Super Bowl LIX starts at 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 9, and we’ve got every way to watch in our comprehensive Super Bowl guide. But what’s a sports fan to do in the hours leading up to it? Live with the TV off? Unthinkable.
For dog lovers, we’ve got a suggestion: Turn on Animal Planet and enjoy three hours of cute canine tomfoolery. Puppy Bowl XXI airs at 2:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 9, live on Animal Planet and streaming on Discovery+ and HBO Max.
What is the Puppy Bowl?
The Puppy Bowl is a yearly event held to raise awareness about animal adoption. Two large teams—Team Ruff and Team Fluff—of dogs play on a field covered in toys. The team to drag the most toys into either end zone (a.k.a. a “Puppy Touchdown”) wins.
Every athlete is a rescue dog, and the event showcases animal shelters and rescues during its three-hour runtime. If watching those adorable sports stars doesn’t convince you to visit your local shelter, we’re not sure what will. You can learn more about the Puppy Bowl’s adoptable pets by visiting Discovery’s Adopt These Pets page.
TV plans that include the Puppy Bowl
* w/ 24-mo. agmt. AutoPay and Paperless Bill req’d. Advanced Receiver Service Fee $15/mo. is extra and applies.
** Offer for new and qualifying customers only. Credit qual. and 2-year agreement with early termination fee. Monthly price includes eAutoPay savings $5x24Mo.
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
For cable subscribers, Puppy Bowl XXI will air on the Animal Planet channel. You’ll find Animal Planet on a lot of common cable TV plans (listed above are only a few examples). Its channel number will vary by provider. For example, Animal Planet is channel 282 on DIRECTV, 184 on DISH, and 68 on Spectrum.
You can also watch Animal Planet with a live TV streaming service like Hulu + Live TV or Philo. In fact, the cheapest way to get Animal Planet through a live TV service is with Philo, which costs $28.00 per month.
Watch the Puppy Bowl on Discovery+
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
If you want to escape cable TV entirely, worry not. You can still join in the fun. The cheapest way to watch the Puppy Bowl is with an ad-supported Discovery+ plan, which will run you $5.99 per month.
You can even watch the Puppy Bowl for free with Discovery+’s seven-day free trial. Just make sure you cancel before the renewal date.
Watch the Puppy Bowl on HBO Max
Since Warner Bros. Discovery owns both Discovery+ and HBO Max, you’ll be able to stream this year’s Puppy Bowl on either streaming service. Discovery+ is the cheaper option of the two, but HBO Max does have an impressively large library.
If you’re looking to watch the Puppy Bowl for free, Discovery+ will definitely be your best bet. Discovery+ offers a seven-day free trial, but HBO Max only offers a free trial when subscribing as an add-on through Hulu or Amazon Prime.
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How to watch the Puppy Bowl FAQ
Who is hosting the 2025 Puppy Bowl?
The event’s longtime referee, Dan Schachner, will host the 2025 Puppy Bowl. Sportscasters Steve Levy and Taylor Rooks also return to provide the play-by-play commentary.
Is the Puppy Bowl live?
No, the Puppy Bowl isn’t a live event. It’s pre-taped to make sure the puppies are properly taken care of during filming.
What is the Lombarky Trophy?
The Lombarky Trophy is the prize awarded to the winning team at the end of the Puppy Bowl. Its name is a dog-friendly pun on the NFL’s iconic Lombardi Trophy, which goes to the Super Bowl’s winning team.
What happens to the puppies after the Puppy Bowl?
All Puppy Bowl participants are from shelters and rescues, making it a massive adoption event. Many of the puppies find their homes during or shortly after the broadcast, and some are even adopted before the game airs.
Olivia Bono loves entertainment, and she’s never going to shut up about it. Here at CableTV.com, you’ll find her writing about the wild world of streaming. Her specialty is animation—you can find much of her work at our anime hub page. Olivia previously wrote for the Cornell Daily Sun, where in addition to television, she reviewed movies, albums, and video games. Outside of work, she loves to listen to audiobooks, make art, and spend time outdoors.
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