Forget the Super Bowl: Here’s How to Stream the Puppy Bowl From Anywhere

Not everyone cares about football. Although millions of people will tune into Super Bowl LVII, on TV or via streaming video services, truly cultured sports connoisseurs will want to watch the other big game taking place on February 12: the Puppy Bowl.

What Is the Puppy Bowl?

The Puppy Bowl(Opens in a new window) is the cutest counter-programming you’ll ever see. Broadcast the same day as the Super Bowl, the three-hour Puppy Bowl pits two teams of shelter and rescue dogs, Team Ruff and Team Fluff, against each other to fetch the ultimate doggy prize: the Lombarky Trophy. It’s like Air Bud, but designed to raise awareness about animal adoption.

How Can I Watch the Puppy Bowl?

Puppy Bowl XIX kicks off on February 12 with a 1 p.m. ET preshow. The preshow, of course, features furry hosts. The big game then begins at 2 p.m. ET. Familiar referees and commentators will return, but no word yet on any famous human hosts or coaches, such as Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg from last year.

You can watch the Puppy Bowl via traditional TV through cable or a live TV service. This year the show will simulcast across Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, and TBS. You can also stream the event as it airs via Discovery+ (starting at $4.99 per month) or HBO Max (starting at $9.99 per month). Discovery+ doesn’t work with VPNs, so international fans of American dog football may be out of luck. However, we’ve had some success streaming HBO Max over a VPN in prior testing.

Fortunately, Discovery+ is a worthy subscription service with more than just animals playing sports. From cooking competitions to unbelievably dramatic reality shows, it delivers the sublime trashiness that the streaming service ecosystem desperately needs.

Beyond The Puppy Bowl  

Excited for the Puppy Bowl? Bark off in the comments. For more on football, check out How to Stream the Super Bowl, Turn On Motion Smoothing for the Super Bowl (Then Turn It Off), and The Best NFL Streaming Services. For more on dogs, point your browser toward the best dog DNA testing kits.