How I'm Turning My Football Streaming Into $470 in Cash Back

Published on Aug. 29, 2025

Brooklyn Sprunger

By: Brooklyn Sprunger

Content Manager

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Football season is here, and if your weekends look anything like mine, the couch is prime real estate from September through January. I'm all in on the Tennessee Volunteers, while my husband lives and dies by the Ohio State Buckeyes -- which means Saturdays are a nonstop stream of games in our house.

We'd be paying for those subscriptions anyway, but with the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, all that streaming actually pays us back.

6% cash back on streaming services

This card earns 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases) and select U.S. streaming subscriptions. The streaming services include ESPN+, Disney+, Hulu, and YouTube TV (terms apply).

Here's what that looks like for me:

  • YouTube TV at $72.99/month gives me about $52 a year back
  • Add in Disney+ and Hulu and my "couch cash" easily climbs over $100 annually

Plus, I get up to a $10 monthly statement credit when I use my enrolled card at Disneyplus.com, Hulu.com, or Plus.espn.com (terms apply). That's up to $120 more each year.

Ratings Methodology
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Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Apply Now for Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

On American Express' Secure Website.

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Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
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4.80/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent
Apply Now for Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

On American Express' Secure Website.

Terms apply

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Good/Excellent

Intro APR

Purchases: 0% on purchases, 12 months

Balance Transfers: 0%, 12 months

APR

20.24%-29.24% Variable

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases (then 1%), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back at eligible U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more) purchases and 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout.

1%-6% Cash Back

Annual Fee

$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.

$250

  • This card is a smart choice for earning top-tier rewards on everyday purchases. It features a market-leading rate of a whopping 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year), 6% on select U.S. streaming services, and 3% on U.S. gas and transit. Plus, there’s a strong welcome offer: Earn a $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 in the first 6 months. With 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 12 months and $0 annual fee for the first year (then $95), it’s one of our favorite credit cards for a reason. Terms apply.

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    • Big welcome offer
    • U.S. supermarkets rewards
    • U.S. gas stations rewards
    • Streaming subscription rewards

    • Annual fee
    • Foreign transaction fee
    • Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
    • $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
    • Low Intro APR: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening. After that, your APR will be a variable APR of 20.24% - 29.24%.
    • Plan It®: Buy now, pay later with Plan It. Split purchases of $100 or more into equal monthly installments with a fixed fee so you don’t have the pressure of paying all at once. Simply select the purchase in your online account or the American Express® App to see your plan options. Plus, you’ll still earn rewards on purchases the way you usually do.
    • Earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases (then 1%), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back at eligible U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more) purchases and 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout.
    • Get up to a $10 monthly statement credit after using your enrolled Blue Cash Preferred® Card for a subscription purchase, including a bundle subscription purchase, at disneyplus.com, Hulu.com, or Plus.espn.com U.S. websites. Subject to auto-renewal.
    • Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
    • Terms Apply.

The first-year streaming value

When I stack it all together, the streaming rewards alone are tough to beat:

  • $100+ in streaming cash back -- from the services I'm already paying for
  • $120 in Disney+/Hulu/ESPN+ credits
  • $250 welcome bonus when I spend $3,000 in the first 6 months (terms apply), which is easy for me with my normal spending

That adds up to $470 or more back in year one, just from the streaming rewards and the welcome bonus. And that doesn't even count groceries, gas, or other everyday purchases where this card also shines.

That's nearly five months of YouTube TV covered, just for using a card on spending I'd already be doing.

This card does have a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95. (See rates and fees.) But take away the first-year welcome bonus and account for the ongoing annual fee, and you still come out more than $100 ahead -- again, just by factoring in the streaming rewards.

Why it's the MVP for sports fans like me

Most cash back cards only give you 1% to 3% back on streaming. This one goes above and beyond, and it doesn't stop there. You'll also earn:

  • 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases) and select U.S. streaming subscriptions
  • 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more)
  • 1% cash back on other purchases
  • Terms apply

That's a rewards structure that keeps scoring long after football season is over.

Turning couch time into cash back

What I love most about this setup is that it doesn't ask me to change anything. I'd be watching Tennessee football all day anyway. My husband would still have the Buckeyes on every screen in sight. The only difference now is that our hours of streaming actually pay us back.

If your fall weekends revolve around football, this card is the real MVP. Don't just watch the games -- get rewarded for them.

Learn more about the Amex Blue Cash Preferred in our full review and apply today to start earning cash back.

Our Research Expert

Brooklyn Sprunger
Brooklyn Sprunger icon-button-linkedin-2x

Brooklyn is a full-time Fool who leads the content team behind product reviews and ratings at Motley Fool Money, drawing on nearly seven years of financial content experience to help readers make smarter money decisions.