By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man – @tvanswerman
TV Answer Man, I watched the NFL Sunday Ticket last week and I liked it but the Multiview kept giving me trouble. I couldn’t find it half the time and I couldn’t understand why some games are together and why the RedZone is in there and not in there sometimes. Can you explain how this things works? And why can’t we pick the games in Multiview? — Dante, Mobile.
Dante, you are not alone. The consensus is that YouTube had an impressive first week hosting the NFL Sunday Ticket, offering an impressive 1080p HD picture and few if any technical glitches. But many fans did express frustration over YouTube’s Multiview feature, which can display up to four games on one screen at the same time. They said they couldn’t always find the Multiview option and, when they did find it, they didn’t understand why they couldn’t decide which four games would be offered. Let’s see if we can clear up some of the confusion with our latest installment of, ‘You Have Questions, We Have Answers!’
Do You Need the NFL Sunday Ticket to Watch Multiview?
No, it’s available to Sunday Ticket subscribers and YouTube TV base plan subscribers.
Does YouTube Offer More than One Multiview?
Whether you have the NFL Sunday Ticket, or just a base YouTube TV package, there are multiple Multiview options. One Multiview might display four leading news channels (example: CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, BBC) while another would feature four sports channels. During the Ticket, there will be three or four games on the screen, perhaps combining with the NFL RedZone channel.
How Do You Find Multiview On NFL Sunday Ticket?
There are different options to find Multiview depending on whether you have YouTube TV or YouTube Primetime Channels. If you have YouTube Primetime, you can find Multiviews at the top of your Home tab’s “Recommended” banner; on the NFL channel page; by searching for “NFL Sunday Ticket”; or by watching an NFL game or Redzone and hitting “down” twice to bring up the Multiview options. If you have YouTube TV, you can find Multiviews at the top of your Home tab in the “Top picks for you” row; further down the Home tab in “Watch in Multiview” row; or by watching an NFL game or Redzone and hitting “down” to bring up Multiview options.
Can You Choose Which Games Will Be In Multiview?
No. Many fans have asked for the ability to pick the four games on one screen but YouTube only reiterates that it’s working on it. As of now, YouTube picks the games.
Is Multiview Available On All Devices? Mobile Devices?
Multiview is currently only available on streaming devices and smart TVs. It’s not available on mobile or web browsers. Multiview is currently only available on streaming devices and smart TVs. Smart TVs without Cobalt will also not support Multiview. You can check your Cobalt version by following the instructions here.
When do Multiview screens show up on Sunday Ticket day?
You’ll see Multiview options about 15 minutes before the start of the game on YouTube TV and 30 minutes on YouTube Primetime Channels.
Which Streams/Games Will Be Offered In the Ticket’s Multiview?
* If you’re a subscriber to the NFL Sunday Ticket bundle with NFL RedZone, you’ll be able to watch RedZone side-by-side with your NFL Sunday Ticket games in Multiview.
* If you’re a NFL Sunday Ticket subscriber with a YouTube TV Base Plan, you’ll see a few options with local NFL games and Sunday Ticket games in Multiview.
* If you have all three (NFL Sunday Ticket, NFL RedZone in the Ticket bundle, and YouTube TV Base Plan), you’ll have a few options to watch RedZone, local games, and NFL Sunday Ticket games in Multiview.
Can You Watch the NFL RedZone In Multiview Without the Sunday Ticket?
If you only have the YouTube TV Base Plan, you will only have Multiview options with your local games. Subscribing to Sports Plus (YouTube TV’s $10.99 a month add-on package that includes RedZone) alone will not allow you to watch a Multiview with the RedZone; you must subscribe to the Sunday Ticket bundle with RedZone to do that. Google, the owner of the YouTube streaming services, says it’s not contractually allowed to provide RedZone in Multiview for non-Ticket subscribers.
Why Do You See RedZone Listed As a Multiview Option On YouTube When You Don’t Have the RedZone Bundle?
YouTube says this is a glitch that it’s working to fix. If you click on the RedZone option in Multiview – and you don’t have it in your Ticket subscription — an error message will display. “We’re sorry this is a confusing experience and we’re working to fix it. For now, don’t select the Multiview options that include RedZone if you haven’t signed up for RedZone,” the company says at its web site.
Dante, hope that helps. Happy viewing and stay safe!
Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvanswerman.com Please include your first name and hometown in your message.
— Phillip Swann
@tvanswerman
