Part of the appeal of streaming services is the features available to football fans in their viewing experience. On cable television, audiences must play a singular game. From there, they go through individual play in chronological order.
Of course, DVR opens the doors for rewinding, but other bells and whistles are not common.
That’s where streaming thrives. For one thing, the cost is lower than most cable or satellite packages. In addition, the broadcast simply has more features to make the football experience more enjoyable for the fan.
This doesn’t just apply to cable replacements. fuboTV, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, and more all have these features. Individual platforms like ESPN+, Paramount+ and Peacock have options to suit the content. In a perfect world, all streaming services would have the best features.
Unfortunately, we do not live in a perfect world. Soccer fans must subscribe to a variety of services to watch the top leagues. ESPN+ has LaLiga, FA Cup, League Cup and the Bundesliga. Paramount+ has Serie A and the Champions League. Peacock has nearly half of all Premier League games. beIN SPORTS leads Ligue Un. Clearly, it’s a maze.
Each has its advantages, and each has its drawbacks. Here are some of the best features for football fans available on these streaming services.
Best streaming features for football fans
Multicast (ESPN+) or Multiview (fuboTV)
Part of the challenge of watching soccer is the need to focus on multiple games at once. While recordings are certainly an option, social media ensures that football fans watch matches live at the risk of spoiling the results.
ESPN+ and fuboTV have features that allow you to watch multiple games at once. In fact, in both features, users have the ability to watch up to four games on one screen at the same time. On major weekends the benefits of this are clear.
Also, it doesn’t have to be just football. Any event on fuboTV or ESPN+ can be streamed on screen along with the beautiful game.
The only catch is that ESPN+ Multicast and fuboTV Multiview are only available on Apple TV. If you’re just using a desktop, laptop, phone, or tablet, there’s no option for multicast. The benefit of needing a large screen makes sense, as putting four different games on a six-inch screen would be overwhelming.
However, for television, multiple games at once are almost essential for football weekends.
Multiple languages (Paramount+)
Paramount+ tops Series A coverage. Every game is available on the service and there is a strong group in charge of studio coverage. However, in terms of in-game commentary, one of the best parts of CBS’s coverage of the Italian top flight is the choice of languages.
Viewers have the option to listen to the Italian broadcasts of the Serie A matches, which really conveys the emotion of what each match means. Of course, not all viewers can necessarily understand the Italian comment. However, watching Italian football in Italian adds to the overall experience. Also, if there ever is a desire to watch in English, that option exists.
Key plays (peacock)
Anecdotally, some of us get up early to watch the Premier League. While that’s earlier for some than others, Americans are losing sleep over Europe’s most competitive domestic league. So one of the best features available on streaming services comes from Peacock in its Key Plays feature.
By watching a game, viewers can easily catch up on key moments from earlier in the game. That could be a goal, a save, a penalty or just a shot that had the crowd on edge for a split second.
For those unwilling to wake up in the sun, it’s a must-have feature to use. Audiences may feel like they’ve seen all the important moments, without actually seeing all the minutes. In the fluid nature of football, where announcers rarely show replays, this is key for those who are late at the start of a match.
Other features
There are plenty of other options available when it comes to streaming. Paramount+ occasionally has The Golazo Show with UEFA coverage. However, you cannot choose the audio you want to listen to. Similarly, apps are picture-in-picture, which is a more basic version of this format.
The public might also enjoy using the statistics. fuboTV has statistics pages that are available called Fan View. This includes possession, shots, fouls, saves, saves and more that update as the game progresses.
Which of these features do you think is the best for streaming soccer in the US? And which streaming service has the best features in your opinion?
PHOTO: IMAGO / Panthermedia
