Why Bears Fans Are Dropping Cable

Cable TV packages that include sports networks now average over $100 per month before taxes and regional sports fees. For Bears fans who primarily want to watch football, that cost rarely makes sense — especially when the same games are available through cheaper streaming services or even a free antenna.

The NFL's current broadcast deals spread games across CBS, FOX, NBC, ABC/ESPN, NFL Network, and Amazon Prime Video. None of those require a cable subscription. This guide covers every realistic option in order from cheapest to most complete, so you can pick the setup that fits your situation and stop paying for 200 channels you never watch.

Option 1 — Free Over-the-Air with a Digital Antenna

The cheapest way to watch Bears games is with a digital TV antenna. Chicago's local CBS and FOX affiliates broadcast every home game and many road games in full 1080i HD — for free, permanently, after a one-time antenna purchase.

What you need

• Antenna cost: $25–$50 for a flat indoor antenna (Mohu Leaf, 1byone, and Antennas Direct are well-reviewed models). Amplified models work better in apartments or locations more than 30 miles from broadcast towers.
• Compatible TV: Any television with a built-in ATSC tuner, which covers most TVs made after 2007. Look for a coaxial (round, threaded) input on the back.
• Setup time: Under 10 minutes — plug the coax cable into the TV's antenna input, open settings, run a channel scan, and you're done.

Which Bears games air over the air in Chicago

CBS-2 Chicago and FOX-32 Chicago carry the majority of Bears regular season games. NBC-5 covers Sunday Night Football, which includes Bears primetime appearances. Games on ESPN, NFL Network, and Amazon Prime Video do not broadcast over the air. Confirm the channel for each specific game at nfl.com/schedules.

If you're outside the Chicago designated market area (DMA) or want complete coverage of all 17 games including cable-only broadcasts, you'll need one of the streaming options below in addition to or instead of an antenna.

Option 2 — Live TV Streaming Bundles

Live TV streaming services replace cable by delivering local and national channels over the internet. For Bears fans, you need a service that includes your local CBS and FOX affiliates, plus ESPN/ABC for Monday Night Football, NBC for Sunday Night Football, and ideally NFL Network for Thursday games and the flex schedule.

Top services compared

• YouTube TV ($72.99/mo): Carries all major broadcast networks including local CBS and FOX in Chicago, plus ESPN, ESPN2, NFL Network, and unlimited cloud DVR. No storage cap, consistently strong for live sports. Seven-day free trial available.
• Hulu + Live TV ($82.99/mo): Same core channel lineup as YouTube TV. Costs more but includes Disney+ and ESPN+ in the bundle — good value if your household watches those services. Also offers unlimited DVR.
• fuboTV (from $79.99/mo): Sports-first platform with every NFL broadcast channel. Strong if your household also watches international soccer, basketball, or motorsports. Generous DVR and a polished interface.
• DirecTV Stream (from $69.99/mo): Includes local channels on its base Entertainment tier; NFL Network requires the Choice tier ($99.99/mo). Interface is less modern but service is dependable. No annual contract required.
• Sling TV Orange + Blue ($55/mo): Most affordable bundle option. Includes ESPN and FOX but CBS local availability varies — confirm your Chicago ZIP code gets CBS-2 before subscribing, as Sling does not carry local CBS in all markets.

How to choose

Before subscribing to any service, enter your ZIP code on its channel-check page to confirm your local CBS and FOX affiliates are included. Most services offer a free trial of five to seven days — test stream quality during a preseason game or any live sports broadcast before committing to a month.

Option 3 — NFL+ for Mobile and Out-of-Market Access

NFL+ is the league's own streaming service and the only legal way to stream live out-of-market Bears games on a mobile device without a full live TV subscription. It is particularly useful for Bears fans who travel frequently or have relocated outside Chicago.

NFL+ plan breakdown

• NFL+ Basic ($6.99/mo or $49.99/yr): Streams local and primetime games live on phones and tablets. Includes NFL Network and NFL RedZone on mobile. Full-game replays available on any device after games end. Does not stream live games on television.
• NFL+ Premium ($13.99/mo or $99.99/yr): Adds full-game and condensed-game replays on TV devices, plus All-22 coaches film for every game — useful for fans who want tactical breakdowns of Bears offensive and defensive formations.

