There may not be a sports-related TV service that generates more contrasting views regarding its value and efficacy than the NFL Sunday Ticket.
Every week during the NFL regular season, fans crowd social media sites such as Twitter to discuss their feelings about the package of out-of-market Sunday afternoon games, which is available on DIRECTV, and to some non-DIRECTV subscribers in select markets. Some love to brag that they have it; some are angry that they can’t get it; and others who do have it are incensed it’s not doing what they think it should.
Sports certainly can enflame emotions, both good and bad. But the Sunday Ticket seems to be a lightning rod for all kinds of personal grievances as well as expressions of sheer joy. I counted more than 100 tweets yesterday about the Ticket on Twitter, and I had to stop counting. They just continued and continued.
The free-fall of opinions about a NFL TV package is almost as interesting as watching a NFL game itself. (Note: Some profanity included below. Surprised?)
I really paid for NFL Sunday Ticket Max to watch my team lose every week.. pic.twitter.com/v02NcTEgrx
— PhillyTheBoss.com (@PhillyTheBoss) October 18, 2020
https://twitter.com/yungjollyboy/status/1317974412310704128
They want to increase Sunday Ticket sales, too bad we can just find links https://t.co/KxAv3pWIZ9
— Nickelus F (@n_dubb56) October 18, 2020
https://twitter.com/kantguardme/status/1317904920717164546
https://twitter.com/newmanclature/status/1317962239370932224
Myself and @ericbosox saw that live!! God bless the Sunday Ticket app! #JetDown #FinsUp
— Chris Ricker (@MrRicker) October 18, 2020
My Sunday ticket app isn’t even working on my Roku. Only on my phone.
— D (@___Danimal) October 18, 2020
I'm a jets fan, but I am dam glad I have the Sunday Ticket or else I'd have to watch the giants and Jets every dam week
— Gustavo Escobar (@GustavoEsco1077) October 18, 2020
The fact that DIRECTV has an exclusive contract with the league to offer the package is a major source of some of the derision about the Ticket. However, the satcaster has had that exclusive since the Ticket launched in 1994, and it pays the league a princely sum of roughly $1.5 billion a year for the privilege.
But fans can’t understand why the NFL doesn’t simply open it up to anyone. And it makes them mad.
How does the @NFL have so many barriers to consume their product? Unreal how limited the number of games are on any given Sunday. I would pay for Sunday ticket without DirectTV but my area gets it because I don’t live in the woods so no can do. The NFL sucks
— Anthony Caselnova (@CNova754) October 18, 2020
The only Ogdensburg bar with Sunday NFL Ticket is also openly pro-Trump and openly contemptuous of COVID safety measures. Guess I’m watching 🏈 at home 🤷🏾♂️ pic.twitter.com/wLAOefLXKd
— Sean Pidgeon (@Sean_Pidgeon) October 18, 2020
And some people who are able to access the streaming version of the Ticket aren’t always happy that they did:
Also my Sunday Ticket app has glitched out on me like 4 times today, just now on that play before the warning. Something buggy, @DIRECTV @DIRECTVService?
— Lou DiPietro (@LouDiPietroWFAN) October 18, 2020
If you want to do something for the American people @JeffBezos do what you have to do to buy NFL Sunday ticket & make it affordable…. cause FUCK @DIRECTV
— Wholesome Hotboy (@imsupaflyjimmy) October 18, 2020
Mike Ryan Ruiz, executive producer of The Dan Le Batard show on ESPN, yesterday complained on Twitter that his local stations in South Florida were airing only two NFL games. Told by a follower that he should get the Sunday Ticket, Ruiz suggested he would rather engage in piracy before subscribing to DIRECTV:
I just moved and installed a home theater. Why would I sign up for DirecTV for one year? They’re not putting any more satellites in the sky. They’ve said as much. This is the last year of their Sunday Ticket agreement. The more practical answer is committing some sort of piracy.
— Mike Ryan (Ruiz) 🙌🏽 (@MichaelRyanRuiz) October 18, 2020
Considering that the Sunday Ticket has been a source of frustration for non-DIRECTV customers for 26 years, it’s not too surprising that there are such strong feelings about it. America loves football and getting the Sunday Ticket would be like finding the Holy Grail for some.
First you assumed I didn’t watch. Then you said you know I don’t cause I don’t have Sunday ticket. Then you tried talking down on me. Followed by you bringing my other teams up. Lmao. You must hump your Gurley bed set while you sleep.
— GFMD (@HouLAPhx) October 18, 2020
But until DIRECTV’s exclusive contract expires after the 2022 season — or if it decides to allow more non-DIRECTV subscribers to get the Ticket — it will be a thing that America loves and hates. And sometimes because of its huge price ($295 for the basic version on DIRECTV), something it hates to love.
Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvpredictions.com. Please include your first name and hometown in your message.
— Phillip Swann
I was an original DirecTV subscriber. I also had PrimeStar (remember that?) that DirectTV bought. Had Sunday ticket for 2 years when it was first introduced. Didn’t make sense when there were weekends that I had things to do and could not watch. The following year they raised the price (almost double) and I said no thanks. Last year I had RedZone via Sling TV. Now I get RedZone for $11.95, which includes extra sports channels (great international soccer matches), via YouTubeTV and I’m very happy with it. Yes, it’s football for those with ADD but, it works for me. When DirecTV officially dies (no subscribers expect rural folks) and the DOJ refuses a Dish Network merger, expect AT&T TV to make a play for Sunday Ticket. Then the world will end.
Mr. Swann, you follow Twitter? Oh,my! That can’t be good for your mental health….
by the same way Comcast has not allowed Portland Blazer games for over 10? years now, and has basically given Diss a sweet deal for Pac 12, but won’t give Directv anything///,Comcast and Direct are bitter enemies so since i choose to have Direct, I got the NFL, but not mu local college or NBA team
Directv could have both if they wanted to but they refuse to pay for them. But now that they have the Dodgers channel they may eventually get the Pac 12 Network. But I don’t know if they will ever get Comcast Sports Northwest.
I got ripped off from an NFL Ticket order I made.. I diputed it with my bank, was also told I would recieve a refund after filing the didpute.. I got the refund.. Then a couple months later I looked at my bank transaction history and saw that my dispute and refund was reversed (after I closed my account with NFL Network), and am being billed again for the $53.44 I was charged for a game I never was able to view..