How to watch the Puppy Bowl and Kitten Bowl if football isn't your thing
One of the biggest sports months of the year is almost here, and you know what that means:
It's time for the Puppy Bowl and the Kitten Bowl!
Cat people and dog people alike can come together to appreciate fur babies of all kinds — as well as the world record of most animal puns used in a single hour, probably — thanks to Animal Planet and the Hallmark channel's super cute programming that's meant to be an antidote to the Super Bowl on Feb. 3. And while cable still dominates when it comes to the big game, streaming is where it’s at for the pupperinos and kitty quarterbacks.
If you don't have cable or even a TV, don't worry — we dug around to find the streaming services that offer Animal Planet, Hallmark Channel, or both. Just sign up for a free trial, soak in the cuteness, and cancel before you're charged. It's the purrfect plan.
(The human football game is on CBS at 6:30 pm EST/5:30 pm CT, so for those of you who want to multitask, we'll let you know which streaming sites offer that as well.)
The time to start planning your viewing party is now: So send your Facebook invites, find the perfect buffalo chicken dip recipe for your Instant Pot, and get your pets in on the action with gear from Bark Box, Super Chewer, and meowbox. And if you're curious about who will be competing this year, take a peek at these super adorable photos of the starting lineup.
How to watch the Puppy Bowl:
Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl is the OG pet bowl, celebrating its 19th birthday this year. It'll air on Sunday, Feb. 3 starting at 3:00 pm EST/2:00 pm CT. After the pre-show tail-gate (pun intended), enjoy a rousing match between 36 shelter pups and a Kitty Halftime Show. (If you're in the market to adopt, Animal Planet suggests Petfinder to help you find your new best friend.)
Here are the streaming services that offer Animal Planet so you can stream Puppy Bowl XV:
Hulu + Live TV — If you already have Hulu, this is a great time to test out their live TV option. After the seven-day free trial, a subscription goes for $39.99/month (which takes your non-live Hulu subscription into account). You'll get access to over 50 channels including ABC, Cartoon Network, TLC, and CBS for the other football game.
Philo — An awesome budget pick, Philo offers a seven-day free trial (or a two-day free trial without even entering credit card info). After that, a subscription goes for $16/month with access to 44 channels including Comedy Central, Game Show Network, and Discovery.
DirecTV NOW — Get the most out of a free trial with DirecTV NOW. Aside from Animal Planet, the lowest tier will get you access to over 65 channels including FX, Food Network, and CBS for the human football game. After your seven-day trial, a subscription goes for $40/month.
Animal Planet Live — If you don't trust yourself to remember to cancel a trial before you're charged, you can stream the Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet's site for free — all you need is a TV or internet provider login like Comcast Xfinity or Optimum.
How to watch the Kitten Bowl:
Instagram's favorite cat foster mom Beth Stern hosts Hallmark Channel's sixth annual Kitten Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 3 at 2:00 pm EST/1:00 pm CT. The show will also spotlight a few Kitten Bowl adoption parties, which is fitting because all of the (c)athletes were provided by North Shore Animal League, the world's largest no-kill shelter and adoption organization. (Go here to see all of Animal League's cats in need of a forever home.) If you're really feeling the feline content, the Cat Bowl premieres the night before at 10 pm EST/9 pm CT.
Here are the streaming services that offer Hallmark Channel to stream Kitten Bowl VI:
Sling TV — One of our favorite streaming services, Sling TV is a super customizable budget option that offers a seven-day free trial. Sling Orange or Sling Blue subscriptions both offer 30-ish channels for $25/month, and to get Hallmark Channel, just choose the $5 Lifestyle add-on.
Philo — This clutch option has Hallmark Channel as well as Animal Planet, so you can switch between the Puppy Bowl and Kitten Bowl if you want. After your seven-day free trial, a subscription is $16/month with access to 44 channels including Comedy Central, Game Show Network, and Discovery.
DirecTV NOW — Another option with both Animal Planet and Hallmark Channel for both bowls, DirecTV NOW has a robust channel selection. The "Live a Little" lowest tier will get you access to over 65 channels including FX, Food Network, and CBS for the human football game. After your seven-day trial, a subscription goes for $40/month.
FuboTV — For true fans of sports of all kinds, a FuboTV trial will get you access to over 100 channels including the Hallmark Channel, CBS for the human football game, plus tons of other sports channels like the Big Ten Network, Bein Sports, MSG, and more. Once your free week is up, a subscription is $44.99/month — so don't forget to cancel this one if you're really looking to stay on a budget.
Hallmark Channel Everywhere — If you don't trust yourself to remember to cancel a trial before you're charged, you can stream the Kitten Bowl on the Hallmark Channel site for free — all you need is a TV or internet provider login like Comcast Xfinity or Optimum.
How to watch that football game that shall not be named:
It's clear that the puppies and kittens are the main events here, but Tom Brady and Jared Goff will also be hanging out or whatever, so if you're looking for something to fill the time during commercials or while the fur babies are taking a break, then there's also some actual football.
CBS is the official channel, and these options below can help you out:
CBS All-Access — Isn't it lucky that the big game channel has its own streaming service? Catch the game live plus other CBS originals like Star Trek Discovery and The Big Bang Theory. After your free week, subscriptions start at $5.99/month.
FuboTV — The obvious one for sports fans, FuboTV offers CBS as well as 100 other niche sport channels like Big Ten Network, MSG, and more. Once your free week is up, a subscription is $44.99/month.
DirecTV NOW — For CBS plus a wider selection of non-sports channels, DirecTV NOW's cheapest option offers 40 channels including FX, AMC, and Comedy Central. After your free week, a subscription is $40/month.
Hulu +Live TV — Already have Hulu? Upgrade your subscription to Hulu's live TV service and steam Hulu originals plus live channels like CBS, FX, HGTV, and more. After your free week, a subscription is $39.99/month (including your non-live plan).
Leah Stodart is a Philadelphia-based Senior Shopping Reporter at Mashable where she covers and tests essential home tech like vacuums and TVs, plus eco-friendly hacks. Her ever-evolving experience in these categories comes in clutch when making recommendations on how to spend your money during shopping holidays like Black Friday, which Leah has been covering for Mashable since 2017.
