super Bowl LV is finally here. But it’s going to be much different than previous years.
The Kansas City Chiefs will try to defend their 2020 victory and build a dynasty after a 50-year dry spell. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers return for the first time since 2003. What won’t be there, of course, are big crowds—not in the stands or on the field during halftime. And some regular advertisers are sitting this year out, too.
The teams were fairly evenly matched when they played last November, with the Chiefs edging out the Bucs 27-24 in Tampa Bay, but there’s a bit more at stake here. And fans are eager for a rematch between Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes.
The Super Bowl party, as we’ve all known it in years past, is also likely to be a rarer event. But if you’re gathering with your immediate family or quarantine pod to watch the game after cutting the cord, or you won’t be in front of a TV and want to keep up with the Big Game, there are plenty of alternative ways to view. Here are a few.
Which NFL teams are playing in the 2021 Super Bowl? And what channel is airing the games?
Pre-game broadcasts for Super Bowl LV officially begin four and a half hours before kickoff this year on CBS at 2:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, Feb. 7. (But the network will begin airing Super Bowl-themed programming as early as 11:30 a.m. ET.) As with every pre-game show, there will be all sorts of predictions, retrospective looks at the season and in-depth analysis of the most mundane details on both teams. There will be highlights of past Super Bowl highlights and likely a few memorable commercials from past years, warming the audience up for the multi-million dollar ones that will air during this year’s game. There is not, at present, an announced plan for the traditional pre-game interview with President Biden. (Last year, Sean Hannity interviewed Donald Trump.) However, Amanda Gorman, Biden’s inauguration poet, will recite an original piece before kickoff.
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 6:30 p.m. ET on CBS
Who’s singing the National Anthem at Super Bowl LV?
Grammy-nominated artists Jazmine Sullivan and Eric Church will sing the National Anthem this year.
Who’s performing at halftime for Super Bowl LV?
The Weeknd, who has three number one selling albums under his belt, will take over the field for halftime. His performance is expected to begin around 8:30 p.m. ET—and he has said he plans to spend $7 million of his own money to enhance the experience for the TV audience.
Where is this year’s Super Bowl being held?
The Chiefs and Buccaneers will face off at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. This will be the first time that one of the participating teams in the Super Bowl is playing in its own stadium.
How can I watch Super Bowl LV for free—even if I am out of market?
The Super Bowl, naturally, isn’t blacked out in any market, so you shouldn’t have to worry about finding the game. Regardless, the best way to watch any NFL game for free on a big screen is with a good HD antenna. Super Bowl 55 will be broadcast by CBS—meaning you’ve got a good chance of capturing the game over the air, which costs nothing beyond the equipment prices. Be sure to test the antenna in multiple locations in your home to find the most reliable signal.
How can I stream Super Bowl LV live online if I don’t have a cable subscription?
There are loads of online options to watch NFL games, including the Super Bowl: some completely free and others with free trial periods. If you’re not near a TV, you can log onto CBSSports.com to watch the game or use the CBS Sports app. Another option? Yahoo Sports and the NFL have teamed up to stream live NFL games, including the Super Bowl, on mobile devices. Just download the Yahoo Sports mobile app and watch on your phone or tablet. Prefer another method? Here are a few others to try.
Locast.org
This free service lets you watch local broadcast channels with no monthly fees or contracts. The hiccup is, it only services select parts of the country.
Hulu with Live TV
You can try the service free for a week. Once that’s up, you’ll pay $65 per month.
YouTube TV
After a two-week trial, you can expect monthly charges of $65.
Sling TV
Dish Network’s Sling is one of the OG cord cutter options. It has an extensive selection of ESPN options in its lower tiered “Orange” plan, which will run you $35 per month. You’d get access to more sports channels by subscribing to Sling’s “Blue” plan, which bumps the cost to $50-per-month. You get a 3-day free trial first.
None of the channels in either package will show the actual Super Bowl, though, just some of the pre-game programs.
AT&T TV
Formerly known as DirecTV Now and AT&T TVNow, AT&T’s streaming service will run you $70 per month and up. There is no longer a free trial option.
