Top Best TV For Watching Football (2022 Buying Guide)

Picking the best TV for watching football can help you enjoy the game without having to deal with sluggish players breaking a tackle and a seamless, flowing picture every time. The image quality, the resolution, and the response time were the primary criteria of our analysis. We also looked at the intricacies of designing a remote and the various smart features it may have, such as the ability to use voice commands to play your favorite shows and movies from Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.

Consider switching to a newer TV if you still use an older model this NFL season. Newer TVs, especially those with 4K or 8K resolution and cutting-edge OLED technology, can vastly improve the experience of watching a game. You can get the immersive experience of being at the game on some TVs with object-tracking sound.

Before diving into the action, you should familiarize yourself with the various TV options for watching football. 

What’s the Difference between QLED vs. OLED?

If you’re in the market for a new TV, educating yourself on the many screen options, especially QLED and OLED is in your best interest.

“QLED is a kind of liquid-crystal display (LCD) that increases color saturation by combining an LED backlight and a sophisticated color conversion technology called ‘Quantum Dots,'” writes Couling. “LCDs use a transparent screen that does not emit their light. On the other hand, these displays come with a backlight, typically an array of LEDs used to illuminate the panel’s individual pixels. Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) “can illuminate each pixel on an individual level, eliminating the need for a backlight,” says Couling.

There are merits to using any of these technologies, and they’ve all advanced much over the past decade, especially when combined with others like high dynamic range (HDR). Ultimately, it’s up to the individual to decide what suits them best. “There is no absolute good or evil,” he insists.

What’s the Difference between Refresh vs. Frame Rate?

Knowing the difference between a TV’s refresh rate and frame rate is useful whether you’re a gamer, sports lover, or movie watcher.

What is meant by the term “refresh rate” is the frequency with which a screen refreshes the displayed image. Couling clarifies that this differs from frame rate, which describes how many individual images (frames) are showcased on the TV by the content. Simply put, the refresh rate of the TV needs to be in sync with the frame rate, but consumers should be reassured because modern displays handle this automatically.

He continues by saying that the “cinematic look and feel” of many films and TV shows is achieved through lower frame rates, which “is a deliberate choice by the creative… Recent TVs could display at frame rates of 24, and even 60, for some time.

A higher frame rate (around 60 fps) is typically used in sports games to improve visual smoothness.

This is a purely practical decision for realism, much like a quarterback passing to an open receiver. Additionally, as next-gen gaming consoles are released, support for greater frame rates (such as 120 fps) is becoming the norm in the gaming industry. With [them], players can instantly respond to on-screen events. In the arena of professional gaming, this is a massive development. If video gaming is your priority, you should search for this in your next TV buy.

What’s the Best Distance for Setting Up TVs?

The ideal viewing distance depends on the viewer’s personal preferences, scientific advice, and the content being viewed, according to Couling. He also notes that contrary to popular belief, a closer viewing distance is only sometimes necessary when using a 55-inch or larger TV.

The opposite is likely true, given that TV resolutions have improved. In general, pictures will lose detail if the distance between your sofa and TV is more than three times the vertical picture height of the distance between the top and bottom of your screen. Since human eyes can’t make out subtle differences between pixels at greater distances, 4K viewers “need to be even closer” (about 1.5 picture heights).

If you have a 65-inch TV, you should sit no closer than four feet from it, “but many individuals likely don’t sit this close, and others may not be in the market for a larger TV.”

He continues, “This is why an HDR-capable TV, or one that supports Dolby Vision, should be at the forefront of your mind when shopping for a new set. The greatest leaps in picture quality may be expected from these advancements. Viewers will be relieved to learn that HDR makes longer viewing distances acceptable because the human eye can see more color, greater brightness, and better contrast. HDR can even give the impression that an image has more detail. As a result, if you buy an HDR or Dolby Vision TV, you can rest assured that it will also support 4K because manufacturers typically sell them together.

The Best Way to Set Up Tv Speakers

If you want the best audio while watching TV, soundbars and home theater systems are what you need. Even if you don’t want to acquire a Dolby Atmos sound system or your TV already has it built-in, you can still get great sound quality by following these steps:

Today’s TVs typically have downward-firing speakers mounted behind the screen. If you hang your TV above a large table or entertainment center, the sound will reflect off the surface and spread throughout the room, making it feel more immersive.

You should either wall-mount your soundbar or set it up on the side of your TV stand. Instead of having the sound bounce off your TV, it will be reflected into the room.

