By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man – @tvanswerman

TV Answer Man, I’ve been thinking of getting the NFL Sunday Ticket but I am wondering if they will lower the price at some point. What’s your take? Should I wait a few weeks? — Charles, Madison, Wisconsin.
Charles, YouTube TV is now charging $349 for the base NFL Sunday Ticket plan with an extra $40 for the package that includes the NFL RedZone channel. (Those prices also require a subscription to YouTube TV.) YouTube TV Primetime Channels is charging $449 for the base Ticket and $489 for the Ticket bundled with the RedZone. (The Primetime Channels Ticket does not require a YouTube TV sub.) With five weeks gone in the 18-week regular season, those are some hefty prices. But could YouTube soon lower the price with the season almost one-third done? Answer: Likely.

DIRECTV, which had the Sunday Ticket as an exclusive for 28 years, last year shaved approximately $70 off the price with 11 weeks left in the season. YouTube, owned by Google, is not DIRECTV and it has different marketing concerns here. But the company has followed DIRECTV’s path on several other Ticket initiatives this season so it would not surprise me if YouTube lowers the Ticket price after two more weeks of play, if not sooner. If it were to reduce the base price by $70, that would bring YouTube TV’s Ticket entry to $279 and YouTube Primetime Channels to $379.

Mary Ellen Coe, YouTube’s chief business officer, signaled recently that a mid-season price discount is likely. “That’s something that’s in the mix. Ultimately, we want to make sure that pricing is relative to what the user-value proposition is,” Coe told Deadline.

Many subscribers have also clamored for YouTube to offer single-game or single-week plans. But there’s no indication that it’s coming this season, although a mid-season price adjustment would be a great time to implement a la carte ordering, in my humble opinion.

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

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— Phillip Swann
@tvanswerman