NFL Sunday Ticket

[Finance Dave]

This package, which I've had since inception in 1994, is moving in 2023 to YouTube TV. I've had DirectTV for all that time, as my team is out of market and it's the only way I could see them. DirectTV's pricing structure has always upset me, they charge extra for each TV you have, they charge extra for HD picture even if you don't have an HDTV, and so on. We have 3 TVs, so our pricing is about $165/mo not including any movie or add-on packages.

Wondering who here has experience with YouTube TV and what you can say about the following:

1) Do they charge extra for each TV?

2) Does it require a smart TV? We have 2 of 3 smart TVs...one is an old plasma model that's not smart.

3) Do you find the channels on their basic package to be sufficient? I think it's $65/mo, right?

4) Do you have the ability to record via a DVR player of some type? If so, is that device one you purchase and have to attach to each separate TV, or is it integrated somehow into the YouTube channel service?

5) If you can record live shows and watch later, what are the particulars? Is there a time limit? Can you use your regular TV remote to watch, fast forward, etc? Do you have to watch commercials or can you fast forward through them?

6) They are saying you can also buy "a la carte" for the NFL package through YouTube Primetime...but no pricing announced yet...so that may be an option also.

7) Any other details I should know about?

I've been with DirectTV so long now it's hard to understand the technology others offer. For example, when I watch a football game and fast forward on DirectTV...I can see the play as I fast forward...but when Amazon Prime this year started streaming NFL Thursday Night Football...I cannot see the play while fast forwarding...you have to "guess" where commercials end...I hate that.

I may have to buy a new smart TV to replace the Plasma in the basement...or maybe I can use a Roku and get YouTube on that one?

 

[pb4uski]

We had YTTV for a few months and I liked it as a cable tv replacement. No charge for additional tvs... flat $65/month but I'm not sure how they will price Sunday Ticket. If your tv isn't smart you can use a Roku or Firestick. Their cloud DVR was good and you can FF through commercials.

 

[qwerty3656]

I just switched from Dish to YoutubeTV (I've had Directv in the past as well). So far it seems like a great move.

- You can have multiple TV's and also multiple users for no extra charge (and there is no "rental" fee).

- I don't have any smart TVs, I'm using Roku's and/or a PS4 (basically you need something that uses Apps). You could obviously use a computer as well.

-It has all the basic channels (TBS, ESPN, TNT, SYFI, etc) as well as local channels (local channels vary by location so you should confirm they have your local channels). I found a deal where its $10 off a month for the first 12 months through T-mobile.

- You can setup recordings (record episodes of xyz show; record all the UofM Football games, etc). They record them out in the cloud (so on their servers) and they say its unlimited.

-The playback controls would be driven by whatever "box" you are using (Roku's have remotes, PS4's have game controllers, etc). It's very similar to say Netflix, Prime video, Hulu, etc. You can fast forward through commercials, but it's it little clunky (at least with my Roku's and PS4 controllers).

- Obviously you need a solid/stable internet connection

 

[Finance Dave]

So far some great info, thank you! I have a Roku for one of our TVs, but the fast forward I use it with Netflix and it doesn't allow you to see the picture during FF. Not sure if that's a Roku thing or a Netflix thing.

 

[MichaelB]

Thread moved to the media forum

 

[bloom2708]

What kind of internet type and speed do you have? Some with dish do not have great internet options. You will want to make sure you have a good mid tier download speed and a good router.

YTTV is the best streaming option. You likely will want to have one of the newer/faster streaming devices to have the best experience. The DVR is excellent and the channel list can be completely customized. Compared to the mess of SD, Digital and HD channels on DirecTV you will likely be in heaven.

It will be interesting to see what the price is. I'm sure the price will go up to help pay the $2 billion price tag.

 

[COcheesehead]

My favorite team is out of market too. I bought NFL+ for $10 a month, pay for 4 and then cancel. You can watch full games or condensed games, but just not live. It works for me. We hike on a Sunday and then I can come home to watch the game.
The + package allows you to watch it on your TV. The regular NFL app only allows viewing on a device.

 

[Montecfo]

I have never found Sunday Ticket to be a value. I would like to see the option to buy a single team or single games.

Would definitely consider YTTV if packages make sense.

 

[Northforker]

GOOGL which owns Youtube paid $2 billion for NFL Sunday ticket. DIRECTV had 2 million subscribers at $300/each = $600 million. GOOGL has to make up at least $1.4 billion to break even somewhere. More ads?, higher base prices for YTTV?, higher price for sunday ticket?. There is no free lunch, somebody's gonna pay, I'll bet it's not GOOGL.