Aid in sound absorption in big spaces. Couling suggests placing a rug on the floor, hanging artwork on the walls, or putting up curtains if your room is excessively echoing.

Best TV for Watching Football

We’ve compiled a list of the top best TVs for watching football in case you want to improve your home cinema in time for the Super Bowl. Football fans can now watch their favorite teams on a large screen with crystal clear details and no blurring thanks to the widespread adoption of 4K quality (four times the resolution of 1080 HD) broadcasts by several cable networks.

To keep up with the action in fast-paced games, we advise using a screen size of at least 55 inches (additional sizes are available) and a refresh rate between 60 Hz and 120 Hz. The high-dynamic range (HDR) is a feature of these TVs that expands the color palette, increases the contrast, darkens the shadows, and brightens the highlights, all of which contribute to a more realistic viewing experience.

1. Sony XBR-65x900FTV for Watching Football

Watching football game in a bright atmosphere won’t be a problem with this TV’s magnificent 4K HDTV and X1 Extreme Processor.

Pros: 

• X1 Extreme Processor for stunning color contrast 
• Built-in Google Assistant for hands-free voice control 
• Supports HDR 10, Hybrid Log-Gamma, and Dolby Vision 

Cons:

• The TV’s Ethernet port is only 100MB in speed 
• Google ads are abundant during the TV setup process

The image quality on this TV is superb. The X1 Extreme Processor in the 4K HDR TV allows for the automatic upscaling of content to near 4K HDR resolution and provides enhanced contrast through real-time image processing making it the best tv for watching football. It has a native 120Hz refresh rate and uses X-Motion Clarity technology to keep things bright and clear even during fast-paced situations like football practices. If only there were more high-refresh-rate, high-definition TVs on the market.

This Android TV for watching football comes with Google Assistant, so users can use voice commands to play back media or manage smart home gadgets. The remote is just as user-friendly, including Google Play and Netflix shortcuts. It’s also convenient for families with many members to attach their gadgets thanks to the four HDMI connectors.

2. Samsung QN85A QLED

According to our research, the Samsung QN85A QLED is one of the best TV for watching football. It’s the next-to-best thing to Samsung’s flagship QN90A QLED and is part of the Neo QLED range. But the QN85A differs because it features an IPS-like panel with a wider field of view angle, so the picture doesn’t degrade if you’re watching the game from the sidelines. It can reach an impressively bright level, and when combined with its excellent reflection handling, it looks wonderful even in well-lit rooms without any glare.

PROS: 

• Extremely fast response time 
• Excellent clarity in motion 
• Compatibility with FreeSync and G-SYNC-compatible VRR

CONS:

• Low contrast causes dark scenes bloom

The most popular sports apps are among the many available on the user-friendly Tizen OS smart platform, so there’s no need for a separate streaming box to watch the big game. Lower-resolution content, such as that from cable boxes, is likewise upscaled without any visible difficulties. It has a good gray uniformity and response time, with some filthy screen effect in the middle.

3. TCL 6 Series 65-Inch TV for Football Fans

The QLED technology and nearly bezel-less display of this affordable TV make it ideal for football fans.

Pros: 

• Has a bezel-less screen 
• A high number of HDMI ports (four) 
• An easy-to-use remote and the presence of both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant are in-built.

Cons

• The TV speaker’s sound is muddy 
• The legs sitting wide apart might put some people off.

We were blown away by the clarity and color of the picture while testing this TV. QLED displays achieve far darker blacks and whites that are much more accurate, making them ideal for those with a keen eye for detail. The lack of apparent blue during fast motion is another benefit of a 120Hz refresh rate. This package is compatible with several High Dynamic Range (HDR) formats, including HDR10 and Dolby Vision HDR, which have significantly different color depths (68.7 billion for Dolby and 1.07 billion for HDR10) are therefore best suited for distinct uses.

Four HDMI inputs make this a fantastic choice for use in the living room. These make it possible to connect multiple devices simultaneously, such as a PlayStation 4, Blu-ray player, and Amazon Fire Stick. It’s one of the best TV for watching football, especially for seniors, because the remote is easy to use.

4. Samsung Q80T QLED TV

Direct Full Array technology and Quantum DOT technology make this the best TV for watching football, especially for those who watch games in bright rooms. Together, these technologies produce an even more expansive color palette (nearly a billion shades of color).

