According to reports, Google will pay $2 billion per year for the out-of-market gaming package.
The streaming service has acquired the NFL Sunday Ticket package, which provides access to out-of-market games that are telecast on FOX and CBS every Sunday.
The rights to Sunday Ticket have been held by DirecTV since 1994, but the package will be moved to Google’s streaming service next season.
Sunday Ticket will be accessible as an add-on for YouTube TV customers and a solo option on YouTube Primetime Channels, an à la carte service launched last month.
DirecTV’s Sunday Ticket plans for the 2022 season began at $294.
However, DirecTV is estimated to have 1.5 million to 2 million Sunday Ticket customers, and the package has been losing money for years.
The NFL and YouTube will “work together to find other methods to promote the distribution of NFL Sunday Ticket at commercial facilities like pubs and restaurants,” according to a statement. According to the Journal, this may result in YouTube giving the league an additional $200 million every year.
The NFL and YouTube have been working together for several years, beginning with the launch of the league’s official channel on the platform in 2015.
Other sports networks, such as those from the NBA and MLB, are also available on YouTube TV, but having exclusive rights to a bundle that includes many out-of-market NFL games is expected to attract additional people.
Amazon Prime Video has signed an 11-year agreement to stream Thursday Night Football games, which began this season.
Apple is also expanding its presence in live sports, with a 10-year agreement to stream every Major League Soccer game through Apple TV beginning in 2023.
Comments