Out-of-market NFL games are games that are not shown on your local CBS or Fox affiliate because they involve teams outside your TV region. If you live in Denver and want to watch the Miami Dolphins play the New England Patriots on a Sunday afternoon, that game may be out of market unless your local station picked it. This is where NFL Sunday Ticket and NFL+ get confusing, because they solve different problems.
TL;DR: NFL Sunday Ticket is the main product for watching live out-of-market Sunday afternoon NFL games during the regular season. NFL+ is cheaper, but it does not give you live out-of-market regular-season games on your TV; it mainly offers live local and primetime games on phones and tablets, plus audio and replays. For example, a Cowboys fan living in Chicago may need Sunday Ticket to watch 10 or more Dallas Sunday afternoon games that are not on local TV. If that fan only wants radio audio, highlights, and full replays after the game, NFL+ may be enough.
What “Out of Market” Means in the NFL
An out-of-market NFL game is a game that is not assigned to your local broadcast area. NFL broadcast rights are built around regional coverage. On most Sunday afternoons, CBS and Fox do not show every game to every home. They show selected games based on your location, local team interest, and national appeal.
That means two fans can open the same TV app at the same time and see different NFL games. A viewer in Pittsburgh may get Steelers coverage. A viewer in San Francisco may get 49ers coverage. A viewer in Texas may get the Cowboys, Texans, or another high-demand matchup.
This system is why many fans feel stuck. You pay for cable, satellite, or a live TV streaming service, yet your team still may not appear on Sunday afternoon. Honestly, it feels like you should not need a chart and three apps just to find one football game.
NFL Sunday Ticket: Best for Live Out-of-Market Sunday Games
NFL Sunday Ticket is designed for one main purpose: watching live out-of-market Sunday afternoon NFL games during the regular season. These are the games usually shown on CBS and Fox in other regions.
Sunday Ticket is especially useful for fans who live away from their favorite team’s home market. It is also useful for fantasy football players, sports bettors, and fans who simply want access to more games on Sunday.
What NFL Sunday Ticket Includes
- Live out-of-market Sunday afternoon games during the regular season.
- Games that air on CBS and Fox outside your local TV region.
- Access through YouTube or YouTube TV, depending on the package.
- Multiple-game viewing features, depending on device and plan availability.
What NFL Sunday Ticket Does Not Include
- Local games shown by your local CBS or Fox station.
- Sunday Night Football on NBC.
- Monday Night Football on ESPN or ABC.
- Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime Video, except for special cases.
- Most playoff games, which are handled by national TV partners.
The catch is that Sunday Ticket is not a total NFL package. It fills the Sunday afternoon out-of-market gap. You may still need an antenna, cable package, live TV streaming plan, Prime Video, ESPN access, or Peacock for the full season.
NFL+: Best for Mobile Viewing, Audio, and Replays
NFL+ is the league’s direct streaming service. It is cheaper than Sunday Ticket, but it has tighter limits for live regular-season games.
With NFL+, you can usually watch live local and primetime regular-season games on phones and tablets. That matters. The live regular-season games are not broadly available on connected TVs through NFL+ in the same way Sunday Ticket games are.
NFL+ also includes live game audio for every game. For many fans, that is the hidden value. If you are driving, working, or cannot watch the screen, live audio can be enough.
What NFL+ Typically Includes
- Live local and primetime games on mobile devices and tablets.
- Live out-of-market preseason games, subject to local restrictions.
- Live game audio for every regular-season and postseason game.
- NFL Network content, depending on the plan.
- Full and condensed game replays, often with NFL+ Premium.
- Coaches film, also commonly tied to premium access.
Expect to waste time on device limits if you assume NFL+ works like Netflix. It does not. The difference between phone, tablet, computer, and TV access is a common pain point.
NFL Sunday Ticket vs NFL+: The Key Difference
The simplest difference is this: Sunday Ticket is for live out-of-market Sunday afternoon games. NFL+ is for mobile live access, audio, preseason games, and replays.
| Feature | NFL Sunday Ticket | NFL+ |
|---|---|---|
| Live out-of-market Sunday afternoon games | Yes | No for regular season |
| Live local regular-season games | No, use local TV or streaming TV | Yes, on phone or tablet |
| Live primetime games | No | Yes, on phone or tablet |
| Live game audio | Not the main feature | Yes |
| Full game replays | Limited by product features | Yes, often with Premium |
| Best use case | Watching your team live from another city | Mobile viewing, audio, replays |
Which One Should You Buy?
Choose NFL Sunday Ticket if your main goal is to watch a team that is outside your local market. This is the clear choice for displaced fans. A Packers fan living in Phoenix, a Giants fan living in Seattle, or a Bills fan living in Los Angeles will often get the most value from Sunday Ticket.
Choose NFL+ if you do not need every live out-of-market Sunday game. It works better for fans who want mobile access to local games, national primetime games, radio audio, and replays. It is also useful if you follow the whole league but do not need live video for every matchup.
Some fans may need both. For example, a fan may use Sunday Ticket for Sunday afternoon games and NFL+ Premium for condensed replays during the week. That setup can make sense for fantasy players who want to review 8 to 12 games in less time.
Blackouts, Local Games, and Why Your Game May Still Be Missing
Even with the right service, some games may not appear where you expect. Local broadcast rules still apply. If a game is available on your local CBS or Fox station, Sunday Ticket usually will not show it as an out-of-market game. You must watch it through your local channel source.
National games are separate too. Sunday night games belong to NBC. Monday night games belong to ESPN or ABC. Thursday night games are often tied to Prime Video. International games and holiday games can have special distribution rules.
Practical Examples
- You live in Atlanta and support the Raiders. Sunday Ticket is likely the better fit for live Sunday afternoon Raiders games not shown locally.
- You live in New York and only want Jets or Giants games. You may not need Sunday Ticket because those games are often local.
- You travel often and watch mostly on your phone. NFL+ may cover local and primetime mobile viewing, but it will not replace Sunday Ticket for out-of-market regular-season games.
- You miss games due to work. NFL+ Premium can be useful because full and condensed replays help you catch up later.
Bottom Line
Out-of-market NFL games are live Sunday afternoon games not assigned to your local CBS or Fox station. If you want those games live, NFL Sunday Ticket is the product built for that job. If you want mobile local games, primetime games on a phone or tablet, live audio, preseason access, and replays, NFL+ is the better fit.
Before paying, check your team’s schedule against your local TV market. Count how many games are likely out of market. If the number is high, Sunday Ticket may justify its price. If only two or three games are affected, NFL+ plus local TV access may be the smarter, cheaper setup.