Pros

• Near bezel-less design blends into the wall 
• Stunning billion+ colors and beyond
• Minimalist and eye-catching Ambient Mode doubles as a picture frame

Cons

• The menu system is cumbersome
• Built-in speakers do not offer superior audio.

Its stunning display is our favorite aspect of this top-rated TV for football. More than a billion colors can be created with quantum dot technology. With its anti-reflective surface and Direct Full Array technology, which uses a succession of backlights to generate even stronger contrasts between blacks and whites, this TV is also ideal for bright spaces. This means a more vibrant picture, especially in well-lit settings. What a great method to catch all of your favorite games and shows.

Using its Ambient Mode, which incorporates a revolving screen saver and random bits of information, Samsung’s nearly bezel-less TV is transformed into a slightly moving frame. Even while it’s great for watching sports, it might also be used as an exercise monitor in a doctor’s office or a gym.

5. LG CX OLED TV

With its crystal-clear OLED display and NVIDIA G-SYNC/FreeSync technology for increased refresh rates, makes it the best TV for watching football and is also a great option for gamers.

Pros

• Features an Nvidia G-Sync and FreeSync display
• An easy-to-navigate webOS interface 
• Minimalist design with a low bezel

Cons

• Extreme use may cause burn-in (the temporary retention of images).
• Remote is complicated

The TV’s GEN 3 AI processor is our favorite part since it produces such stunningly lifelike graphics. It also supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision and helps upscale 1080p content to 4K. Both NVIDIA’s G-SYNC and FreeSync technologies allow for smooth, blur-free gameplay even during intense action sequences. The 120 Hz refresh rate really makes it shine, and the gameplay is spot on.

The WebOS user interface makes it simple to browse through available content and select the appropriate option for viewing, is yet another outstanding feature of this top-tier sports TV. Because of its four HDMI inputs, this TV is a fantastic option for use in a home theater or living room. It is one of the greatest smart TVs for watching football.

6. LG UP8000 

Football fans who prefer a large screens, go no further than the LG UP8000. It is the best TV for watching football for fans on a budget. A broad viewing angle is provided by the IPS-type screen found in most models, making it the best for watching football game with a large group of friends or family. The performance of the 50, 60, and 70-inch models is different due to the usage of a panel type with a worse viewing angle.

PROS

• Minimal delay between user input and the effect.
• Fast responses, in general.
• There is an automatic low latency mode available.

CONS

• Inadequate contrast.
• There is no local dimming.
• There isn’t any help for a customizable refresh rate.

It is available with LG’s Magic Remote, that has a point-and-press capability, making it even simpler to play your favorite apps in a matter of seconds thanks to the intuitive UI. Because of its fast response time and motion interpolation function, it is capable of processing fast-paced content with ease. The 120Hz flickering of the backlight, however, makes 60 fps footage look duplicated. It has no issue upscaling content with a lower resolution, such as those seen in cable boxes.

7. LG C2 OLED

In a dark room, the LG C2 OLED is the greatest TV we’ve reviewed. Using an OLED screen on a television has several benefits for watching football events. Since each pixel can activate and deactivate on its own, the contrast ratio is practically limitless, making it ideal for use in a completely dark environment. The viewing angle is broad since light from each pixel is emitted in all directions. If you have a big group of friends over to watch the game with you, you won’t have to worry about anyone’s vision being distorted.

PROS

• Almost unlimited contrast for totally dark scenes.
• Support for a large color range in high dynamic range media.
• Excellent HDR peak brightness.

CONS

• Lacks DTS passthrough support
• Fast response time causes significant stutter 
• Colors aren’t as vivid as pure white.

OLEDs feature an almost instantaneous response time and a wide viewing angle, making it possible to see every detail of fast-moving players and balls with very little blur trail. It has an optional black frame inserter that lessens motion blur and a backlight that doesn’t flicker, both of which are good for your eyes making it the best tv for watching football even for long hours. As an added bonus, the 120Hz screen supports VRR (variable refresh rate) and offers HDMI 2.1 capacity if you’re after high-frame-rate gaming.

Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best TV for Watching Football

Viewing Angle

Since most people watch football games with friends or family, your TV needs to have a broad viewing angle if you want to attract a large crowd. The viewing angle is less crucial if you’re watching the game alone or with a small group of people in front of the TV.

