NFL's Sunday Ticket is Close to a Streaming Deal with Youtube

The NFL is reportedly close to a deal with Google's YouTube to bring its Sunday Ticket package of out-of-market games to the streaming platform. The deal would mark a significant shift for the NFL, as Sunday Ticket has been exclusively available through DirecTV since 1994. The move to streaming follows a trend in the sports industry, as more and more content shifts away from traditional carriers and onto streaming services.

The financial details of the deal have not been disclosed, but it is believed that the NFL was seeking more than $2 billion per year for Sunday Ticket. DirecTV has been paying an average of $1.5 billion annually for the package, and it is unclear if YouTube has agreed to the NFL's asking price. It is also unclear how YouTube will price the package for its customers, and whether it will offer individual team or game packages, or require a subscription to YouTube TV or YouTube Premium.

While the move to YouTube may make Sunday Ticket more accessible to fans, it remains to be seen if the package will be as lucrative for the NFL as it has been for DirecTV. The value of Sunday Ticket has decreased in recent years due to the proliferation of national windows for games, such as Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime, Christmas Day games, and a third Thanksgiving Day game. It is possible that DirecTV could retain a portion of Sunday Ticket through a carve-out for bars and restaurants, as it currently sublicenses Thursday Night Football to these establishments.

The deal between the NFL and YouTube is not yet final, as it must still be voted on by team owners. Both the NFL and YouTube declined to comment on the reports.