How sports time zones work
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US sports schedules are usually published in Eastern Time, broadcasters announce times in their own markets, and international events add another layer. This guide explains the labels and how to convert any start time with confidence.
ET, EST and EDT
“ET” (Eastern Time) is a general label that is correct all year. EST (Eastern Standard Time, UTC−5) applies in winter and EDT (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC−4) applies during daylight saving time. Schedules that say “EST” in summer usually mean ET; the clock time is what counts.
The same pattern applies to Central (CT), Mountain (MT) and Pacific (PT) time. Arizona, outside the Navajo Nation, does not observe daylight saving time, so its offset from other zones changes during the year.
Daylight saving changes happen on different dates
The United States and Europe change their clocks on different weekends in spring and autumn. For a week or two each year, the gap between New York and London is four hours instead of five. That is when European soccer kickoffs and UFC events abroad most often catch people out.
Converting a start time
- Start from the published time and its zone (for example 8:15 PM ET).
- Find the difference between that zone and yours on that date, remembering daylight saving.
- Add or subtract the difference, and check whether the date changes (late US games are the next morning in Europe and Asia).
How SportSurge shows times
Every broadcast is stored in UTC. The first version of each page shows the time in UTC so it is unambiguous, then your browser converts it to your device’s time zone and labels the zone (for example “EDT” or “GMT+1”). If a time looks wrong, check your device’s time-zone setting.
Listed times are the scheduled start of a broadcast. The game itself often begins a few minutes later.
Sources
Find a broadcast
NFL broadcasts · Soccer broadcasts · UFC broadcasts · Full schedule