When the viewing angle is increased, the picture quality remains constant (brightness, colors, contrast) regardless of the viewer’s distance from the screen. If you look at your TV from dead center, it doesn’t matter how good the viewing angle is.

OLED TVs feature the widest viewing angles, typically 70 degrees from dead center (where you are looking at the screen). Most viewing angles on an OLED TV will not cause any noticeable shift in color or brightness.

LCDs, including QLED TVs, typically have a viewing angle of 20 degrees to 40 degrees off-center, with the center referring to the viewer’s position relative to the screen. Blacks and colors become more washed out, and brightness decreases as you move away from the center, starting at smaller angles (10-20 degrees).

Due to the backlight being projected via the LCD, the viewing angle is rather restricted. The light is more noticeable from specific angles, like how a bedroom light looks from the street.

An OLED TV, which does not have a backlight, maybe the best option if you want to watch from various positions.

TV Size

If you’re going to be watching a football game from a distance with a bunch of people, a larger TV is a need. A 65-inch screen or greater is what you need. A bigger screen will make you feel like you’re actually at the game because you can see more of the action and the participants.

A smaller TV will suffice if you cannot sit further from the TV, such as in a cramped living room.

Motion Handling

A high refresh rate and fast response time are the two most crucial features to look for in the best TV for watching football. A TV’s ability to display motion depends on two factors: its response time and refresh rate.

In addition to making animations and other visual effects more fluid, a fast refresh rate also helps eliminate motion blur and ghosting in fast-paced scenes.

Response Time

How quickly a screen transition between colors is measured in terms of its response time. Typically, this is timed by alternating between white and black tiles. Milliseconds are used to determine the timing, with lower values being preferable.

Response time for OLED TVs is typically 0.2 milliseconds for 80% of color transition and 2-3 milliseconds for the remaining 20%. With a response time of 6 milliseconds or less, OLED TVs are among the greatest types of displays available.

A Samsung QLED TV’s response time is 3 to 6 milliseconds for 80% of its color transitions and 9 to 17 milliseconds for the other 20%.

Refresh Rate

The best tv for watching football should have the ability to repaint itself, measured in “refresh rates,” is an important feature of modern displays. One hertz (Hz) equals one cycle per second, making it the standard unit for expressing the frequency at which a collection is updated. Refresh rates are measured in hertz (Hz), with 60 Hz meaning the screen is updated 60 times per second. Refresh rates in the 144–240 Hz range or higher are acceptable.

Modern QLED and OLED displays have a refresh rate of at least 120 Hz, making them suitable for most uses, including football and video games.

Brightness

Buying the best TV for watching football that can tolerate higher brightness levels is important if you plan on watching sports outside or in a bright setting. If you watch TV in a well-lit room, the TV’s brightness is more important than in a darker area because it will have to fight with other light sources. Best TV for watching football have high brightness levels and are ideal for use in bright environments, such as a living or family room.

TVs with QLED or MicroLED displays are brighter than any others. The average brightness of a QLED TV is between 1,000 and 2,000 nits, with some models reaching up to 4,000 nits. Other televisions typically only go up to 1,000 nits of brightness.

If you’re unfamiliar with the term, a Nit is a unit of measurement for the amount of ambient light emitted by a television set. More Nits means that your TV can produce more light.

Light Bleed

The high peak brightness of some televisions can have a negative effect known as light bleed. Light bleed, also known as backlight bleed, is most obvious when watching at night or in dimly lit environments. You should look for the best TV for watching football that has less light bleed if you intend to place it in a dark room.

Color Accuracy

You need a monitor with great color accuracy to see the most accurate and lifelike colors possible on your screen. A more realistic color reproduction on a TV can make watching sports more of an experience.

The color accuracy and vibrancy of OLED and QLED displays are well-known to be exceptional, especially at broader viewing angles.

OLED TVs average between 80% and 85% in color volume and 95% in color gamut.

Samsung QLED TVs have a color volume of 73-90% and a color gamut of 84%.

Standard LED TVs’ color volume and color gamut are highly variable, with some being significantly lower than on QLED and OLED screens and others being slightly lower.

Color Gamut: The maximum number of colors that can be seen on the screen.

Color Volume: A TV’s range of colors at various brightness settings.

Sometimes, TVs would claim to have 100% color volume in their advertisements, even though they do not. Despite this, there is no discernible difference between high-end QLED TVs and OLED TVs in terms of color fidelity if adjusted properly.

