Peacock may be the best streamer to watch live sports: here's why

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No, streaming isn't faster than cable yet, but the Super Bowl proves the gap is closer than you think

Peacock logo on a blue electricity background
(Image credit: Peacock; Shutterstock)

If you didn't watch Super Bowl LX using a TV antenna of via cable, chances are you viewed it using one of the best streaming services. And, as it turns out, the service owned by the broadcaster who owned the rights to the game had a pretty good day — even it the game was snoozefest.

Stats Perform, an AI platform that looks at sports coverage, annually compares the lag time between different live streams for how long it takes the on-field action to reach your screen.

Stats Perform Super Bowl LX latency test

(Image credit: Stats Perform)

Peacock was apparently quite consistent as well. Stats Perform also tests "audience drift" which is range of experience that users can have on each platform. The platform measures the difference between the lowest latency and the highest latency for different users.

Hulu was apparently the best with a 3-second difference on average and Peacock coming in around 32 seconds. However, YouTube TV apparently was the worst at a whopping 126 seconds.

Stats Perform latency difference for Super Bowl 2026

(Image credit: Stats Perform)

As a regular YouTube TV user, anecdotally, it's regularly felt inconsistent between on-field action and the actual stream. I've had friends comment on a huge play and not seen for it until 20 seconds later.

But, neither of these apps are the best.

Cable and OTA still king

Mohu ReLeaf TV Antenna

(Image credit: Mohu)

As you can see from the graphics, live streaming has caught up but has yet to beat Cable TV when it comes to latency. Cable sat around 38 seconds for both lag time and audience drift, fairly consistent performance.

This is also a semi-regular reminder that you should buy an HD antenna. Over-the-air TV is still king, with a lag time of 19 seconds between the live action and the time it takes to get to your screen. It also had an audience drift of 9 seconds, bested only by Hulu + Live TV.

If you are looking for a TV antenna, check out our picks for the three best TV antennas we've tested. You do want to select the right one for your home, so we have three essential tips for getting the best TV antenna.

If you're interested in live TV like sports, local news and the weather, the TV antenna is an old school friend that gets you the best performance.

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Scott Younker
Scott Younker
West Coast Reporter

Scott Younker is the West Coast Reporter at Tom’s Guide. He covers all the lastest tech news. He’s been involved in tech since 2011 at various outlets and is on an ongoing hunt to build the easiest to use home media system. When not writing about the latest devices, you are more than welcome to discuss board games or disc golf with him. He also handles all the Connections coverage on Tom's Guide and has been playing the addictive NYT game since it released.

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