Disney+
Disney’s bundle of Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ can be enjoyed for free for seven days, after which you’ll pay $12.99 per month for all three combined.
Fubo TV
This sports-focused cord cutting service carries CBS in most markets. There’s a seven-day free trial, followed by monthly charges between $65 and $80, depending on the channels you choose.
Does the NFL offer any viewing packages to watch the Super Bowl?
Kind of.
The NFL App will let you stream games that are being broadcast locally in your market on Sundays. If you want to watch an “out of market” game, you’ve got two choices.
NFL Game Pass
You can’t use this service to watch live games, but you can watch anything once its main broadcast ends. There’s a seven-day free trial, after which you’re looking at a $50 charge.
NFL Sunday Ticket
DirecTV customers have access to it, but if you’re not a subscriber and live in an area where DirecTV’s not available, you can watch any NFL game live, online or on TV for $48.99 per month or $293.94 for the entire season.
Which brands won’t be running Super Bowl ads this year?
Several regular Super Bowl advertisers have announced they will skip this year’s game, instead donating the money they would have spent for that ad buy to good causes. Planters, which killed Mr. Peanut right before the game last year and recently resurrected the mascot, won’t be there. Neither will Coke or Kia Motors or Hyundai. Budweiser won’t roll out the Clydesdales or advertise its namesake beer, but other products, like Bud Light, will be spotlighted. Smaller companies, like DoorDash and Uber Eats, have bought the vacated spots.
Which Super Bowl commercials are expected to be the best?
The debate over which commercials were the best is one for the day after the game. But if you want an early peek at the ads that will be airing (so you can refresh your drink or hit the bathroom when they air), here are a few.
Tide
Jason Alexander’s face undergoes all sorts of trauma.
Bud Light
Yeah, Budweiser might not be advertising during this year’s Super Bowl, but AnheuserBusch’s other brands sure aren’t sitting on the sidelines. And this year, Bud Light is bringing back some of the characters from its greatest hits. This is just a preview.
Pringles
They’re still having fun mixing flavors together over at Pringles.
Michelob Ultra
Another Anheuser-Busch beer will focus on the meaning of happiness.
Squaresoft
Dolly Parton reworks her hit “9 to 5” in this celebration of gig workers.
Ford
Ford lends its support to frontline workers and expresses optimism for a return to normality.
When will Amanda Gorman recite her poem during Super Bowl LV?
Gorman, the breakout star of Inauguration Day, will read a new poem, honoring three Americans—Los Angeles educator Trimaine Davis, Florida nurse manager Suzie Dorner, and Pittsburgh-based James Martin, a Marine veteran who volunteers with the Wounded Warrior Project—for their work during the pandemic. That will likely come right before this year’s coin toss.
How many fans are being allowed in the stadium for Super Bowl LV?
This year’s game will certainly set an attendance record – just not the one it was hoping to. The NFL is letting fewer than 25,000 fans into Raymond James Stadium, including 7,500 vaccinated health care workers. Luxury boxes will seat 2,700 fans, and 14,500 fans will be admitted without required testing. Everyone who goes to the game will receive a kit that includes a KN95 mask and hand sanitizer.
What COVID-19 protocols is the NFL taking for Super Bowl LV?
Since winning the playoffs, all team personnel for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs have had to undergo twice-daily coronavirus testing. If someone tests positive, they’re put in quarantine for 10 days. Neither team has had a positive test in over 3 weeks, though two Kansas City players were isolated for five days after coming into close contact with someone who was COVID-positive.
Media week was done via teleconference. And the Chiefs aren’t scheduled to arrive in Tampa until Saturday, much later than teams typically arrive most years.
Since August, the NFL has tested its players and staff more than any other U.S. sports league.
Where is next year’s Super Bowl being played?
Super Bowl LVI is scheduled to take place on Feb. 6, 2022, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. It will be the eighth Super Bowl hosted by the Greater Los Angeles Area. LA was actually originally scheduled to host this year’s game with Tampa Bay taking 2022, but the NFL flipped the two after some construction delays at SoFi.