Alphabet (GOOGL) Wins NFL Sunday Ticket Game Rights For YouTube

Alphabet-owned Google (NASDAQ: GOOGL) has struck a deal with the National Football League (NFL) for the right to exclusively distribute NFL Sunday Ticket games on YouTube TV and YouTube Primetime channels in the United States.

The deal ends months of questions about where the major broadcasting package would end up, having been available in the US exclusively via DirecTV since 1994. However, starting with the 2023 NFL season, it will be on YouTube, either as an add-on for YouTube TV or via YouTube Primetime Channels, which launched last month.

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It has not been confirmed how much it will cost for the Sunday Ticket package.

“We’re excited to bring NFL Sunday Ticket to YouTube TV and YouTube Primetime Channels and usher in a new era of how fans across the United States watch and follow the NFL,” commented NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

He added: “For a number of years we have been focused on increased digital distribution of our games and this partnership is yet another example of us looking towards the future and building the next generation of NFL fans.”

According to The Wall Street Journal, citing sources, YouTube will pay $2 billion per season in a seven-year deal for the rights.

The NFL said in a statement that it is working with YouTube to find a solution to support the distribution of NFL Sunday Ticket in bars and restaurants. However, without knowing the details, this has been something that has seemingly been a stumbling block for DAZN, a sports streaming subscription platform.

Live sports rights look to be an attractive proposition for streaming platforms, with Apple and Amazon already entering the market, while Netflix was reportedly looking at the possibility, according to reports last month.

Alphabet shares closed Thursday’s session down 2%.