HDR

High-dynamic-range (HDR) photography can further improve your image by increasing the contrast ratio and color gamut to create a more natural and lifelike picture. In order to get the most out of HDR, the sports you watch must be HDR-compatible.

When viewing content that supports high dynamic range (HDR), the picture will be clearer, have more accurate colors, and have greater contrast between lights and darks.

OLED screens are suggested for HDR because of their excellent contrast ratio and wide color spectrum. OLEDs’ great contrast ratio allows them to create stunning HDR scenes, even though HDR typically necessitates higher brightness levels. HDR content is best viewed in the evening, when ambient light levels are lower due to the reduced brightness levels.

Samsung QLED screens are suggested for HDR as they feature a high color volume, strong contrast ratio, and 1,000+ nits of brightness. Still, OLED TVs are superior because of their true black levels. Even though standard LED TVs can view HDR material, they are not advised to do so.

Resolution

Watching football on a 4K TV will provide the most immersive experience. To the extent that the information being displayed is also at the same resolution, a higher resolution will result in a sharper image. However, upscaling features found on some 4K TVs can improve the quality of the lower-resolution video.

Currently, the most common resolution is 4K. Although 8K is the greatest resolution currently available, the vast majority of material only supports 4K, so there’s no need to upgrade.

Black Levels

It is less important to have true black levels when watching football and more important when viewing movies. By rendering dark areas black rather than gray, true blacks improve the realism of an image. Testing a TV’s ability to manage contrast between bright and dark areas by ensuring it has good black levels is a good first step. True blacks aren’t necessary for watching football because the action is usually so bright, but higher contrast levels make for a more engaging viewing experience.

Space sequences, dark interior views, and closing credits in movies and other media all suffer when black levels aren’t properly adjusted. A grayish tone pervades the blacks. The haziness between the two extremes may result from poor contrast (bright and dark in the same scene).

Viewing your TV during the day or in a bright room will diminish your ability to appreciate the deep, rich tones made possible by good black levels. Low-light settings, such as a bedroom, living room, or movie theater, are ideal for appreciating the benefits of good black levels.

The black levels of OLED screens are unrivaled. OLED displays’ lack of an LCD backlight allows for deeper blacks than is possible with QLED or LED TVs. The black of QLED and LED televisions is grayer than true black.

How We Decided The Best Tv For Watching Football

We looked into response time and picture quality to find the best TV for watching football.

The resolution is crucial when shopping for the best TV for watching football. Display resolution is the total number of visible pixels. Detail is proportional to the square of the number of pixels. Start with 4K TVs with four times as many pixels as 1080p HDTVs. OLED, QLED, and 8K televisions are all good options if you want to upgrade. At the time of this writing, however, there needed to be more content optimized for this resolution.

The percentage of people who respond with “best TV for football” is crucial. Even the best TV for watching football under $1000 can do this. How many images can be processed in a second? If the value is higher, the image is smoother. Try to get a response time of at least 120 Hz. The occasional hint of blue will become more noticeable if it’s any lower.

The best TV for watching football also have Smart features and an easy-to-navigate user interface. To watch your favorite sports shows and live game coverage on your TV, you need a Smart TV with built-in WiFi so you can use apps like ESPN. Applause goes out to user interfaces with user-friendly menus and voice-controlled content access like Samsung’s SmartHub and the Roku TV platform.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the TV refresh rate best for watching football?

A 120Hz rate LED TV or higher is what we advise. It’s especially important to have a high number to see a rushing back plowing through a swarm of linebackers without any blur.

What is a better 120 or 60 refresh rate?

The 120Hz is a huge improvement. The refresh rate is a common metric for measuring the performance of OLED TVs, as it indicates how often the image is updated. To put it another way, a 120Hz refresh rate means that the best TV for watching football is updated 120 times per second. This produces a clearer and sharper image, ideal for viewing football.

Which is the most reliable TV brand?

Many well-known TV manufacturers have maintained their status as industry leaders for decades. The products from LG, Samsung, and Sony are our top picks. Numerous top-tier consumer magazines and websites routinely place these televisions near the top of their “best of” lists. Plus, they scored a perfect 100 on our test of the best tv for watching football. Similar acclaim is given to Vizio’s P Quantum Series.

Are curved TVs better?

It’s not necessary. In particular, when seated in the sweet spot in front of a curved TV, the viewing angle is greatly expanded. However, the viewing angle may be better for watching football, depending on where you sit. This isn’t a good sign for huge groups.