Feds kill 16 sports streaming sites, but you can still watch Super Bowl XLVI online (legally)

With the Super Bowl just days away, federal authorities in New York shut down 16 websites that illegally stream sports content, reports the Associated Press. A man from Comstock Park, Michigan, Yonjo Quiroa, has been charged with copyright infringement for operating nine of the sites taken offline in the crackdown.

The AP also notes that Tom Brady, star quarterback of the New England Patriots, who will be taking on the New York Giants on Sunday, watched last year’s big game on an illegal streaming site, while vacationing in South America.

“Last year I was rehabbing my foot in Costa Rica, watching the game on an illegal Super Bowl website,” said Brady. “And now I’m actually playing in the game. So, it’s pretty cool.”

Fortunately, illegal streaming sites are no longer the only place to stream Super Bowl XLVI online. For the first time ever, NBC will stream the entire game for free on NBCSports.com, starting at 2pm Sunday. (The game starts at 6:30pm ET.) The NFL will also host an official live stream of the game on NFL.com.  

Verizon mobile customers can also download the NFL Mobile app, which gives users with 4G LTE devices the ability to watch live games for free. Users who have 3G devices (which includes all iPhone users, just FYI) have to pay $3 a day, or $10 a month, to access the streaming feature, which is super lame. Adding to the general suckitude of NFL Mobile, Verizon says in the app’s licensing agreement that it will “periodically check your location to enforce NFL blackout of games.” Also, the app will be disabled for anyone who’s actually in the stadium watching the game.

Ed. note: Dear NFL; Infuriating, restrictive tactics like this make people want to pirate your content. Please stop.

If you’d rather simply listen to the game, download the Pro Football Radio Live app, which provides a radio broadcast. (Only available for iOS — sorry everybody else).

A wide variety of apps also include additional Super Bowl content, like news, stats, scores and others features. Here’s a quick run-down of what’s out there:

Giants Mobile (iOS, Android): All things Giants-related, including scores, photos, on-demand video, and Twitter feeds.

New England Patriots 2011 (iPad, Android, BlackBerry): Similar to the Giants app, but for Patriot fans.

ESPN ScoreCenter (iOS, Android, WP7): Stats, scores, news, and live play-by-play analysis.

A+ Superbowl Commercials (iOS): Just the Super Bowl commercials, as well as commercials that ran during past games.

[Image via NFL.com]

This article was originally posted on Digital Trends

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