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Monday Night Football is back with a must-watch matchup! The New York Jets face the San Francisco 49ers for MNF‘s season debut on Monday (Sept. 9).

The 49ers are set to host the Jets at Levi’s Stadium in San Francisco on Monday. The game will air on ABC, ESPN and ESPN+.

Boys II Men are reportedly singing the National Anthem ahead of the Jets vs. 49ers game at Levi’s Stadium.

For the football fans who want to watch the 49ers and Giants face off in person, there’s still time to score tickets at an affordable price. The cheapest tickets for the game are currently priced from around $140 and up at StubHub.

Read on for a schedule of upcoming games, plus ways to watch and stream live and on-demand (with and without cable).

How to Stream Monday Night Football on ABC

Good news for fans who don’t have cable: MNF has expanded into network TV! ABC will simulcast select games this season, as the network announced last September, per The Hollywood Reporter.

Tonight’s 49ers vs. Jets game will simulcast on ABC along with upcoming double headers including the Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Buffalo Bills and Washington Commanders vs. Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 23.

This season’s doubleheaders included games between the Tennessee Titans vs. Miami Dolphins, Seattle Seahawks vs. Detroit Lions on Sept. 30. Tonight’s Jets vs. 49ers game will be the first simultaneous broadcast of the season. As with all MNF games, kickoff will start at 8:15 p.m. ET/5:15 p.m. PT across ABC, ESPN and ESPN+.

Certain MNF games will also broadcast on ESPN, ABC and ESPN+. If you have access to ESPN, you can watch every MNF game live.

How do you watch football games and other sports for free? DirecTV Stream no longer offers ESPN and ABC due to an ongoing dispute with Disney, but for customers looking for streaming alternatives, Fubo, Sling TV and Hulu + Live TV are some of the streamers that provide instant access to ABC, ESPN and other channels.

There are also several other affordable ways to watch local channels like ABC, NBC and CBS. For example, you can buy an HDTV antenna like this one on sale at Amazon for $24 (free shipping for Prime members), or subscribe to streamers such as FuboTV and Sling TV.

For around $20-$75, you’ll get to stream live TV and on-demand content, including sports channels and DVR storage. And now that the football season has officially arrived, many of your favorite streamers are offering streaming deals for the NFL season and beyond.

For example, you’ll get a free trial with Fubo to watch your favorite football games for free for up to a week and a discount at sign up.

Looking for more streaming deals? Sling TV is half off for your first month. That means you can subscribe and stream all TV shows, movies, football games and other sports content starting at just $20 for the first month — but only for a limited time. One of Sling’s best streaming deals is the Orange & Blue packages and the Sports Extra bundle for $199 when you prepay four months in advance.

Looking for another affordable option? Subscribe to Fubo and save $30 off your first month.

Fubo’s streaming plans start at $49.99/month (reg. $79.99) after a week free. Fubo Pro, one of the cheapest among the aforementioned streaming plans, includes 202 channels, 1000 hours of Cloud DVR and streaming on up to 10 screens. Fubo Elite is currently discounted to $69.99/month (reg. $99.99/month) for 301 channels and Fubo Premier is $79.99/month (reg. 109.99/month) for 322 channels, 4K streaming, Showtime and more. For Spanish speakers, Fubo Latino is $19.99/month (reg. $32.99/month) to stream 61 channels.

Between free trials and discounted streaming plans, DirecTV has one of the best streaming deals for football fans but without ABC and ESPN, sports fans are looking for different ways to stream. In the event that DirecTV and Disney reach a deal, sports lovers will be able to stream MNF again. In the meantime, DirecTV Stream offers other channels that broadcast football including Fox, CBS and NBC.

Depending on which package you choose, DirecTV’s streaming plans lets you access specialty channels like Big Ten Network, ACC, SEC, MLB Network, CBS Sports Network, Starz, Encore, Max, Ion, NHL Network and more.

You can also watch NFL games on YouTube TV and NFL+, the latter starts at $6.99/month for the base subscription and $14.99/month for NLF+ Premium.

With NFL+, football fans can watch or listen to games live and on-demand, plus enjoy recaps and more.

How to Watch Monday Night Football Games on ESPN+

Gone are the days of simply switching channels to catch all of your favorite NFL games, and it can be hard to keep track of which games are streaming on which platforms. For example, Prime Video is the streaming home for Thursday Night Football, while Sunday football games are available on NBC, CBS, Paramount+ and Peacock, and some Monday Night Football games are scheduled to simulcast on ESPN+ and ABC such as tonight’s Jets vs. 49ers MNF kickoff.

