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Multiple NFL preseason games have been available to watch through NFL Sunday Ticket this month, even though YouTube’s $2 billion annual out-of-market media-rights package is supposed to include only regular-season broadcasts.
This past Saturday, the Dolphins-Lions Week 2 preseason matchup, which was not a national TV broadcast, was available to watch via NFL Sunday Ticket for subscribers on YouTube and YouTube TV that had already signed up for the service for the upcoming season, Front Office Sports has learned.
Saturday’s Patriots-Vikings game, which aired at 1 p.m. ET like Dolphins-Lions, also appeared on some users’ YouTube TV listings under the Sunday Ticket channel. This coming Saturday’s Texans-Lions preseason game, which is not one of the eight national TV games in Week 3, is also scheduled to air on NFL Sunday Ticket in several markets.
While NFL Network did have its most-watched preseason Week 1 earlier this month, it doesn’t appear YouTube is trying to capitalize on those football-crazed viewers.
Each season since 2023, when YouTube took over Sunday Ticket, the NFL has allowed several games each preseason to air on the service for testing ahead of the regular season, a source told FOS. Those games have not been promoted, although some users on Reddit have reported noticing them in recent years.
Out-of-market preseason games are available to livestream on NFL+ for premium subscribers. The NFL and YouTube did not comment for this story.
ESPN’s Preseason Play
ESPN is making five out-of-market preseason games available on its app this Saturday for users already subscribed to its new direct-to-consumer service through the ESPN Unlimited plan, which is $29.99 per month.
Some users will also be able to watch the preseason games by authenticating in the app through select pay-TV providers.
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