Important limitation: NFL+ Basic delivers local market games only on TV screens. If you're outside the Chicago area and want to watch a Bears game live on your television (not just on your phone), a live TV streaming bundle or NFL Sunday Ticket is required. NFL+ is best understood as a mobile companion, not a full cable replacement.

Subscribe at nfl.com/nflplus. The annual plan saves roughly $34 compared to monthly billing.

Understanding NFL Blackout Rules in 2026

The NFL suspended its traditional local blackout policy in 2015. Under the old rule, a home game could be blacked out in the local market if the stadium wasn't 85% sold out 72 hours before kickoff. That rule is no longer in effect. Bears home games at Soldier Field — or their planned new stadium — air in Chicago regardless of attendance.

The one blackout scenario that still applies: NFL Sunday Ticket blacks out games airing in your local market. If you're a Chicago subscriber to Sunday Ticket and a Bears game is on CBS or FOX this week, Sunday Ticket will not stream it — the league requires you to watch the local broadcast instead. That's not a bug; it's the broadcast rights structure. Switch to the local channel on your antenna or live TV service for those games.

A note on VPNs

Some viewers use a VPN to appear as if they're in a different city, hoping to access out-of-market streams. This approach technically violates most streaming services' terms of service and can result in account suspension. More reliable alternatives are NFL+ for mobile out-of-market access or NFL Sunday Ticket via YouTube TV for full live out-of-market coverage on TV devices.

Best Devices to Stream Bears Games

Any modern smart TV, streaming stick, or game console handles these services. The options below offer the best combination of price, reliability, and app support for NFL streaming.

• Roku (any current model): Supports YouTube TV, Hulu, fuboTV, DirecTV Stream, NFL+, and Amazon Prime Video (for Thursday Night Football). Simple interface, rare crashes, and the widest app compatibility. The Roku Express starts at $29.99.
• Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K ($49.99): Best choice if you already use Amazon Prime for Thursday Night Football. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max adds Wi-Fi 6E support for faster, more stable streaming on congested home networks.
• Apple TV 4K ($129): Lowest input lag and sharpest picture processing of any streaming device. Ideal for households in the Apple ecosystem. Supports every major streaming app including NFL+.
• Google Chromecast with Google TV ($49.99): Natural partner for YouTube TV. Simple setup, reliable 4K HDR output, and direct integration with Google's live TV guide.
• Smart TV built-in apps: Convenient for a main living room setup, but built-in app software often lags behind dedicated streaming hardware on updates and performance. A $30–$50 streaming stick typically delivers a smoother experience than a two-year-old built-in app on the same TV.

Choosing the Right Setup for Your Situation

The best combination depends on where you live and how much you want to spend each month. Here is a practical decision guide:

1. You live in Chicago and want the lowest cost: Buy a $30–$40 antenna. You'll receive every Bears game on CBS, FOX, and NBC in full HD for free. Add NFL+ Basic ($6.99/mo) for mobile access and NFL Network coverage. Total: under $10/month during the season.
2. You want every Bears game on your TV without hunting for channels: Subscribe to YouTube TV ($72.99/mo) and add NFL Sunday Ticket ($349/season, billed separately at the start of the year). This covers local games, all primetime games, and every out-of-market game in one interface.
3. You travel frequently and miss Bears games on the road: NFL+ Premium ($13.99/mo) streams local games live on your phone in whatever city you're in, plus full-game replays on any device. Pair with YouTube TV at home for complete TV coverage.
4. You want to keep ongoing monthly costs under $15: Antenna for local and Sunday night games plus NFL+ Basic ($6.99/mo). You'll miss Monday Night Football on ESPN/ABC and some Thursday Night Football games on Prime Video, but you'll catch approximately 12–14 of 17 regular season games.

A common approach among cord-cutters: use an antenna as the backbone and subscribe to one live TV streaming service during the NFL season (September through February), then cancel. Most services have no cancellation fee and let you resubscribe instantly when the next season starts.