In 2014, the Super Bowl telecast of the Seattle Seahawks’ victory over the Denver Broncos drew 111.5 million viewers, ranking it as the most watched television event in U.S. history. Even though it amounted to a fraction of the U.S. TV audience, Fox Sports GO live streamed the event online, with the average audience size being 528,000 viewers per minute. But with the second-screen becoming more relevant to today’s society, and with less people purchasing cable packages, (opting for providers like Netflix and HBOGO in exchange) many die-hard fans are turning to the cable providers to adapt to these tech-savvy ways.
Not only did FOX listen, but so did CBS and NBC. NBC, in particular, is allowing for an 11-hour online broadcast that won’t exclude football fans that don’t pay for a TV package. The idea comes from NBCUniversal’s “TV Everywhere” sector, which usually adheres to pay-TV subscribers to access live or on-demand shows online with authentication credentials. But, for a special event like this, NBC will allow fans to watch all Super Bowl content starting at 12:00 PM EST on Sunday, February 1, via their phones, tablets, and desktops. 
To access the stream, desktop users simply have to visit NBCSports.com/liveextra, while tablet users must download the NBC Sports Live Extra app (available at the App Store, Windows phones, and select devices within Google Play).
What’s most interesting about live streaming the Super Bowl not on cable television, is that this trend has actually been going on for probably longer than you’d expect. NBC became the first network to stream live Super Bowl content, but have continued to grow their internet viewership since starting to two years ago in 2012.
In just 2012 alone, NBC attracted 2.1 million users to stream their services, while CBSSports.com drew in 3 million unique users in 2013, respectively. Every year, the capacity of each cable company has expanded, starting with just personal computer viewership in 2012, and expanding to tablets and desktops in 2013. Over the past two years, the Super Bowl has been offered as a free stream by CBS and Fox.The largest barrier to entry for cable company still remains with their mobile streaming services. This is because the game is only available through the NFL Mobile subscription service on Verizon Wireless, taking their rights to monopolize the market.
To stream the 2015 Super Bowl XLIX, look no further than NBC.
This year, their internet stream will include the halftime show, a new asset since the last time NBC streamed in 2012. WatchESPN and FOX Sports Go are two providers that will stream video to your smartphone or tablet, but you’ll still need to prove you’re a pay-TV subscriber. TV operators and distributors are walking a fine line when it comes to how long paid content (for the Super Bowl specifically) can withstand free online distribution, thanks to these large cable providers and their numerous benefits.