The NFL preseason begins this week, and on Friday the Detroit Lions will take on the Cincinnati Bengals at 7:30 p.m. For most fans this will be their first look at this year's squad, but only if they are able to watch the game.
↵Since it's the preseason, it might be a bit difficult to find Friday's game on TV depending on where you live. Here's what you need to know to see the Lions play the Bengals:
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- WXYZ (Channel 7 in Detroit) is going to broadcast this year's Lions preseasons games. ↵
- Affiliates for preseason games include WNEM in Flint, Saginaw and Bay City, WXMI in Grand Rapids, WSYM in Lansing, WFQX in Cadillac and Traverse City and WJMN in Marquette. ↵
- Because a national game is scheduled to be on FOX on Friday, WXMI is going to show the Lions game on tape-delay at or shortly after 11 p.m. on Friday and re-air it at 3 p.m. on Sunday. Since WSYM and WFQX are also FOX affiliates, I would imagine they are in the same boat. ↵
- Stations within 75 miles of Detroit are subject to the game being blacked out. During the regular season this would mean the game isn't shown at all locally, but in the preseason it means the game will be tape-delayed. Unless the Lions sell out Ford Field, which is unlikely in the preseason, it will not be aired on WXYZ until 9:30 p.m. on Friday instead of live at 7:30 p.m. ↵
- If you don't mind waiting until Saturday or don't live in the area, NFL Network will show the Lions-Bengals game at 10 a.m. on Aug. 13. ↵
- If all else fails or you want to watch every preseason game live or on-demand, you can purchase NFL.com's preseason Game Pass for $19.99. ↵
Of course, there are other ways you can watch the Lions and Bengals live on Friday night, including simply buying a ticket to the game. The other (non-legal) ways can't be mentioned in this space, but if you want to follow along with the action, make sure to check out Pride of Detroit, which will be covering the game.