By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man – @tvanswerman
TV Answer Man, I subscribed to the NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube Primetime Channels so I don’t have to get the YouTube TV subscription. It’s more expensive but I think I save money in the long run. My question is that I don’t see any way to record stuff on YouTube Primetime so how can I record games on Ticket? Am I s— out of luck on recording? — Gary, Norfolk, Virginia.
Gary, Google, which this year has the rights to the Sunday Ticket after it was an exclusive on DIRECTV for 28 seasons, is offering the package on YouTube TV and YouTube Primetime Channels. The latter’s plans are more expensive, but it doesn’t require the $72.99 a month YouTube TV subscription. So in the long run, it’s true that you would spend less if you get the Ticket via Primetime Channels. Of course, if you were planning to get YouTube TV anyway, that’s a different story. The Ticket would be less expensive with YouTube TV.
Since Google offered the two options, many fans have written The TV Answer Man to express confusion over how the two services will be different and whether you will lose certain features if you get one instead of the other. Primetime Channels, which also includes the ability to subscribe and watch premium networks/services such as Showtime, Starz and the NBA League Pass, does not have a recording feature. (YouTube TV has unlimited DVR recording) You can watch live programming and access select on-demand titles on Primetime Channels, but you can’t decide what to record and watch later.
But there is a way to order the Sunday Ticket through Primetime Channels and still record all the games. How? Fans who subscribe to the Ticket using Primetime Channels will be allowed access to the YouTube TV app by entering their Sunday Ticket account e-mail address and password. Once in, you will have full access to YouTube TV’s Sunday Ticket features, which include all out-of-market Sunday afternoon games, unlimited DVR recordings and the Multiview feature. (Four games on one screen.)
You won’t be able to watch the rest of the YouTube TV lineup; that will still require a $72.99 a month subscription. But the Ticket’s features will be yours as if you were a full-fledged YouTube TV customer.
Gary, hope that helps. Happy viewing and stay safe!
Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvanswerman.com Please include your first name and hometown in your message.
— Phillip Swann
@tvanswerman
