How to stream the Super Bowl for free to your iPad or iPhone

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You don't need cable to watch the game on your iPad. Photo: NFL
You don't need cable to watch the game on your iPad. Photo: NFL

This year’s Super Bowl will be streamed for free over the internet in full HD, no cable subscription required. Completely unbundling the big game is an effort on NBC’s part to promote its TV Everywhere service, which ironically requires a cable subscription.

11 hours of content will be streamed for free on game day, February 1. That includes the full game, commercials, halftime show with Katy Perry and Lenny Kravitz, and even an episode of The Blacklist.

US viewers can download the NBC Sports Live Extra app for the iPad and iPod touch. Visiting the NFL website on the desktop will also initiate a live stream. Again, no cable subscription is required, meaning you won’t have to enter any Comcast or Time Warner credentials.

Because of an exclusivity agreement Verizon has for streaming the game to smartphones, separate apps will be required for viewing from an iPhone. Yet to be released in the App Store, an app called Super Bowl Stadium will offer instant replays from four different camera angles along with commercials. Verizon customers on a More Everything plan will be able to get a live stream of the game from the NFL Mobile app.

So if you’re a non-Verizon customer hoping to stream the game live from an iPhone, you’re out of luck. You only get replays and commercials.

And unfortunately, overseas viewers will have to buy a $9.99 NFL Game Pass if they want to watch the game live or on-demand.

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