“Sunday Ticket” has been on DirecTV since 1994, but their latest deal with the NFL is set to expire at the end of this season.
YouTube TV has emerged as the favorite to land the NFL’s “Sunday Ticket” package at out-of-market games, but the sides have not finalized a deal, two people with knowledge of the negotiations said. said Tuesday evening.
A deal could be announced as early as Wednesday, according to the people, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss financials and the deal is still being negotiated. .
The Wall Street Journal first reported that YouTube TV, which is owned by Google, was the frontrunner for a package that would allow fans to watch any Sunday afternoon game.
“Sunday Ticket” has been on DirecTV since 1994. In its most recent deal with the NFL, the satellite provider paid $1.5 billion per year over an eight-year deal that expires at the end of this season.
Viewers pay about $300 per season for “Sunday Ticket,” which averages 2 million subscribers. As of August, DirecTV had a total of 13.9 million subscribers.
This will be the second time in less than two years that the NFL has partnered with a streaming service to air games. The league’s 11-year deal with Amazon Prime Video for Thursday night games began this season.
In addition to Amazon, Apple and ESPN were considered “Sunday Ticket” contenders.
Google said in June that YouTube TV, which launched in 2017, had surpassed 5 million accounts and was the largest Internet-based pay TV service in the U.S., including free promotional trials. But users are included.