How to Watch Baltimore Ravens Games: Your Local Broadcast Guide
When the Baltimore Ravens play, you need to know where to find the game before kickoff. This guide covers the broadcast channels you'll encounter during the regular season and playoffs, how local Baltimore viewing differs from national feeds, and what to expect if you're watching from different parts of Maryland and beyond.
The Primary Broadcast Pattern
CBS carries the majority of Baltimore Ravens games during the regular season. This isn't arbitrary. The NFL's broadcast agreements assign games based on market coverage, and the Ravens fall primarily into CBS's AFC rotation. When you sit down to watch a Ravens game on Sunday afternoon, there's roughly a 60 percent chance you're turning to CBS. The channel assignment appears in the official NFL schedule, released each May, so you can verify your specific game weeks ahead.
NBC handles Sunday Night Football slots, and the Ravens typically receive between two and four primetime assignments per season depending on playoff positioning and win-loss record. These games air at 8:20 p.m. ET and draw heavier national viewership than afternoon broadcasts.
Fox carries occasional Ravens matchups when the game falls under their AFC package rotation, though this occurs less frequently than CBS. You'll know which network ahead of time because the NFL publishes the full broadcast schedule with channel assignments on nfl.com and through the Ravens' official website.
Streaming and Cable Considerations
Cable and satellite providers in the Baltimore area (Comcast Xfinity, Verizon Fios, DirecTV) all carry CBS, NBC, and Fox within their sports packages. If you have a standard cable or satellite subscription in Baltimore County or Baltimore City, you already have access to these channels at no additional cost beyond your regular bill.
Streaming presents more constraints. The official NFL+ app (the league's proprietary streaming service) excludes live regular-season games shown on national broadcasts like CBS or NBC. However, NFL+ does stream games blacked out in your local market on cable, and it includes all playoff games. A subscription costs roughly $14 per month or $120 annually. This matters if you're in the Ravens' local broadcast area (Maryland, parts of Virginia, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania) and want to stream Sunday afternoon CBS games; you cannot do so through NFL+.
ESPN+ occasionally carries a Ravens game through the new "Monday Night Football" package, but this involves only a few games per season. Paramount+ (the successor to CBS All Access) can stream CBS broadcasts in some situations, but typically only if you already pay for cable authentication. The local blackout rules remain enforced.
If you're outside the Ravens' broadcast region, you have more flexibility. Out-of-market fans can subscribe to NFL Sunday Ticket (now owned by YouTube and available through YouTube TV), which costs between $299 and $499 per season depending on whether you bundle it with YouTube TV's standard package. This removes regional blackouts entirely.
Local Bars and Group Viewing
Baltimore's sports bars typically stock every NFL game on multiple screens. The neighborhoods with the densest concentration of football-focused venues run along the Fells Point waterfront and in Federal Hill, where venues cater explicitly to game-day crowds. Canton has become equally popular for Ravens viewing, particularly among younger fans.
Expect higher cover charges or drink minimums during playoff games and Ravens-Steelers matchups (the division rival games consistently draw the largest local crowds). Regular season broadcasts usually carry no cover charge if you order food or drinks. Timing matters: arrive 90 minutes early for playoff games if you want seating rather than standing room.
Pregame and Postgame Content
The Ravens' own broadcasts begin 30 minutes before kickoff on CBS and NBC, offering local color and injury updates specific to the team. This differs from the generic NFL pregame show you'd see if watching the same broadcast in Pittsburgh or Denver. The local feed includes interviews with Baltimore coaches and players, historical context about the Ravens organization, and analysis from hosts based in the region.
Local sports radio (98 Rock's afternoon drive slot, WQSR) carries live play-by-play during games and offers postgame coverage until late evening, particularly after losses when call-in segments run extended.
Out-of-Market Viewing and Regional Blackouts
If you live in Virginia, West Virginia, or central Pennsylvania, your CBS and NBC broadcasts may show a different game instead of the Ravens. The NFL uses zip codes and signal strength to determine local markets. A resident of Martinsburg, West Virginia, for example, may receive the Pittsburgh Steelers or Washington Commanders broadcast on CBS instead of Baltimore, depending on exact location. The NFL's blackout map on nfl.com lets you check your specific zip code before Sunday.
DirecTV's Sunday Ticket remains the most straightforward solution for out-of-market fans who want guaranteed Ravens access every week. YouTube TV's version includes this same out-of-market package as an add-on.
Practical Preparation
Check the schedule published each May on nfl.com and the Ravens' official website. The broadcast channel appears directly on these schedules. Verify this information one week before game day because rare channel changes occur when games move to primetime.
If you plan to stream, test your internet connection and app login before game day. NFL+ and Paramount+ both require working accounts 24 hours in advance.
Know that you cannot legally stream a local CBS game from inside the Ravens' broadcast region using NFL+, even with a paid subscription. This rule frustrates many fans but remains enforced. Your options within the market are cable, satellite, or going to a bar.
The channel is always one of three networks: CBS for most Sunday afternoons, NBC for primetime slots, or Fox for occasional assignments. Bookmark the official schedule rather than relying on generic search results, which often display last year's information.
