Will the DIRECTV Holiday Bowl Be In 4K On Fox?

By Phillip Swann
The  TV Answer Man – Follow me on X.
Former editor of Satellite DIRECT magazine. Reported on DIRECTV for 30 years.

TV Answer Man, do you know if the DIRECTV Holiday Bowl between Syracuse and Washington State will be in 4K? — Robert, Syracuse, New York.

Robert, Fox has announced that it will air the 2024 DIRECTV Holiday Bowl between 21st ranked Syracuse and Washington State in upscaled 4K. The game, which will be played at the Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California, will start at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, December 27. Syracuse, 9-3, is a 4.5-point favorite to beat Washington State, which is 8-4. ESPN’s Matchup Predictor says Syracuse has a 50.4 percent chance of winning.

The Holiday Bowl, which will be simulcast in HD on Fox networks affiliates, may be the only bowl game that will be in 4K this year with the possible exception of the national championship game next month on ESPN. The two networks have not announced that any other bowl contests will be in the format.

How Can You Watch Fox’s Games In 4K?

Fox’s 4K games can be seen in the format on the Fox Sports app by logging in with your TV Everywhere user name and password from your pay TV provider. (Note that the Fox Now app is no longer available.)

The pay TV services that are expected to carry the Fox games in 4K on special 4K channels are DIRECTV, Dish, Sling TV, Comcast, Verizon, Optimum, DIRECTV Stream, YouTube TV, and FuboTV. (In FuboTV markets where the Fox affiliate is provided with your programming package.) Check your on-screen guide for more details.

(To find out what you need to watch 4K on the Fox Sports app, including which devices are compatible, click here. We can’t overemphasize the importance of having a device that Fox says is compatible for 4K.)

What Does Fox’s Upscaled 4K Look Like?

Fox’s 4K college basketball and football broadcasts are upscaled from 1080p HDR (High Dynamic Range). Upscaling is the process when one video format is converted to another. Fox takes the 1080p HDR signal and converts it to a 4K format. Upscaling 4K is not considered as good as native 4K, but the inclusion of HDR can offer heightened colors and vividness.

Is It Worth Watching The Games In Upscaled 4K?

Yes. From personal experience, I can assure you the picture is better. The high-def image from a Fox affiliate sometimes lacks detail and makes you wonder if it’s actually in high-def. However, the 4K image removes the blurriness and adds a realistic feel to the picture.

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.