56% of American NFL fans will use a non-cable service to watch football this weekend This is according to a survey we conducted with real-time polling provider OnePulse

Most respondents said they will watch live NFL streams from over-the-top (OTT) streaming sites, with fuboTV, Sling TV, Hulu, and YouTube TV growing in popularity

For a long time, there was no alternative to the long and expensive contracts offered by Xfinity, Spectrum, AT&T, and others, and watching live broadcasts of various sports was a pleasure only for those lucky enough to have a fixed line to their homes

In the last few years or so, however, it has become possible not only to cut the cord but also to access a vast array of networks and channels

Cable providers have kept up with the times to some extent by offering online streaming capabilities, but customers are still locked into multi-year contracts And anyone who has ever tried to change providers after the contract period has ended knows how cumbersome the process can be

Cable packages are also often offered as package deals If you need a new phone plan, a Wi-Fi provider, a landline provider and a TV connection, the package offers reasonable value However, many of us take advantage of phone contracts and seasonal promotions to reduce the cost of these services separately

With a streaming provider, you can combine a wealth of channels comparable to traditional cable TV with the flexibility of a month-to-month plan one-month vacation and no TV subscription? Just cancel it and subscribe again when you return

Device support is another big draw If you are a Roku or Fire Stick user or simply rely on smart TV software, chances are good that your OTT provider has a dedicated app Cable providers are slowly catching up, but usually require you to download a specific network's app rather than browse all channels from within one app

Cable still has some advantages As noted above, package deals may be appropriate if you want to pay for phone, TV, and Wi-Fi all at once Also, long-term cable customers may not trust OTT services and may not fully appreciate the variety of services that cable is known for

And there is a side truth to that For example, NFL fans can watch all games with fuboTV, but cannot watch CBS on rival Sling TV Paramount Plus can top that up, but for avid cable TV fans, the comprehensive channel selection is a relief

If you're on the fence, it's worth looking at this guide on how to cut the cord You'll find all the steps you need to take to do so, how to decide what you really need from your subscription, and which providers offer the best channel packages for you

We asked a small group of 1,000 people how they planned to watch the NFL this weekend

Cable still had the largest single cross-section of viewers at 277% However, users of Sling, Hulu YouTube TV, Paramount Plus, Peacock, NFL Game Pass, and "other streaming services" far outnumbered cable viewers with a combined 442%

A minority of users said they use HD antennas, and a few said they use VPN services to access international broadcasts

The remaining survey respondents indicated that they do not watch the NFL