DirecTV Retains NFL Sunday Ticket for Business Customers

Bars, restaurants, casinos and hotels won’t have to worry about upgrading their equipment to continue to carry NFL Sunday Ticket. 

DirecTV — the exclusive home for the NFL’s out-of-market TV package since its inception in 1994 — will continue offering Sunday Ticket to its business customers. Thursday’s announcement of the multiyear agreement comes five months after Google’s YouTubeTV secured the residential rights to Sunday Ticket.  

“DirecTV for Business delivers a market-leading, consistent and reliable sports viewing experience to fans in more than 300,000 bars, restaurants and other commercial establishments across the United States,” DirecTV Chief Sales and Service Officer Mike Wittrock said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to partner with EverPass and continue carriage of NFL Sunday Ticket.”

Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. Google is paying about $2 billion per year for the residential rights.

In March, the NFL announced the launch of EverPass Media, a company created in conjunction with RedBird Capital to handle the distribution of Sunday Ticket for commercial customers. 

When EverPass Media was unveiled, media insiders expected DirecTV to continue to offer Sunday Ticket with its major footprint in the commercial space. The bandwidth required to use YouTubeTV or another streaming service would be unworkable in many locations. 

Like it did before YouTubeTV nabbed the residential rights, DirecTV’s business offerings rely on Sunday Ticket to retain and attract commercial customers. 

On top of paying for DirecTV service, bars, and other businesses pay a sliding rate for Sunday Ticket depending on the fire code occupancy of their establishments, which can run up to tens of thousands of dollars per year.