With ESPN+, you’ll get access to football and more for $10.99 a month (or bundle with Disney+ and Hulu). Watch the NFL, college football, soccer, MLB, NBA, NHL, UFC, PGA Tour, Top Rank, PLL Playoffs, Premiere League, La Liga, cricket and other sporting events on ESPN+.

What else can you stream on ESPN+? Sports lovers can binge dozens of must-watch series and TV shows, and original content such as PPV fights, the entire 30 for 30 series and tons of other exclusives such as In the Arena: Serena Williams, The Captain, Tom Brady: Man in the Arena, Al Davis vs. The NFL, Vick, Be Like Water, Breakaway, More Than An Athlete with Michael Strahan, Eli’s Place, Abby’s Place, The Place’s Universe, Why Not Us: Grambling Dance and Our Time Baylor Basketball.

ESPN+ isn’t on sale right now, but you can subscribe to the annual plan ($109.99) can save your around $22 off the $10.99 monthly price. Also, Hulu offers a student discount for just $1.99/month and bundle deals allow you to save on streaming packages. For example, the Disney+ Trio Bundle includes Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+ for $14.99/month.

Keep in mind, while there are different ways to watch football games from your TV, phone, laptop or computer, the price will vary depending on the platform. Fortunately, ESPN is available on several streamers including Fubo, Sling and Hulu + Live TV.

Hulu + Live TV gives you access to 90+ channels in edition to ESPN+, Hulu and Disney+, and DVR storage, for $76.99/month. And there’s a free trial for three days, plus eligible customers will get $30 back if you act fast. The limited offer ends on Wednesday.

Monday Night Football: Games, Dates & Time

Monday Night Football kicked off on Sept. 9 and will continue into January 2025. Last year’s MNF kickoff games between the Jets and Buffalo Bills drew a record-breaking 22.6 million viewers, making it the most watched MNF game in history beating out the previous record-holder, a 2009’s game between the Packers and Vikings.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Philadelphia Eagles’ win over the Chiefs (21-17) last November drew a record 29 million viewers in total, a 27-year ratings high and the highest numbers of the season for a single game since the Super Bowl.

Tonight’s game launches the MNF season of single games and doubleheaders. However, some doubleheaders, will broadcast around the same time. That means football fans will be flipping channels during MNF and if you don’t have cable, you can watch and record both games under the streaming plans with Fubo and other streaming plans mentioned above.

Want to watch MNF from anywhere? Even if you don’t have cable, there are plenty of ways to watch NFL games without spending your entire paycheck. To make the process a little easier, we put together some of the better options for MNF and other NFL games.

Beyond the game itself, NFL ratings have received a boost thanks in part to Taylor Swift who appeared at the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Baltimore Ravens season kickoff last week, and has been showing support for her boyfriend, Travis Kelce. Swift has been spotted cheering on Kelce at several home games including the Super Bowl.

NFL ratings hit another high mark last Thanksgiving holiday weekend. The Thanksgiving game between the Cowboys and Commanders snagged a whopping 44 million viewers, the third-largest audience for a regular season game in history. The game aired on CBS and stream on Paramount+.

The Cowboys beat the Commanders 45-10. The NFL team is no stranger to Thanksgiving games as the Cowboys have played a game on Thanksgiving day nearly every year since 1966.

Will the new season score big in ratings? We’ll have to wait and see, but fans who want to watch games live, either from home or on-the-go, can easily stream select NFL games and more on ESPN+.

MNF sound a bit different this season. That’s because ESPN enlisted the help of J Balvin to curate the music for select games. Chris Stapleton, Timbaland and Justin Timberlake curated the music for last year’s games, preceded by Marshmello in 2022, Drake in 2021, DJ Khaled in 2020 and Diplo in 2019.

To kick off the collaboration, the NFL will debut a remix of Balvin’s song “DOBLEXXO” featuring Feid from his new album Rayo.

“ESPN’s Music curation program with Monday Night Football continues with an artist that will amplify the bold and new music strategy,” said Curtis Friends, ESPN vice president of sports marketing. “J Balvin is a global icon whose influence hits with diverse cultures and genres. His music choices embrace the anticipation and excitement the ESPN football season offers, and we can’t wait for him to come along the season-long ride with us.”

With the season is just getting started, there are a ton of games left on the MNF schedule, and plenty of opportunities to watch them live. Click here to get tickets to see your favorite NFL games in person.

Want to stream MNF from outside of the U.S.? With ExpressVPN, NordVPN and PureVPN you can access several streaming platforms and channels.

See the full 2024 MNF schedule here.

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

If you’re looking for something new to watch, then Hulu + Live TV is your one stop for entertainment, sports, news and more with live TV streaming and hit originals such as Only Murders In the Building. It’s back for season four with the intrepid podcast hosts in pursuit of a new killer in California. But if you’d like to catch up with the mystery comedy instead, all previous seasons are waiting for you to stream.

