By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –@tvanswerman
Author of TV Dot Com

With the NFL regular season now over, this is a good time to issue a first season report card to Google/YouTube as the exclusive rights holder of the NFL Sunday Ticket. Let’s look at how the streaming service did in some of the basic categories such as picture quality, technical performance and customer service.

How Did the NFL Sunday Ticket Look?

Picture Quality: A+
Google announced before the season that it would provide the games in 1080p HD, noting that it couldn’t do 4K because Fox and CBS don’t offer regular season contests in 4K. (The Sunday Ticket games are broadcast feeds from Fox and CBS.) The picture quality was exceptional from week one with many viewers commenting on social media how it was superior to the images broadcast by local network affiliates. So I will give the YouTube picture an A+, a rating usually reserved for a great 4K picture, because it’s delivering the best possible picture under the circumstances. Hopefully, during the off-season, Google can use its influence with the league and the networks to encourage some games in 4K in 2024.

Did the Sunday Ticket Have Technical Issues?

Technical Performance: B+
For 17 out of 18 weeks, YouTube’s Sunday Ticket stream was nearly flawless, free of any widespread glitches that often occur during high-profile live streaming events. The streamer did fumble in week eight as fans experienced frequent buffering and blank screens during games and when attempting to switch from one game to another. The technical difficulties were not unexpected, but many analysts and fans (myself included) thought it would happen more frequently during the season.

The other technical glitch that YouTube experienced during the season was an occasional issue with the number of streams a subscriber could use with one subscription. YouTube said before the season that a Sunday Ticket user had unlimited streams at home and up to two while away from home. However, many subscribers reported getting occasional messages saying they could use only two streams in total. It didn’t happen to everyone or every week, but it was an annoyance for too many, particularly when you consider a subscription cost at least $249.

Did the Sunday Ticket Have Streaming Delays?

The streamer also gets praise for dramatically reducing the time lag on the Sunday Ticket stream compared to real-time action. Most live streaming events are anywhere from 30-60 seconds behind the real-time play. This is partially because streaming services have to delay the stream to monitor it for possible glitches before it reaches the home. (There are other reasons – you can read about them here.) But YouTube has been able to reduce the delay to 20 seconds or less, which is a tremendous accomplishment. The Ticket feeds were even ahead of the NFL RedZone feeds.

YouTube should also get praise for its Multiview feature which provides up to four games on one screen at the same time. While DIRECTV also provided multi-screen displays of the Ticket, YouTube gets credit for offering multiple Multiviews during the games. That doesn’t totally alleviate fan concerns about not being able to choose which games are in YouTube’s Multiview, but it helps. Perhaps YouTube can provide Multiview customization in 2024.

Sunday Ticket: Did It Have Good Customer Service?

Customer Service: B
Again, until week eight, YouTube excelled in this category. Before the season, the streamer’s customer service team quickly responded to subscriber questions about how the Ticket would be different from DIRECTV and other issues. And once the season began, the good work continued on social media, in forums such as Reddit and the YouTube customer help page. The company seemed hell bent to satisfy every possible concern to ensure it would get the most subscribers possible.

However, after the week eight debacle, the team didn’t just fumble; it was a pick six. The company acknowledged the glitches on game day at its social media sites, but it basically went radio silent after that. YouTube did not offer updates on the technical problems for four days until a company executive told a Sports Business Journal conference she was confident there would be no issues on the next Sunday (November 5). Plus, YouTube did not offer rebates for the technical issues, in contrast to DIRECTV which provided credits last year when its streaming feed for the Ticket experienced widespread glitches.

Hopefully, YouTube will learn that prompt customer service is required in good times and bad.

Also in the customer service department, Google offered lowered prices for the Sunday Ticket as the season progressed. That may seem like it was a no-brainer but how many companies fail to consider the remaining time for a product/service when setting the price?

What Grade Would You Give YouTube’s Sunday Ticket?

Overall Grade: A-
Based on YouTube’s Sunday Ticket picture and relatively strong technical performance, I would give it a solid A-. The areas of improvement are customer service, Multiview customization and plugging some technical glitches. But overall, it was an impressive first season.

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.

The TV Answer Man is veteran journalist Phillip Swann who has covered the TV technology scene for more than three decades. He will report on the latest news and answer your questions regarding new devices and services that are changing the way you watch television. See the bio for Phillip Swann here.