Fans will have to Google it starts next season if they want access to the NFL’s Sunday Ticket package.
The NFL on Thursday announced a multi-year deal allowing Google to distribute the Sunday afternoon out-of-market games package in the United States on Youtube Primetime TV and YouTube channels.
the NFL was seeking $2.5 billion per season for the package, which has been on DirecTV since 1994. The satellite provider paid $1.5 billion per year on an eight-year contract that expires at the end of this season.
@CNBC reported The Sunday Ticket deal is worth around $2 billion a year over seven years.
Commissioner Roger Goodell said in an interview with CNBC over the summer that the next move for Sunday Ticket would be to a streaming service because it would be the best option for fans.
Goodell reiterated that with Thursday’s announcement.
“For a number of years, we have been focused on increased digital distribution of our games and this partnership is another example of us looking to the future and building the next generation of NFL fans,” he said in a statement.
This is the second time in less than two years that the NFL has partnered with a streaming service to show games. The league’s 11-year contract with Amazon Prime Video for Thursday night games started this season.
Besides Amazon, Apple and ESPN have also expressed interest in NFL Sunday Ticket.
“As the way fans enjoy NFL football evolves in an evolving media landscape, partnerships with innovators like YouTube will ensure more games are available to more fans,” said the New England Patriots owner. , Robert Kraft, who is also chairman of the NFL media committee. “This partnership will develop our game for future generations and allow them to play their favorite sport.”
The NFL has been on YouTube since 2015, when it launched its official NFL channel. This has grown to include channels from all 32 teams and the league’s 10 official channels, including NFL Films, NFL Network and Mundo NFL.
NFL Network and NFL RedZone have been available to YouTube TV subscribers since 2020.
“Through this expanded partnership with the NFL, viewers will now also be able to experience the game they love in compelling and innovative ways through YouTube TV or YouTube Primetime Channels,” YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki said in a statement. “We’re excited to continue our work with the NFL to make YouTube a great place for sports fans around the world.”
Starting next season, NFL Sunday Ticket will be available as an add-on package on YouTube TV and as a standalone pay-per-view add-on on YouTube Primetime channels.
UK viewers will still be able to watch local and primetime matches live through the Game Pass International service.
Google said in June that YouTube TV, which launched in 2017, had surpassed 5 million accounts and was the largest pay-TV service on the Internet in the United States. This number includes users on free promotional trials.
YouTube Primetime Channels, launched in November, is a service that allows users to subscribe and watch content from streaming services on the YouTube app.
Even with Sunday Ticket moving to YouTube, the price isn’t expected to drop significantly due to contracts with CBS and Fox, which air Sunday afternoon games.
Viewers pay around $300-400 per season for the package, which averages 2 million subscribers.
The league also said it would work with YouTube to determine other ways to support Sunday Ticket distribution in commercial establishments.
Earlier this year, Amazon struck a deal with DirecTV to make sure Thursday night games were available in bars and restaurants.
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