What Is Roku
Roku is an American live streaming television offering access to streaming media content from online services. The company transmits its contents in North America, Canada, Mexico, and some parts of Europe giving viewers easy access to free TV, live news, sports, and movies. One can access Rokus contents by connecting a Roku streaming player such as set-top boxes and sticks that connect through the HDMI port of the TV set, buying a Roku TV, or downloading the Roku app on Android and IOS devices. Importantly, an internet connection is a requirement to stream on Roku, however, there are no monthly charges for watching free channels or for using a Roku device. Charges only apply to subscription channels. Let’s know how to watch NFL on Roku.
The National football league
The national football league (NFL) is the American football league comprising 32 teams equally divided between the American football conference (AFC) and the National football conference (NFC). The league season runs from August to February starting with a three-week preseason in August and a regular-season between September and January. At the end of the regular season, seven teams advance to the playoffs which culminate in the super bowl, a contest between the American football conference winner and the National football conference winner. Starting with the 2021 season, each team plays three preseason games followed by 17 regular-season games before the winners advance to the playoffs and Superbowl. The total number of games played in the 2021 season was 272 games, 16 games increase from the 256 games played in the 2020 season
Broadcasting of NFL games
The NFL is the most profitable sports league in the United States with a revenue of US$16 billion. In addition, it is the most popular and most watched sport with a fun base ranking in millions. As a result, only contracted broadcasters can televise NFL games. The games are televised in the US by several TV stations that hold broadcast contracts with the NFL. The current television networks with broadcasting contracts are ABC, CBS, ESPN, Amazon, FOX, and NBC. This contract allows the broadcasters to televise the regular season, playoffs, and the super bowl games in the United States.
Since, at times several NFL games are played simultaneously, televising these games is divided between the broadcasters through a set of agreements. For example, CBS televises afternoon games in which the away team is an AFC team, while Fox televises afternoon games in which the away team belongs to the NFC. On the other hand, Sunday Night football is only available on NBC and Peacock while Monday night football is televised by ESPN. Thursday night football is televised by several channels with FOX and Prime Video televising selected games.
Streaming NFL games on Roku devises
To stream NFL games on Roku or any of its devices, one must subscribe to a broadcaster allowed to air the league games. It is important to remember that a subscription to a particular television will only allow you access to watch games transmitted through that channel. For example;
- To watch Sunday Night Football on Roku, you will be required to connect to NBC through a subscription to DIRECTV STREAM, fuboTV, Hulu with Live TV, and Sling TV or watch by subscribing to Peacock.
- Monday night football that’s televised by ESPN can be streamed on Roku through subscription to DIRECTV STREAM, fuboTV, Hulu with Live TV, and Sling TV. On the other hand, Thursday night football, televised by NFL Network, FOX, and Prime Video can be viewed on Roku through a subscription to fuboTV and Sling TV. Games televised by the NFL network are streamed by DIRECTV STREAM, fuboTV, and Hulu with Live TV, while Sling TV streams games from FOX Sports.
- One can also purchase an NFL Sunday ticket that allows viewing of out-of-market Sunday afternoon games through a subscription to DIRECTV. Moreover, Roku customers living in an apartment, condominium, or townhome and don’t receive DIRECTV service are eligible to receive the NFL Sunday ticket through a different arrangement.
- Viewership of AFC games requires access to streaming from CBS. These games can be viewed on Roku through a subscription to DIRECTV STREAM, fuboTV, and Hulu with Live TV and Paramount+. Viewership of NFC games on the other hand requires access to streaming from FOX which can be viewed through a subscription to DIRECTV STREAM, fuboTV, Hulu with Live TV, and Sling TV.
- In addition to the above, there is other NFL viewership that is streamed through Roku such as NFL RedZone streamed through fuboTV, Hulu with Live TV, and Sling TV. For $99.99, NFL on-demand games can be viewed from the NFL channel.
Conclusion
Roku is a free live streaming online television. However, one requires a subscription to an NFL-contracted broadcaster to watch NFL games on Roku. Six broadcasters hold this contract; ABC, CBS, ESPN, Amazon, FOX, and NBC. Games transmitted by the broadcasters differ based on the home team and day of play.