Starting at $76.99, you can sign up for Hulu + Live TV to watch almost 100 broadcast and cable networks, along with hit originals from Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+. In fact, you can save $30 off your first month of service — a nearly 40% savings.

Curious? Sign up for a three-day free trial to try out the service yourself before you commit to your first month.

Hulu + Live TV features broadcast channels, such as ABC for Monday Night Football and the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards, NBC, CBS and Fox. The streaming service also has cable networks such as BET, CMT, Disney Channel, ESPN, Hallmark Channel, FX, Bravo, TLC, E!, Fox Sports, MTV for the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards, OWN, Paramount Network, TV Land, A&E, Cartoon Network, CNN, Food Network, Lifetime, National Geographic and much more.

Additionally, Hulu + Live TV comes with Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+ at no additional cost. It’s one of the best ways to get access to hit originals such as Only Murders In the Building, Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Tell Me Lies, The Mandalorian, ESPN’s 30 for 30 film series and more. It’s like getting four streaming services for the price of one.

Hulu’s standard streaming service (no live TV) starts $7.99 per month, or $79.99 per year for the commercial-supported plan, while you can go without commercials for $17.99 per month.

Meanwhile, Hulu + Live TV is compatible with a number of web-based devices, including smart TVs, Google TV, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV 4K, Apple iPhone and Apple iPad, Android smartphones and tablets, Android TV, web browsers including Google Chrome and Apple Safari, gaming consoles such as PS5 and Xbox, select cable boxes and other devices.

With a starting price of $76.99, Hulu + Live TV is one of the best ways to watch nearly 100 entertainment, sports, lifestyle and news channels, along with originals from Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+, on a wide range of devices. Right now, you can save $30 off your first month of service. Learn more about Hulu + Live TV here.

Want more? For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Xbox deals, studio headphones and Nintendo Switch accessories.

Comedian Yuriyan Retriever chatted with writer Rio Hirai for Billboard Japan’s Women in Music interview series featuring female players in the Japanese entertainment industry. The WIM initiative in Japan launched in 2022 to celebrate artists, producers and executives who have made significant contributions to music and inspired other women through their work.

A household name in her home country, Yuriyan is preparing to make a splash in the U.S. beginning this fall. Not only has the 33-year-old entertainer won numerous awards in the highly competitive and male-dominated world of comedy in Japan, she also acts (a lead role in the upcoming Netflix series The Queen of Villains) and raps — she took the Mojave Stage with Awich at this year’s Coachella as one of the guest rappers on “Bad Bi*** Bigaku” — and is set to direct a movie as well. The one-of-a-kind artist who has carved out a unique position for herself in Japanese entertainment shared her thoughts on the driving force behind her past and future activities.

You’ve said that you first aspired to be a comedian when you were in second grade, and entered NSC Yoshimoto Sogo Geino Gakuin — a training school run by comedy business giant Yoshimoto Kogyo — in 2011. I imagine there were much fewer female comedians back then compared to today. Did you experience any gender-related obstacles in becoming a comedian?

I’d always thought comedians were cool growing up, so I probably didn’t have much of a sense of diving into a male-dominated world back then. But it turned out, there were 500 people in my year at NSC in Osaka alone, and only about 40 were women. Men and women were in separate classes for the first month, but after that we took classes together.

It was after graduating that I became aware I was a female performer. There are open auditions in the form of match-ups to become a regular act in theaters, and I used to think that male comedians with screaming female fans supporting them got more votes. Looking back now, it’s simply a matter of whether you’re funny or not, but there were times when I didn’t get any votes at all, so I started thinking that way. I remember complaining to Nagisa (formerly of comedy duo Amako Inter), who’s been in the business longer than me, “Men get more votes, don’t they?” and she replied, “In the end, you win if you’re funny, so let’s keep doing our best.” I got fired up after that. I began to think that there are things I can do because I’m me.

You’ve achieved spectacular results since then, winning the 47th NHK Kamigata Manzai Contest (2017), the NTV Female Comedian No. 1 Contest THE W (2017), and the coveted R-1 Grand Prix 2021. Some artists we’ve spoken to in this series say they feel uncomfortable being labeled “female” (female rapper, female singer-songwriter, etc.). How do you feel about being categorized as a female comedian?

Right now I feel lucky to be in this position. When you’re the only woman in a group of men, you stand out. But if that becomes less of a thing, maybe people will stop adding “female” to our profession.

Compared to when you started your career, there are many more female comedians today. What do you think is necessary for women to thrive in the (Japanese) entertainment industry?

