NFL, CBS Cater To Viewers Who Are Cutting The Cord

In the upcoming season, the National Football League is targeting viewers who have switched from traditional cable subscriptions to online streaming services. This year, in addition to streaming all of the league's AFC games, CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS) has agreed to stream seven NFL games, which viewers can access for free.

Big Game Coverage

Some of the league's most highly anticipated games are set to be streamed this year, including the Super Bowl 50 and the Carolina Panthers against the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day. The first regular season game on October 4, the New York Jets versus Miami in London, will also be made available online.

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Details about other games set to be streamed have not been released, but the network has promised to announce more details at a later date.

Viewing Options

The network plans to make the games available for free to anyone using a laptop, desktop or tablet on the CBS Sports website. Viewers can also enjoy the game using a connected device like Xbox One, Apple TV, Chromecast or a Roku player. However, football fans on the go may struggle to view the game unless they subscribe to Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ), which will be the only network to allow customers to stream the games on their phones through NFL mobile.

Cutting The Cord

CBS' decision to make NFL games available online suggests that the network is hoping to bridge the gap between traditional TV programming and online viewing. As more and more people abandon their cable subscriptions, networks like CBS are struggling to retain viewership and shift their business model to fit the rapidly changing TV landscape.

Image credit: Larry Maurer, Wikimedia