Updated: DIRECTV Wants New Deal For NFL Sunday Ticket For Bars

By Phillip Swann
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DIRECTV tells The TV Answer Man that it’s still open to a new agreement with EverPass Media to distribute the NFL Sunday Ticket to commercial establishments during the 2026 season.

The TV provider issued that statement after Sportico reported last night that EverPass Media has informed businesses that it will be the exclusive distributor of the Ticket starting in 2026.

EverPass Media, which won the commercial rights to the football package in 2023, shared the distribution with DIRECTV during the past three seasons, fearing that bars and restaurants could have difficulty streaming the games. (Commercial venues were already set up with DIRECTV satellite receivers.)

DIRECTV says that streaming could still be a problem for many bars and restaurants.

“EverPass is forcing businesses to adopt its streaming-only distribution model rather than continuing to work with the established platform that bars and restaurants rely on,” a DIRECTV spokeswoman said. “That shift would require businesses to test, upgrade, and invest in new equipment and connectivity to support a platform that remains unproven in multi-screen commercial settings. At a time when many businesses are already managing rising costs and tight margins, this approach risks adding financial pressures and operational complexity. Sports TV rights fragmentation, costs, and the questionable technological reliability of streaming in commercial environments have become hot-button issues for the bar and restaurant industry.”

It’s unclear if EverPass Media would entertain revisiting the DIRECTV deal. The Sportico article quotes EverPass Media telling commercial venues that there would be only one “authorized” solution for 2026.

“Our mission is simple: aggregate the premium live sports your guests care about into one authorized, easy-to-use solution for businesses,” an email from EverPass to customers said, according to Sportico. “Anchored by NFL Sunday Ticket, we continue investing in content, technology, and partnerships to help you create a game day experience your guests can’t get at home.”

The TV Answer Man has asked EverPass for a comment and will report back here if we get a response.

Update: EverPass issued this statement:

“The way premium live sports are distributed is evolving rapidly as commercial rights shift to streaming. EverPass is leading that transition with a purpose-built, commercial-grade platform designed specifically for bars, restaurants, and other out-of-home venues, delivering a solution built for where the industry is going, not where it has been. 

As the exclusive commercial rights holder since 2023, EverPass will become the sole distribution platform for NFL Sunday Ticket beginning with the 2026 NFL season, providing businesses with a modern, reliable solution aligned with how the industry is evolving. 

We remain focused on helping commercial establishments navigate this transition with confidence, providing the support, simplicity, and reliability operators need to succeed in a streaming-first environment.  

We value our longstanding relationship with DIRECTV and are grateful for their partnership over the years. Our commitment remains unchanged: to modernize how premium live sports are delivered and ensure commercial establishments navigate this transition with confidence.”

Sportico reports that bars and restaurants can use Xumo boxes or EverPass Media hardware to receive the Sunday Ticket signals.

DIRECTV had the exclusive residential and commercial rights to the Ticket from the package’s inception in 1994 to 2023 when YouTube TV bought the consumer rights.

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