The NFL Sunday Ticket allows viewers to watch any NFL game of their choosing, regardless of their location. It is a premium service offered by DIRECTV and AT&T TV that provides access to all out-of-market NFL games. However, there are some requirements and limitations that impact one’s ability to “just get” the NFL Sunday Ticket.
What is the NFL Sunday Ticket?
The NFL Sunday Ticket is a sports programming package that broadcasts most NFL regular season games outside of a viewer’s local market. This allows fans to follow their favorite team even if they live outside of that team’s television market.
The NFL Sunday Ticket package includes all Sunday afternoon games, Sunday night games on NBC, Monday night games on ESPN, Thursday night games on FOX/NFL Network/Amazon Prime, and some Saturday games. Games broadcast locally in a viewer’s market are blacked out on the NFL Sunday Ticket.
How does the NFL Sunday Ticket work?
NFL Sunday Ticket is only available through DIRECTV and AT&T TV. This means you need a satellite dish and DIRECTV service or an AT&T TV package to subscribe. The NFL Sunday Ticket is not available on any cable TV provider.
Subscribers can watch NFL Sunday Ticket games through:
- DIRECTV satellite box
- Streaming on mobile devices and computers through the NFL Sunday Ticket app
- DIRECTV’s streaming platform DIRECTV Stream
Games can be accessed on connected devices anywhere in the US, though streaming is limited for some live broadcasts due to rights restrictions.
What does the NFL Sunday Ticket include?
The NFL Sunday Ticket includes:
- Live broadcasts of out-of-market Sunday afternoon games
- Live broadcasts of Sunday night, Monday night, and Thursday night games
- Live broadcasts of Saturday games late in the NFL season
- NFL Sunday Ticket Red Zone channel with live look-ins at big plays
- Short-form highlights and replays
- Interactive features like stats, scores, and trackers through the app
- Streaming access through mobile, computer, and connected devices
- Access to archived games on-demand after they air
There are also special add-ons available like NFL Sunday Ticket Max which provides enhanced fantasy football features.
Can You Just Get the NFL Sunday Ticket?
While the NFL Sunday Ticket provides amazing access to NFL games, there are some requirements and restrictions that make it more complicated than “just getting” the NFL Sunday Ticket.
NFL Sunday Ticket Eligibility Requirements
The biggest barrier to accessing the NFL Sunday Ticket is that it is only available to DIRECTV and AT&T TV customers. So you must first purchase one of their television packages before you can add on NFL Sunday Ticket.
Some key eligibility rules:
- NFL Sunday Ticket is available to all DIRECTV CHOICE and above packages
- NFL Sunday Ticket is available to all AT&T TV packages except for Entertainment
- You cannot purchase NFL Sunday Ticket as a standalone service – TV package required
- Only residential customers can purchase NFL Sunday Ticket
- NFL Sunday Ticket is not available on any cable TV or live TV streaming service besides DIRECTV and AT&T TV
- There are restrictions for residential customers of DIRECTV and AT&T TV in certain metropolitan areas where local channels carry most NFL games
So the first step is checking availability and signing up for DIRECTV satellite or AT&T TV in order to be eligible for NFL Sunday Ticket.
NFL Sunday Ticket Packages and Pricing
The next step is choosing what NFL Sunday Ticket package you want and the pricing. Here are the main options:
NFL Sunday Ticket
- Access to out-of-market Sunday afternoon games
- Included at no extra cost for DIRECTV PREMIER and above packages
- $293.94 per season for DIRECTV CHOICE and ULTIMATE packages
- $383.94 per season for AT&T TV packages
NFL Sunday Ticket Max
- All features of regular NFL Sunday Ticket
- Advanced fantasy football features like Red Zone channel and stats
- Included at no extra cost for DIRECTV PREMIER and above packages
- $395.94 per season for DIRECTV CHOICE package
- $475.94 per season for AT&T TV packages
There are occasionally promotional pricing and discounts available. NFL Sunday Ticket can also be broken up into monthly payments instead of paying all at once.
Device Access and Limitations
While NFL Sunday Ticket provides broad access on mobile devices and computers through their app and website, there are some limitations:
- Games can only be streamed on mobile devices if the user is an NFL Sunday Ticket subscriber through their TV provider package
- Game streaming access on computers is limited to just DIRECTV subscribers
- Streaming is supported on iOS, Android, and the NFL Sunday Ticket website
- Streaming capability and performance depends on location, bandwidth, and other factors
- National broadcasts of Sunday night, Monday night, and Thursday night games cannot be streamed
- Only one stream at a time is permitted per account
So device access depends on the specific package and provider you choose. There are also blackout rules and restrictions based on your location for live games.
Getting NFL Sunday Ticket as a Student
One option that provides more flexible access to NFL Sunday Ticket is the discounted student version. Here’s an overview:
- NFL Sunday Ticket U is discounted for students at only $100 per season
- Provides all NFL Sunday Ticket channels and streaming
- Available to students enrolled at eligible colleges and universities
- Just need a valid school email address – no DIRECTV or AT&T TV required
- Stream through the NFL Sunday Ticket app on mobile and computers
- No long term contract or setup fees
NFL Sunday Ticket U provides the full features without the requirement of the DIRECTV or AT&T TV package. The biggest catch is that you must be enrolled as a student.
Getting Around NFL Sunday Ticket Restrictions
Given the eligibility requirements and restrictions, some fans explore workarounds:
Using a Student’s Login
Some non-students use a login from a family member or friend that is enrolled in college. This takes advantage of the cheaper student pricing and avoids the TV package requirement.
However, this workaround violates the NFL Sunday Ticket terms and might result in the account being deactivated if discovered. The service is intended for students only.
Satellite TV Providers
Since NFL Sunday Ticket is exclusive to DIRECTV, some fans explore installing a satellite dish and signing up for DIRECTV service even if just for the football season. Again, this violates the intent of the service for residential customers but some are willing to pay the costs.
Streaming Sites
There are unauthorized streaming sites that offer free access to NFL games. However most are lower quality, unreliable, and infected with ads or malware. They are illegal operations and face takedowns.
Conclusion
While the NFL Sunday Ticket provides an amazing amount of football content for fans, there are contractual requirements and limitations that prevent fans from easily “just getting” access without eligible TV service. Purchase options are dependent on TV provider, package, and student status. Device streaming has restrictions. Ultimately the NFL Sunday Ticket is designed as an extra service for TV subscribers rather than a standalone streaming product. Football fans have explored some workarounds with mixed results and risks. For most, the simplest option is checking eligibility and signing up through DIRECTV or AT&T TV to access NFL Sunday Ticket above board.