NFL playoffs, Super Bowl to be streamed online

By Mark Milian, CNN
updated 7:22 PM EST, Tue December 20, 2011

For the first time ever the Super Bowl, along with some postseason NFL games, will be streamed online and through the league's mobile apps, the NFL and partner Verizon Wireless announced Tuesday.

The upcoming wild card games, the Pro Bowl and the Super Bowl -- TV's most-watched annual event -- will be streamed for free to computers on NFL.com and NBCSports.com.

NBC's live stream will run different ads from those on TV, but Super Bowl viewers will be able to pull up the TV commercials on demand through the website shortly after they air, an NBC Sports spokesman said.

On phones and tablets, Verizon is the only cellular carrier that offers NFL games through an exclusive deal.

Verizon smartphones with a high-speed 4G LTE data plan can stream the games through the NFL Mobile app for free, a spokeswoman for the carrier said. Mobile devices with 3G service, such as the iPhone, iPad or older smartphones, require a $10-per-month Verizon Video subscription, she said.

The NFL does not stream most games for free during the regular season. NBC began streaming Sunday Night Football games through its sports website three years ago. NBC announced last week that it had extended its contract with the NFL through 2022.

The playoffs start on January 7. The Super Bowl will be played on February 5 in Indianapolis.