NFL, Google announce exclusive TV distribution for Sunday Ticket on YouTube TV
The NFL reached an agreement on Thursday with Youtube to distribute NFL Sunday Ticket to YouTube TV and YouTube Primetime Channels. The agreement will allow fans of the NFL the ability to access out-of-market games from any location.
Starting in the 2023 season, NFL Sunday Ticket will be available on YouTube’s subscription businesses as an add-on package on YouTube TV or a standalone a-la-carte option on YouTube Primetime Channels.
Sunday Ticket moving to YouTube TV in 2023
“We’re excited to bring NFL Sunday Ticket to YouTube TV and YouTube Primetime Channels and usher in a new era of how fans across the United States watch and follow the NFL,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a release. “For a number of years we have been focused on increased digital distribution of our games and this partnership is yet another example of us looking towards the future and building the next generation of NFL fans.”
“YouTube has long been a home for football fans, whether they’re streaming live games, keeping up with their home team, or watching the best plays in highlights,” said Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube. “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. We’re excited to continue our work with the NFL to make YouTube a great place for sports lovers everywhere.”
Since NFL Sunday Ticket’s launch in 1994, it has been an exclusive product for DirecTV’s satellite service.
The rights to Sunday Ticket were previously owned by DirecTV, which paid the NFL $1.5 billion annually. The package allowed subscribers to access games that are not televised in their local market. It also offered the popular Red Zone Channel, which alternates between games to show key plays such as touchdowns and turnovers.
A move to YouTube is another big win for streaming services after the Thursday Night Football game moved from NFL Network to Amazon Prime this season. It is also another major get for YouTube TV, which overtook Netflix as the most-viewed streaming service for TV earlier this year. YouTube TV costs $64.99 a month for its basic package and surpassed five million subscriptions in June.