Watch the Detroit Lions live without cable on the device of your choice, including Apple TV, Samsung Smart TV, Roku, and more.
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Since I was a kid growing up in Detroit, I have been a diehard Lions fan. Is this our year? I sure hope so. However, regardless of whether the Lions make Super Bowl LVIII this season, sports fans in Detroit will want to watch every game.
Paying for cable isn’t necessary if you want to watch the Lions on Sundays. NFL fans in Michigan, from Detroit to Grand Rapids, to Traverse City can live-stream Detroit Lions games. Although several live TV streaming services carry WJBK FOX 2 Detroit, our top pick for watching the Lions this season is Fubo. With Fubo, Michigan sports fans can watch every Lions game through the Playoffs, as well as Michigan and Michigan State football, plus the Red Wings and other Detroit pro sports teams in-market on Bally Sports Detroit.
Watch WJBK FOX 2 Detroit, CBS, ESPN, FS1, NBC, and upgrade for Bally Sports Detroit. | $74.99 / month | 7 Day Free Trial |
Full coverage of the Lions new season, plus an upgrade for Bally Sports Detroit. | $74.99 / month | Free 5 Day Trial |
Watch the Lions in-market on WJBK FOX 2 Detroit. | $35 / month | Explore offers |
Important channels
The most important channels for Lions fans will be CBS, FOX, ESPN, and NBC, and of all these, FOX, the channel with rights for most NFC games through 2033, will be the most important for watching the Lions.
The table below documents the live TV streaming providers that carry the most important channels for watching the NFL.
| Fubo | DIRECTV STREAM | Hulu + Live TV | Paramount+ | Sling Blue | YouTube TV | |
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| $74.99 / month | $74.99 / month | $69.99 / month | $5.99 / month | $35 / month | $72.99 / month |
Note: Sling TV features FOX and NBC, but only in select markets.
Top picks
These are the best options for Lions fans near the Detroit TV market.
Although a basic Fubo subscription will get you access to CBS, ESPN, FOX, and NBC, all the channels you need for watching Lions games, Fubo Sports Plus offers a premium selection of sports channels, including NFL Red Zone.
Pros
- Full local coverage of the Detroit Lions, including Thursday Night Football without need for Amazon Prime (in Detroit TV market only)
- Multiview feature for Apple TV users
- Bally Sports Detroit for watching in-market Tigers, Wings, and Pistons games
- MSU and UM football and basketball
Cons
- DVR storage lags behind the competition
- Lacks TNT and TBS for crucial NBA and NHL games
Read our full Fubo TV sports review for other options and packages.
DIRECTV STREAM offers full coverage of the Lions’ season all the way through the Playoffs and Super Bowl LVIII in the base package.
Pros
- Watch WJBK FOX 2 Detroit, CBS, ESPN, NBC, and more
- DIRECTV STREAM carries the channels you need to watch NFL games, DTV “Choice” carries Bally Sports Detroit, the regional sports network that broadcasts the Red Wings, Tigers, and Pistons.
- Watch Michigan and Michigan State sports
Cons
- Unfortunately, subscribing to the more expensive “Choice” package will be necessary to get Bally Sports Detroit and Big Ten Network.
- No 4K
Read our DirecTV Stream review.
Note: Sling TV only carries FOX and NBC in select markets, and does not have ESPN. CBS is only available with a streaming antenna.
Even though Sling Blue doesn’t offer total NFL coverage, we recommend it here because, with the cost of streaming services rising, some fans will want a more budget friendly option.
Pros
- Detroit is one of the markets that Sling TV offers FOX (WJBK FOX 2)
Cons
- Lacks NBC in Detroit
- Lacks Super Bowl LVIII
- Major gaps in coverage
- No in-market Tigers, Pistons, or Red Wings
Read our Sling TV review.
Hulu + Live TV will give Lions fans the channels they need to watch the games every Sunday. The ESPN+ bundle opens up an important avenue of additional sports options, including the UFC and out-of-market NHL action.
Pros
- Carries WJBK FOX 2 Detroit (including TV Everywhere on the FOX Sports app)
- Full local coverage of Lions games in Detroit TV market
- Excellent coverage of UM and MSU sports
- Watch every college football rivalry game, including Ohio State vs. Michigan
- UFC coverage with the ESPN+ bundle
Cons
- Lacks Bally Sports Detroit
- I have had major issues ordering UFV PPV on Hulu lately
- No NFL or NCAAF in 4K
Read our Hulu + Live TV review.
Yes, you can watch Detroit Lions games on YouTube TV. I really enjoy YouTube TV for watching football, but be aware a Google account is required to sign up. YouTube TV has an impressive 4K package.
Pros
- Full local coverage for local Lions fans in Detroit
- ABC, ESPN, TNT in base package
- Excellent 4K upgrade
- Michigan State football
- Michigan football
Cons
- Google account required to sign up
- Lacks Bally Sports Detroit
- NFL Sunday Ticket is pricey
Read our full YouTube TV review.
Out-of-Market
If you don’t live in the Detroit area, you will be considered an out-of-market fan, and the best bet for watching Lions games, other than when they are on national TV as with Thanksgiving, will be NFL Sunday Ticket. If you’re in the market for watching the Lions out-of-market, as I am, there is good news. Gone is the old satellite rule that fans hated so much, and Sunday Ticket is now a streaming only package.
YouTube TV is the exclusive home of NFL Sunday Ticket, which means if you want to tune in to Lions games out-of-state, you’ll have to shell out $349.
The Lions will win Super Bowl LVIII
I am from Detroit, and have been a long-time Lions fan. As a Lions fan, I know the Lions are one of a handful of teams that have never appeared in a Super Bowl. I think the draught ends this season. Not only am I predicting the Lions to win the NFC North, I am expecting the Honolulu Blue and Silver to appear in, and win, Super Bowl LVIII. The caveat is the Lions will need to follow Aidan Hutchinson’s advice to stay humble, and maintain the underdog role.
FAQ
The old Fox Sports Detroit is now called Bally Sports Detroit, and you cannot watch NFL games on the channel. Neither FOX Sports Detroit nor Bally Sports Detroit has the TV rights to air NFL games. However, you can watch in-market broadcasts for the Tigers, Pistons, and Red Wings on Bally Sports Detroit.
For local Lions fans in Wayne, Macomb, Oakland, and Washtenaw Counties, NFL+ is by far the best option for watching Lions games. NFL+ offers full coverage of the Lions season on mobile and tablet all the way through Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.
If you are in-market for the game, or if the Lions are on national TV, you can watch the game for free by signing up for a live TV streaming service in a free trial. See our live TV streaming services page for the latest free trials.
It’s not easy to watch the Lions, or any other NFL team, in 4K. The NFL has lagged behind college football with the availability of games available in ultra high definition 4K. If the Lions make the NFL playoffs this season, the games can be streamed in 4K on the FOX Sports app, Fubo Elite, and with YouTube TV’s 4K Plus add-on.