 

[Sue J]

I have had NFL Sunday ticket this season. I did not subscribe or pay for it. It was a gift from DirecTV for being a long time customer. But they didn't notify me, I saw the info when I paused a show and the screensaver showed up and it said I had NFL Sunday Ticket.

I don't watch football at all but our 38 year old son has been coming over to take advantage of it. He likes the Red Zone channel which plays live highlights from 3 games all on at the same time. I tried to keep up with it but kept getting lost when they would switch between games.

Is the regular price really $300? For football fans this would be great. I'm glad my son got to use it, it would have been wasted on us.

 

[threeonesix]

GOOGL which owns Youtube paid $2 billion for NFL Sunday ticket. DIRECTV had 2 million subscribers at $300/each = $600 million. GOOGL has to make up at least $1.4 billion to break even somewhere. More ads?, higher base prices for YTTV?, higher price for sunday ticket?. There is no free lunch, somebody's gonna pay, I'll bet it's not GOOGL.

You're not counting businesses that pay for Sunday Ticket. Those more than make up for that missing $1.4B. Sports bars pay at least 10 times what individual consumers pay.

 

[Northforker]

Do you have any numbers of business subscribers and rates?

 

[threeonesix]

Do you have any numbers of business subscribers and rates?

I don't, but I do have a friend that owns a bar & grill. He said the cost is around $600 for every 4 TV's in your bar. He has a small bar but still has over 20 TV's. He said it wasn't worth the price but most sports bars likely subscribe anyway. I had always heard that bars were the bread and butter for Sunday Ticket sales.

 

[Trooper]

I had always heard that bars were the bread and butter for Sunday Ticket sales.

I would believe that. Looks like fans may need YTTV anyway, as Sunday night games are moving there (from NBC) from what I understand.

 

[zinger1457]

From what I've read Youtube also plans on offering NFL Sunday Ticket as a standalone package, so you don't have to be a YoutubeTV subscriber, that opens it up to a much bigger audience.

 

[Finance Dave]

What kind of internet type and speed do you have? Some with dish do not have great internet options. You will want to make sure you have a good mid tier download speed and a good router.

YTTV is the best streaming option. You likely will want to have one of the newer/faster streaming devices to have the best experience. The DVR is excellent and the channel list can be completely customized. Compared to the mess of SD, Digital and HD channels on DirecTV you will likely be in heaven.

It will be interesting to see what the price is. I'm sure the price will go up to help pay the $2 billion price tag.

I have DSL...decent speed but if you're looking for a number I don't have that. I have a decent router.

Still researching.

 

[Finance Dave]

I have had NFL Sunday ticket this season. I did not subscribe or pay for it. It was a gift from DirecTV for being a long time customer. But they didn't notify me, I saw the info when I paused a show and the screensaver showed up and it said I had NFL Sunday Ticket.

I don't watch football at all but our 38 year old son has been coming over to take advantage of it. He likes the Red Zone channel which plays live highlights from 3 games all on at the same time. I tried to keep up with it but kept getting lost when they would switch between games.

Is the regular price really $300? For football fans this would be great. I'm glad my son got to use it, it would have been wasted on us.

Well, I don't want to bust your bubble, but they did not give it to you for being a long time customer...there was a lot of politics involved in this and almost everyone got it free for the past two years because they were trying to sell DirectTV to ATT. They didn't want to lose customers during this time, as it lowers the "value" of DirectTV as they go through due diligence. The retail price has changed over the years, but the most recent I recall is $400.

 

[Finance Dave]

From what I've read Youtube also plans on offering NFL Sunday Ticket as a standalone package, so you don't have to be a YoutubeTV subscriber, that opens it up to a much bigger audience.

Yes I've heard that too...it will all depend on the price and service level...for example if they have DVR capability, can you skip commercials, red zone channel, and so on.

 

[Trooper]

Well, I don't want to bust your bubble, but they did not give it to you for being a long time customer...there was a lot of politics involved in this and almost everyone got it free for the past two years because they were trying to sell DirectTV to ATT. They didn't want to lose customers during this time, as it lowers the "value" of DirectTV as they go through due diligence.

Good point; hadn't thought of that. Plus DirecTV was probably aware they were gonna lose NFL Ticket to Google anyway so...