As football fans, we’ve all been there. There’s the big game that you’ve been waiting for all season and life interrupts — a business trip, a neighborhood potluck, one of your kids was born inconveniently on the same day however many years ago and you’re celebrating. It puts us in a precarious position of choosing between our love for the game and something seemingly more important. But to us, the game is important, and the question quickly becomes: How can we stay on top of the season while also appearing to function like a responsible human being?
Well, we’re here to help.
Stay Connected On The DL
Let’s say you’re at a wedding or a school play, and you don’t want to be the guy staring at his phone. Smartwatches are the incognito solution that transfer all those app functions to your wrist. In the past, the main aversion to smartwatches has been the clunky and robotic design that has often sacrificed fashion for technology, but in the recent line from Fossil, both coexist.
The Fossil Q Touchscreen Smartwatch is the company’s latest release into the market. Offered in a variety of colors, designs, and interchangeable wristbands, Fossil has certainly pushed the envelope forward for fashionable technology without sacrificing either the fashion or the technology. Keep track of play-by-play updates from your favorite team by simply programming the app(s) of preference into the watch. Using Bluetooth technology and a handsome touchscreen, your watch will wirelessly sync with that app so you never miss a game, inning, or play. The watch will also notify you when texts or emails come through, which means you won’t miss out on your friends’ game-day thoughts and commentary. With Android Wear 2.0 right out of the box, the Fossil Q Touchscreen Smartwatch is compatible with both iPhones and Android devices and comes with a generous 4GB of storage.
While you can’t watch live games on any watch on the market (yet), you can stay updated from the comfort of your wrist. So even if there are a number of “more important” things going on during game day, you can stay current on the season and look good while doing it.
Stream Live and On The Go
In a situation that requires your presence, but maybe not 100% of your attention at every moment? Say a little-league ball game, a non-football viewing barbeque (yes they exist), or some social function where you can check out for a bit and not be judged. Or maybe you’re just out of town and want to unwind alone at the hotel after working the entire day. For these situations, there are plenty of options to stream the game live on a laptop, tablet, or phone in the relative privacy of wherever you might be. NFL broadcasting rights are some of the most complicated in sports, so it may take a bit of mixing-and-matching to get the right formula that fits your needs, but rest assured you can still get the same at-home programming while on the road.
And remember, a smart watch is a good tool to use if you can’t stream on demand but you’re away from home. The Fossil Q Touchscreen Smartwatch will send you notifications for big plays and calendar alerts for important games, so you can pop in to a bar at a moment’s notice. It even allows you to monitor different timezones, so you know exactly when the game is on even if you’re away from home.
NFL Sunday Ticket
Often called the “Holy Grail” of football programming, DirecTV’s NFL Sunday Ticket broadcasts every out-of-market Sunday afternoon game for subscribers on all streaming devices — a perfect solution for those traveling for a family vacation, business trip, or any other reason that might take them to a location outside of their team’s network. NFL Sunday Ticket brings all the action to laptops, tablet, and smartphones, so you can catch just about every game on a Sunday no matter where you are. The only catch is that Sunday Ticket is only eligible for those living in a multi-unit residence and in an area outside of a satellite TV provider. It also carries a hefty $280 price tag ($70 per month) for the season, but for the die-hard fan that fits the demographic, it’s worth it.
Network Providers
WatchESPN, NBC Sports Extra Live, and Fox Sports Go all stream games live when they are the broadcaster for the game of the day, and each offers plenty of post-game programming. And CBS All-Access allows users to access live-streams without a subscription to a major cable provider. For $6 a month, subscribers can gain live-access to the Sunday and Thursday night games put on by CBS, and watch them on computers, tablets, and other streaming devices.
Just Get The Stats
There are a number of situations where sneaking away to catch a live stream is easy to pull off, but if your presence and attention is expected, (such as hosting that inconvenient birthday party we mentioned earlier), then a solid football app will keep you right in the game with live updates from your phone. Broadcasts are split between CBS, ESPN, FOX, NBC and the NFL Network, and each network has their own app that report on scores, injuries, and some form of play-by-play. Users can filter results by sport or team, and also use push notifications for specific game occurrences (game start, quarter start, score change, etc.).
Two other well-used apps are from Bleacher Report and Yahoo Sports, both of which can also be modified to focus on different sports and report on the specific game highlights you prefer. For fantasy football fans, almost all the apps are customizable to report crucial stats and news that might affect your fantasy standing.
The Fossil Q Touchscreen Smartwatch is your go-to watch for any time you need to stay connected with timely updates. It’ll come in handy whenever you need play-by-play updates.
Nick Wong is a freelance writer and photographer exploring the world through sports and combat. His work has appeared in Gawker, Complex Magazine and Vice Media. He can be reached at nickwong84@gmail.com or visit his work here.
This post is a sponsored collaboration between Fossil and Studio@Gizmodo.