NFL Sunday Ticket

[IndyMichael]

Anyone know why the NFL Sunday ticket is only availble on DirecTv? Did the NFL only want one provider to have it, or did DirecTv pay extra to be the only provider? You'd think the NFL would make more money off it, if they allowed any satellite or cable operator to carry it. I'm not 100% sure I'd even get it, but it would be nice, if the choice was mine.

[Doug E]

I unsubscribed to D* since I also have E*, my preferred little dish provider. Since I also have C/ku 4DTV I assumed I would be able to subcribe to NFL Sunday Ticket when the season began. Is this not going to be a possibility??

[DCSholtis]

NFL Sunday Ticket is exclusive to satellite until 2005....Exclusive to cable until 2007.....They said they approached E* but couldnt come to an agreement....Starting this year though the Sunday Ticket will NOT be available to C/ku band subs......As again D* got the satellite exclusivity.

[Greg Bimson]

Anyone know why the NFL Sunday ticket is only availble on DirecTv?Does anyone know why the NFC package is only available on Fox? Does anyone know why the AFC package is only available on CBS? Does anyone know why the Sunday Night package is only available on ESPN? Does anyone know why the Monday Night package is only available on ESPN?Did the NFL only want one provider to have it, or did DirecTv pay extra to be the only provider?Yes.You'd think the NFL would make more money off it, if they allowed any satellite or cable operator to carry it. I'm not 100% sure I'd even get it, but it would be nice, if the choice was mine.It isn't your choice that the Sunday afternoon NFC package is on Fox. It isn't your choice that the Sunday afternoon AFC package is on CBS.

As I recall, the last TV contract for Fox, CBS, and ABC pay the NFL each an average of $533 million a year, from 1998-2005. ESPN pays $600 million a year, on average, during the same time period. DirecTV, with their new agreement, pays about $400 million on average, until 2007.

I'm sorry if I sound a touch condescending. There are many areas about the NFL where you have no "choice". The NFL Sunday Ticket is simply another area.

The NFL wouldn't make $400 million a year selling Sunday Ticket if they tried to sell it to every provider. They make more money off of exclusive relationships.

[IndyMichael]

Greg, I don't see why you bring up what networks have the NFC and AFC packages, as most, if not anyone with an antenna, cable or satellite can get the major networks. Makes no difference what networks the games are on, as anyone can get them. Anyone with cable or satellite can get ESPN. As a DishNet subscriber, the only time I have no choice, is when it comes to the NFL Sunday ticket. And yes you are being quite condescending, and it's annoying. When I ask an honest question, I only want and expect honest answers.

[raj2001]

Indy,

To answer your question, DirecTV paid extra to ensure that it had exclusive rights to NFL Sunday ticket. Charlie probably didn't care that much anyway, since it appears as though sports isn't his #1 priority.

[Ken_F]

Indy,

His point was that the NFL will do whatever it can to get the most money. The NFL has found that it can get more money by selling Sunday Ticket to DirecTV exclusively (at an outrageous premium for exclusivity), then if can if it sold the package to multiple providers. The same goes for NFC, AFC, etc rights.

Greg, I don't see why you bring up what networks have the NFC and AFC packages, as most, if not anyone with an antenna, cable or satellite can get the major networks.Maybe now, but not necessarily in the future. CBS and FOX carry the NFL now because they were the highest bidders. In the future, some cable channel may submit the highest bids, in which case the NFL could/would disappear from network television.

[Greg Bimson]

When I ask an honest question, I only want and expect honest answers.I gave you an honest answer.I don't see why you bring up what networks have the NFC and AFC packages, as most, if not anyone with an antenna, cable or satellite can get the major networks.Correct. However, Fox has paid quite a bit of money to be the exclusive provider of Sunday afternoon NFC games; CBS has done the same with the AFC package.Makes no difference what networks the games are on, as anyone can get them.Sure it does. Ask Fox what winning the NFL contract did for their network. And also remember the games available to you are dictated by the contract between Fox, its' affiliates, and the NFL. So, it isn't like there is a true choice; you only get what you are given.Anyone with cable or satellite can get ESPN.Which, of course, means you have a choice. If you want to watch the NFL on ESPN, you must subscribe to DBS or your local multi-channel provider. As a DishNet subscriber, the only time I have no choice, is when it comes to the NFL Sunday ticket.You have a choice. That is specfically what I wrote. If you want Sunday Ticket, you get DirecTV.

Here is what I mean:

CBS: $533 million a year for exclusive rights to the AFC package
Fox: $533 million a year for exclusive rights to the NFC package
ABC: $533 million a year for exclusive rights to the MNF package
ESPN: $600 million a year for exclusive rights to the Sunday Night package
DirecTV: $400 million a year for exclusive rights to Sunday Ticket

Notice that word "exclusive". It is how the NFL does business. It doesn't matter if it is the Sunday Ticket package or the AFC package. That is specifically why I brought it up.

There are choices. It may seem that many of them are unpalatable. So why single out DirecTV when the NFL has done business through exclusive relationships for years?

[Brett]

Originally posted by Ken_F
In the future, some cable channel may submit the highest bids, in which case the NFL could/would disappear from network television.

Not if Congress steps in. They actually did get involved. "In the early 1990s, rumors circulated that the NFL would stop free, over-the-air broadcasts and move its product to cable pay-per-view. Congress threatened antitrust retaliation. The NFL responded by making a big public commitment to free broadcast, while granting a monopoly on residential pay-per-view to the brand-new service called DirecTV, then being promoted as anyone easily could receive."

Fox and CBS opposed moving NFL Sunday Ticket and NFL in general to cable. Interesting, Fox's parent owner wants DirecTV. CBS's parent owner Viacom has distribution deal with DirecTV for Blockbuster PPV.

[Ken_F]

Brett,

Please provide a source for that.

Sunday Night Football is already on cable, and several years ago, Disney decided to move MNF to ESPN, but delayed that decision for a few years, deciding to keep it on ABC for a longer period. The cable network, TNT, has often been involved in the bidding for NFL rights, and not just for SNF.

[Ryan]

Can anyone still order Sunday Ticket from DirecTV without subscribing to any other programming?

If so, that arrangement is acceptable. A minimal one time cost for equipment plus the cost of the package will get anyone Sunday Ticket.

[BearsFan]

Originally posted by Ryan
Can anyone still order Sunday Ticket from DirecTV without subscribing to any other programming?

Yes. 1-866-503-9294.

--BearsFan