TV Answer Man, I haven’t received an e-mail from DIRECTV saying I am getting the Sunday Ticket for free. Is it too late? Does this mean I won’t get it for free? Why am I not getting it for free? I’ve had DIRECTV for 12 years! — Roger, Corsicana, Texas. 

Roger, as you know, I reported last week that some DIRECTV subscribers have posted messages on social media sites saying they received e-mails from the satcaster indicating they will get the Sunday Ticket’s Max package for free during the 2021 season. The Max plan, which includes the RedZone Channel and Fantasy league channel, normally costs $395. (The Ticket’s base plan, which costs $293, does not include those two channels. Both plans include access to the streaming edition of the Ticket.)

DIRECTV later confirmed that it is giving Sunday Ticket for free to “select customers.” The satcaster would not say how many subscribers are getting it for free, or why some are and some aren’t. But this is similar to last year when DIRECTV issued free Max plans to certain customers as part of a loyalty program.

Click Amazon: See Today’s Top TV Discounts!

If you’re a DIRECTV subscriber, and you haven’t received the e-mail by now, you probably won’t. The e-mails were issued last week and it’s unlikely that the satellite service will deliver another batch.

But here’s what you can do to get the NFL Sunday Ticket for free: Call them. Or send an e-mail to customer service. Tell them that you are a loyal customer and you want to get the Sunday Ticket for free as others have.

I can’t guarantee it will work; in fact, the odds are not good that it won’t. But several DIRECTV customers have posted messages on social media sites saying they have tried this and it worked for them. So give it a try. At the least, DIRECTV might give you a credit off your bill, or a free premium channel for a few months.

Roger, hope that helps. Happy viewing, and stay safe!

Need to buy something today? Please buy it using this Amazon.com link. This site receives a small portion of each purchase, which helps us continue to provide these articles.

Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvpredictions.com

— Phillip Swann