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In celebration of the upcoming NFL and NCAA Football seasons, Paramount+ annual subscriptions are available for 50% off. Available until September 23, the deal includes both Paramount+ Essential and Paramount+ with Showtime tiers. This offer drops the price of Paramount+ Essential to only $30/year (normally $60) and Paramount+ with Showtime to $60 (normally $120). New and returning subscribers are eligible for the deal, and new subscribers also get their first week free.
Let’s break down the differences between the two tiers to help you decide which one is right for your sports streaming interests.
If you’re mainly subscribing for NFL games, Paramount+ Essential makes the most sense. All NFL games aired on CBS are also streamable on Paramount+ Essential. For the 2024-25 NFL season, CBS is slated to broadcast over 100 regular season games. If you’ve cut the cord and are looking for an affordable way to watch football on Sundays this fall, Paramount+ Essential for $30/year ($2.50/month) is a solid option. For more details about the NFL on CBS schedule, check out the official website.
Paramount locks some sports content behind the Showtime tier, including some marquee Big Ten Conference football matchups this fall and March Madness next spring. This tier also includes PGA Tour events such as The Masters and The PGA Championship, NCAA Men’s Basketball regular season games, National Women’s Soccer League games, and MMA fights. That’s a lot of sports content for $5/month. Big Ten football games will also be broadcast on NBC (Peacock) and FOX, so just be aware that you won’t get all of the action with a Paramount+ subscription.
Both plans have limited ads when watching live TV. Where they differ in this regard is with the catalog of thousands of TV episodes and shows. You can stream uninterrupted with Paramount+ with Showtime, whereas most content has limited ads with the Essential tier.
If you’re a Star Trek fan, both tiers include Paramount’s ample lineup of Star Trek shows, the animated series Lower Decks, Discovery, Picard, Strange New Worlds, Enterprise, The Original Series, The Next Generation, and more. Naturally, Showtime’s original content is exclusive to the pricier tier. This is where you’ll find shows like Dexter, Shameless, and Twin Peaks.
Paramount+ with Showtime
$60 ($120) for one-year membership
Thousands of TV episodes and movies (no ads)Live sports (with commercials): NFLBig Ten NCAA Football (select games)NCAA Men’s BasketballUEFA Champions LeaguePGA TourMMANational Women’s Soccer League24/7 live news on CBS NewsShowtime originals and moviesLocal CBS stationAdditional live sports (The Masters and NWSL)Option to download shows to watch laterNo ads except on live TV and select shows
Paramount+ Essential
$30 ($60) for one-year membership
Thousands of TV episodes and movies (limited ads)24/7 live news on CBS NewsLive sports (with commercials): NFLUEFA Champions League
Keep in mind that your annual subscription will automatically renew, so if you’re not interested in staying subscribed at full price, you’ll want to cancel your membership before your renewal date next year.
It’s worth emphasizing that neither Paramount+ tier has a comprehensive slate of coverage for the NFL or NCAA Division I Football, as games across both leagues air on a wide variety of channels, including ESPN, FOX, ABC, NBC, and dedicated networks for collegiate conferences.
For a more comprehensive service and replacement for cable, you’ll want to check out live TV streaming services like Hulu + Live TV, Sling, and DirecTV. All three are great choices for football fans as they provide wide range of channels, so be sure to take a look at the schedules of the teams you want to watch and the networks airing their games to see if it makes sense to supplement Paramount+ with another service.
For big sports fans, Fubo is a particularly great option, as it’s designed specifically with sports in mind and features a wealth of in-depth sports content to watch beyond just games.
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