Can You Share Your NFL Sunday Ticket Password With a Friend?

By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –Follow me on X.

TV Answer Man, I live in Rockville (Maryland) and I want to subscribe to the NFL Sunday Ticket but I want to split the cost with my friend in upstate New York and then give him my password. Is that possible and okay with YouTube? — Barry, Rockville, Maryland.

Barry, the NFL Sunday Ticket is costly and even more expensive this year ($379 via the YouTube TV bundle and $479 with YouTube Primetime Channels). So it would be helpful if you could split the cost of a subscription with a friend or loved one and then share your password.

But can it be done? Answer: Yes!

Google in May 2023 waived its two-stream max for the Ticket, saying subscribers will have unlimited streams to watch the games at home and two additional streams when watching away from home. That opened the door to password sharing (and subscription splitting), allowing two friends and/or family members outside the home (even outside your market) to use your Ticket’s account to watch the games.

There has been some confusion over this practice because YouTube TV has a rule that anyone using your account must use it in your home on occasion. But I have asked YouTube TV’s support team if you can share a Ticket account with a person outside the household. And, whether that person would need to use his or her device in your home at some point. The support team said that is the rule for YouTube TV, but an exception is made for Sunday Ticket subscribers.

So if you get the Ticket from either YouTube TV or YouTube Primetime Channels, you can share the password with up to two people outside the house thanks to the new two-stream rule for using the Ticket away from home. Just be sure those people use your e-mail address when signing in. Otherwise, they will not be able to log in.

Last note: I confirmed recently with Google that Device Location, not Mailing Address, determines which games you get with the Sunday Ticket. In your case, you would get the games not televised locally on Sunday afternoon in the Washington, D.C. market while your friend in upstate New York should get the games not broadcast locally there.

Barry, 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.

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.