Sports fans rejoice, NFL Sunday Ticket is coming to YouTube TV and YouTube Primetime Channels starting with the 2023 season. Previously a traditional pay-TV exclusive from DirecTV, streamers will now be able to enjoy their Sunday afternoon NFL games either as a digital TV bundle through YouTube TV, or through YouTube’s Primetime Channels a la carte.
YouTube TV’s NFL Sunday Ticket includes both out-of-market Sunday games, and regular-season NFL games that are broadcast on CBS and FOX. The latter is based on the viewer’s location. Pricing has yet to be determined, but which route you go will largely depend on the type of viewing experiencing you desire in addition to NFL Sunday Ticket, as there are benefits to both. More information will be available before the season begins!
The Two Options
YouTube TV is a streaming service that is a sweet alternative to cable, with over 100 channels for viewers to choose from. There is a plethora of channels for movies, TV shows, news, and sports. Some notable channels include ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN, CNN, MSNBC, and the NFL Network. There are also plenty of add-on options to customize the experience. YouTube TV can be viewed from phones, tablets, computers, TVs, and projectors, and has features like viewing sports highlights, checking real-time stats and hiding spoilers. It also has unlimited cloud DVR storage. NFL Sunday Ticket is an add-on package in this option.
YouTube Primetime Channels works via the YouTube app, allowing viewers to watch their favorite streaming services all in one place. Services like SHOWTIME, STARZ, Paramount+, AMC+, ViX+, and more, are available via YouTube Primetime Channels. Watch movies, TV shows, sports, and other preferred content without app-hopping, and pay a single subscription price. NFL Sunday Ticket would be added a la carte in this option.
Make the Switch
If you’re not already a subscriber to YouTube TV or YouTube Primetime Channels and you’re a sports fan, there’s plenty of incentives to make the switch from traditional pay-TV (just know you will also need a supported streaming device, such as the Roku Ultra, or smart TV, to download and launch the YouTube TV app). The official NFL Channel launched on YouTube in 2015. Now, over 10 million subscribers watch the channel, which has game-day compilations, clips and highlights, as well as exclusive original content series for inside access to the huddle and on the sidelines during games.
Since stepping into the YouTube scene, NFL has expanded their presence to include plenty of channels for football fans. Ten official league channels and channels for the 32 NFL clubs, NFL Network, Mundo NFL (the NFL’s Hispanic channel), and even NFL films. 2020 saw the introduction of NFL Network and NFL RedZone to YouTube TV.
The new agreement between the NFL and Google, owner of YouTube, does more than bring NFL Sunday Ticket to YouTube TV. Expect even more content on the NFL Channel. There will be a bespoke NFL International show introduced to YouTube, and something exciting for content creators. Top YouTube creators can anticipate a content creator program – and yes, this will be global. Select YouTube Creators will get exclusive access to “official content and attendance opportunities at key NFL tentpole events,” according to YouTube’s recent blog. As part of the agreement, YouTube is now the presenting sponsor of Back Together Saturday and NFL Kickoff Weekend.
YouTube TV vs Cable
YouTube TV is currently running a special for $54.99 for your first 3 months, $64.99 per month thereafter (normally $64.99/mo). At first glace, YouTube TV looks like a bargain! It may be, but consider:
Are you bundling your cable and internet with your current provider? If so, dropping your cable may send your internet bill soaring into numbers you find yourself quite unhappy to pay.
As it stands, there are three options that you might find most attractive. Which you choose will depend on your unique circumstances:
- Traditional Cable + Internet
This is the most expensive, but will get you all your channels, including sports and NFL Sunday Ticket, as well as internet, all bundled. It may, once you add up the costs of other subscriptions – such as add-on channels to YouTube TV, or paying for other streaming services, on top of internet – end up being a bargain or a wash.
- Traditional Internet + YouTube TV
This is potentially slightly more affordable, depending on carrier/internet speed, and the add-ons or lack thereof on YouTube TV, as well as any other streaming services you might have (Netflix, Prime, Hulu, Apple TV, etc.)
- T-Mobile 5G Home Internet + YouTube TV
This is the most affordable option, if T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is available in your area, or your apartment/condo complex (if you live in one).
Our editor, Art Feierman, used Xfinity for a bundle of cable and internet, and received a $20 discount for having two services with them. Without the cable, the internet goes up to $119 per month. A separate discount of $49 is about to expire, and when that happens, the price of his fast internet will jump to $169 without cable. Essentially, losing the cable side of the bundle makes the internet more expensive, and that’s how cable companies get you to stay with them.
Art is in the process of dropping cable for YouTube TV, and at the same time, cable-based internet (goodbye Xfinity). His $99 internet will become a $50/mo bill when he switches to T-Mobile 5G Internet. Below, we’ve outlined some of the costs so you can see for yourself.
With YouTube TV + T-Mobile 5G Home Internet:
$64.99/mo ($10/mo less for first 3 months)
$50 for T-Mobile
Total: $115/month (plus taxes and tags)
YouTube TV and Xfinity Fast Internet
$169 for Fast Internet (without any promos available) ($119 with a one-year promo if available!)
$64.99/mo ($10/mo less for first 3 months)
Total: $185 – $235/month (plus taxes and tags)
Xfinity Cable and Fast Internet
$235 for both
-$20 for two bundle
Total: $219 (unless you can get a 1 year $50/month promo discount; the one Art is about to lose, and we don’t know if it is still available)
There are other differences, such as DVR etc. we won’t get into here (YouTube TV has DVR). Combining YouTube TV (or competing Hulu+) will definitely save you money, as long as you can come up with an affordable alternative to cable-based internet, which T-Mobile 5G Home Internet does affordably.
Bottom line: Art expects to replace Xfinity for everything with YouTube TV and 5G Home Internet and start out with a savings of about $50/month over his Xfinity total cost. But real savings will be close to $100 once his promo expired in two months.
The Bottom Line
There are plenty of enticing reasons to make the switch to YouTube TV or YouTube Primetime Channels from pay-TV if viewers haven’t already. For committed YouTube subscribers and football fans, the addition of NFL Sunday Ticket should come as welcome news! Updates on the pricing and features of NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube TV and YouTube Primetime Channels will come before the 2023 season starts, and will be available this fall, so stay on the edge of your seats for when it kicks off.
