YouTube TV’s NFL Sunday Ticket is Actually Cheaper Than It Was on DIRECTV… for Now
NFL fans can be forgiven for thinking that they’d be able to save big money once NFL Sunday Ticket moved to YouTube TV. After all, streaming is generally considered to be much less expensive than a cable or satellite subscription, so the monthly cost of Sunday Ticket should come in at a significantly lower price point this season, right?
Fans were sorely disabused of that notion this week, when YouTube TV revealed what it would be charging consumers to access Sunday Ticket when football returns this fall. There is currently a presale discount available until June 6, but after that YouTube TV customers can purchase season-long access to Sunday Ticket for $349 on top of their $72.99 per month subscription. That’s still less than purchasing Sunday Ticket a la carte will cost; customers without a YouTube TV subscription will have to shell out $449 for a season’s worth of out-of-market NFL games this year.
Is NFL Sunday Ticket More or Less Expensive Than it Was on DIRECTV?
If you’re willing to sign up early, you can actually save a little money on Sunday Ticket in 2023. The package will be cheaper this year than it was last year as long as you’re a YouTube TV customer who signs up before June 6.
This is because of the special $100 discount YouTube TV is offering both new and existing customers if they sign up early. That will bring the cost of Sunday Ticket to $249 for YouTube TV subscribers. The NFL regular season is around four months long, so four months’ worth of YouTube TV service at $72.99 per month plus the one-time payment for Sunday Ticket (with the early bird discount) comes out to $540.96.
That’s a bit less expensive than the $553.90 it cost to get Sunday Ticket with no RedZone channel addition on DIRECTV in 2022 ($293.94 plus $64.99 per month for DIRECTV for four months equals $553.90).
The discount gets even more pronounced for users who want access to the RedZone channel on top of their Sunday Ticket package. YouTube TV is offering a bundle of RedZone and Sunday Ticket for $389 for current YouTube TV users, but with the $100 early purchase discount that comes down to $289. With four months of YouTube TV service included to account for football season, that comes out to $580.96 total.
That price was $655.95 on DIRECTV in 2022, including NFL Sunday Ticket Max. That plan offered Sunday Ticket, RedZone, and DIRECTV Fantasy Zone, which YouTube TV will not offer this season. The bottom line, however, is that YouTube TV customers who decide to sign up for NFL Sunday Ticket before June 6 can get it more cheaply than when it was available on DIRECTV.
What If You’re Not a YouTube TV Subscriber, or Don’t Want to Buy Sunday Ticket Before June 6?
In either of these cases, you’ll find yourself paying more for extra flexibility. Non-YouTube TV users can still purchase NFL Sunday Ticket by itself or bundled with RedZone without a monthly YouTube TV subscription, and can still save $100 by purchasing before June 6.
However, the package will cost more in that eventuality. Non-subscribers will be charged $349 for just Sunday Ticket, or $389 if they want to add in RedZone before June 6. After that date, the rates jump to $449/$489, depending on which product you opt for.
If you are a YouTube TV subscriber but you’d rather wait until football season is closer to subscribe to Sunday Ticket, your price will also increase. After June 6, YouTube TV customers will have to pay $349 for just Sunday Ticket, and $389 for the RedZone bundle, on top of their $72.99 monthly subscription cost.
In either case, the price will jump above what users of Sunday Ticket on DIRECTV were paying in 2022. Either choice gives a user more flexibility, but they’ll have to fork over a little extra for that privilege.
What About the Student Discount?
DIRECTV used to offer students or recent graduates a fantastic discount on their Sunday Ticket service. Students could grab the package for $120 per season if they lived in a dorm or apartment without the ability to connect to a satellite dish. Recent graduates (within 18 months of graduation) also got a discount, allowing them to watch for as little as $200 per year.
According to YouTube TV’s FAQ, currently, the streamer does not offer a student discount on the Sunday Ticket. Sunday Ticket subscriptions are a great way for college students far from home to stay connected to their favorite team, so hopefully YouTube TV changes its mind and continues this discount program.
NFL Sunday Ticket
NFL Sunday Ticket is a subscription video streaming service that allows football fans to watch every live out-of-market NFL game on Sunday afternoons on YouTube or YouTube TV.