I personally find it easy to work right now. But if a woman decides to become a mom, there will be a period when she has to take time off for physical reasons. It’d be nice if there were a system where we could record a bunch of stuff beforehand to be used while we’re gone and be paid for it properly.

You also created quite a buzz when you appeared on the audition show America’s Got Talent in 2019. You’re planning on expanding into the American entertainment industry by the end of this year. When did you start planning to do so?

I began thinking concretely about working the U.S. around ten years ago, so I told my management company and started preparing for it. What initially made me want to go to the U.S. was the movie Back to the Future, which I saw for the first time when I was in elementary school. Strangely enough, I thought, “I feel like I’ll be able to meet these people when I grow up.” I watched it again when I was in junior high and fell in love with Michael J. Fox all over again, and felt an urge to want to speak English and work in the U.S. movie industry someday.

But I had a dream of becoming a comedian so I chose that career first. After I actually started working as a comedian, I’ve been given opportunities to try so many different things. I got to star in the Netflix drama series The Queen of Villains, which will be released this year, and I also got to try my hand at directing a movie. I realized that doing skits wasn’t the only job for a comedian, and came to think that I didn’t have to give up my dream of working in the U.S.

What do you want to do in the U.S.?

I want to become a Hollywood star. I want to start with stand-up comedy and branch out to do a bunch of stuff from there, just like I did in Japan. I want to do things that I think are funny and hope people in the U.S. think so, too, but to do that I need to get into the groove of the country’s background and culture, so I’ll start from there.

You really do take on challenges in your career. Now that you’ve realized your initial dream of becoming a comedian, what are the moments when you find your job the most interesting?

Everything is interesting. Needless to say, it makes me happy when the audience laughs! I also enjoy being able to express anything about myself. You know how there are things in life that you regret or make you angry? It can be hard when you can’t do anything about them, but since I’m a comedian, I can turn things like that into comedy skits and laugh them off. I can say what I want and be what I want to be.

So whatever happens, it all helps to enrich your art.

Exactly. A comedian that I respect who’s been in the business longer than me — his name is Toki of of the duo Fujisaki Market — once told me an epic anecdote about how he woke up one morning to discover he’d lost a ton of money from a bad cryptocurrency investment. But he said it was hilarious. Being able to interpret anything as funny like that is so human and really strong. So if something upsets you, I recommend trying to make it into a joke or lyric. Or mimicking it, even if you don’t show it to anyone. It’ll make you feel a bit better.

Thanks for the nice life hack. [Laughs] It seems like the ways of thinking in the Japanese comedy industry have changed over the past ten years or so. For example, poking fun at someone’s appearance used to happen all the time, but it feels like it’s less common now.

Around the time when I first became a comedian, teasing people’s looks was still fair game. I used to weigh 110 kg (about 240 lbs) in 2019. It wasn’t for the sake of being funny — I sort of just ended up like that because of my messed up lifestyle and laziness. One day it occurred to me that even though I’d been blessed with a healthy body, I wasn’t treating it right, so I told a trainer that I wanted to change. And that trainer said, “You’ve shown off your body in a swimsuit in the U.S. and have probably done everything you can with your current body shape, so become a new you and stay the course.”

I started training and followed a restrictive diet, and succeeded in losing 40 kg (about 88 lbs) in 2021. My body became lighter and healthier and I began thinking more positively. I even started receiving sports-related job offers that would never have happened before. I was body positive before… or rather, I felt that being overweight didn’t matter, but looking back now, I see that it wasn’t my best condition. I can say that I worked hard to achieve the best condition for myself that truly feels right for me.

Were you not bothered by other people’s opinions because you were satisfied with yourself?

My fellow comedians told me, “It’s good that you’re fit,” but there were people online who were like, “Have you given up being funny?” and “You’re ugly even if you’re thinner.” That really ticked me off, so I wrote some jokes to get revenge on those people and won the R-1 (Grand Prix) contest I entered that year.

That’s awesome how you won the R-1 Grand Prix by using your annoyance towards haters as motivation.

The voices of those who still make fun of people’s looks sound louder online, but the reaction of the audience in theaters is completely different. Ten years ago, people would laugh when I said stuff like, “I’m ugly,” but now when I make self-deprecating jokes like that, I can tell that the prevailing mood is like, “This isn’t something to laugh at.” Now I’ve stopped saying negative things about the way people look, including myself, not just because people don’t laugh at such jokes, but because it sucks as a human being to do so. My feelings are also changing. Ever since I’ve been making jokes based on hateful comments, people have started saying, “Even if you put Yuriyan down, she’ll just use it to win prize money in competitions.” [Laughs]

—This interview by Rio Hiral (SOW SWEET PUBLISHING) first appeared on Billboard Japan