History of NFL Sunday Ticket in Timeline

NFL Sunday Ticket allows fans to watch out-of-market NFL regular season games, primarily targeting those living outside their favorite team's local broadcasting area. Previously exclusive to DirecTV, from the 2023 season onwards, residential customers can access it through YouTube TV or Primetime Channels. Commercial establishments can subscribe through EverPass Media. The package features Sunday afternoon games produced by Fox and CBS.

1994: NFL Sunday Ticket Launches

NFL Sunday Ticket debuted in 1994, initially available on C band and Ku band satellites.

1998: NFL Sunday Ticket Expands to Canada, Sparks Controversy

In 1998, NFL Sunday Ticket expanded to Canada via cable systems, with Rogers Cable in Ontario being the first adopter. ExpressVu's complaint to the CRTC about the cable exclusivity was dismissed.

1998: Local Blackout Policy Implemented

In 1998, NFL Sunday Ticket implemented a policy to black out games in a viewer's local media market if those games were scheduled to air on local Fox and CBS affiliates.

2005: Superfan Package Introduced

DirecTV introduced the Superfan package in 2005, offering additional features for an extra cost.

2005: DirecTV Launches Red Zone Channel

DirecTV launched its own Red Zone Channel in 2005, hosted by Andrew Siciliano.

2008: High-Definition Feed Added to Multi-Game Viewing

A high-definition feed was added to the multi-game viewing feature in 2008.

2009: NFL Network Launches Competing RedZone Service

NFL Network introduced its own version of the RedZone service, hosted by Scott Hanson, in 2009, creating competition with DirecTV's offering.

2009: NFL Sunday Ticket To Go Launches for Non-DirecTV Subscribers

NFL Sunday Ticket To Go became available in 2009, offering streaming access to games for non-DirecTV subscribers who couldn't access satellite TV, at a higher price point than DirecTV customers.

2009: High Definition Games Introduced

NFL Sunday Ticket began offering all games in high definition in 2009, initially as part of the Superfan package.

September 26, 2010: NFL Sunday Ticket Takes Flight on JetBlue

On September 26, 2010, DirecTV partnered with JetBlue to offer NFL Sunday Ticket on flights to various U.S. destinations.

2011: Class-Action Lawsuit Against NFL Over Sunday Ticket Expands

By June 2024, a class-action lawsuit against the NFL regarding Sunday Ticket expanded to include over 2.4 million residential and 48,000 commercial subscribers from 2011 to 2023. The lawsuit, seeking $7.1 billion in damages, alleged antitrust violations and price-fixing.

2011: Larger Cells Introduced for Multi-Game Viewing

Larger cells were implemented for the multi-game viewing feature in 2011 when four or fewer games were being broadcasted simultaneously.

2011: NFL.com Fantasy Football TV App Launches

NFL.com launched its Fantasy Football TV app in 2011, allowing users with compatible devices to track their fantasy teams and scores directly on their TVs.

2012: Game Recaps Limited to Max Package

From 2012 onwards, access to the two-channel game recap feature was restricted to subscribers of the NFL Sunday Ticket Max package.

2012: NFL Sunday Ticket Max Package Introduced

The NFL Sunday Ticket Max package, including some of the Superfan features, became available in 2012 for an additional fee.

2014: DirecTV Extends Contract with NFL

DirecTV extended its contract for NFL Sunday Ticket rights beyond 2014 by paying $1.5 billion annually for eight years.

2014: Blackout Policy in Effect

Until the end of the 2014 season, NFL Sunday Ticket enforced blackouts for games not sold out in a viewer's home market.

2015: Class-Action Lawsuit Filed Against NFL Over Sunday Ticket Exclusivity

In 2015, a class-action lawsuit was filed against the NFL and its partners, alleging antitrust violations related to the exclusive rights granted to DirecTV for NFL Sunday Ticket. The suit claimed that the exclusivity restricted competition and inflated prices for consumers.

2015: Online-Only Subscription and Blackout Policy Suspension

In 2015, an online-only subscription option for NFL Sunday Ticket was introduced, and the NFL temporarily suspended its local blackout policy.

2015: Local Blackout Policy Suspended

The NFL suspended its local blackout policy for the 2015 NFL regular season, a suspension that has continued indefinitely.

July 2017: DAZN Acquires NFL Sunday Ticket Rights in Canada

Starting in the 2017 NFL season, DAZN obtained the rights to broadcast NFL Sunday Ticket in Canada, replacing traditional pay television providers.

December 29, 2019: Curtains Close on In-Flight NFL Sunday Ticket

December 29, 2019, marked the end of DirecTV's service offering NFL Sunday Ticket on JetBlue flights.

2019: End of an Era: HD Games No Longer Part of Superfan Package

After 2019, high-definition games were no longer exclusively part of the Superfan package.

2021: Questions Arise About Sunday Ticket's Value and Future

During the 2021 NFL season, DirecTV and its owner, AT&T, expressed doubts about the value of the Sunday Ticket package. CNBC reported the NFL's interest in partnering with a streaming service, potentially ending DirecTV's long-standing relationship with the league.

July 2022: NFL Commissioner Announces Streaming Future for Sunday Ticket

In July 2022, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell stated that the league would select a streaming service to host Sunday Ticket, indicating a shift away from traditional television providers.

December 22, 2022: YouTube Secures Exclusive Rights to NFL Sunday Ticket

On December 22, 2022, the NFL announced that YouTube TV and YouTube's Primetime Channels service would become the exclusive providers of NFL Sunday Ticket for residential customers.

2022: End of DirecTV Era for Extra Features

DirecTV ceased offering extra features for NFL Sunday Ticket after the 2022 season.

2022: DirecTV's Exclusive Rights End

DirecTV's exclusive hold on NFL Sunday Ticket distribution in the United States ended in 2022.

2022: Game Recaps Remain Exclusive to Max Package

The two-channel game recap feature continued to be exclusive to the NFL Sunday Ticket Max package until 2022.

March 28, 2023: EverPass Media Formed for Commercial Distribution

The NFL and RedBird Capital partnered to create EverPass Media on March 28, 2023, tasked with managing the commercial distribution rights of NFL Sunday Ticket.

May 25, 2023: EverPass Media Partners with DirecTV

On May 25, 2023, EverPass Media secured its first agreement, partnering with DirecTV to sell NFL Sunday Ticket directly to DirecTV's business clients.

August 2023: EverPass Media Partners with Peacock Sports Pass

In August 2023, EverPass Media signed a multi-year agreement to distribute commercial rights to Peacock Sports Pass.

2023: Class-Action Lawsuit Against NFL Over Sunday Ticket Expands

2023: NFL Sunday Ticket Moves to YouTube TV and EverPass Media is Formed

In 2023, NFL Sunday Ticket became exclusively available on YouTube TV for residential customers and EverPass Media was established to handle distribution to commercial venues.

2023: NFL Sunday Ticket Moves to YouTube TV

NFL Sunday Ticket became exclusively available on YouTube TV for residential customers starting in the 2023 NFL season.

2023: YouTube TV Sunday Ticket Exclusively Offers NFL RedZone

With the move to YouTube TV, NFL Sunday Ticket now exclusively provides the NFL Network-produced RedZone channel, ending the availability of DirecTV's version.

June 2024: Jury Finds NFL Violated Antitrust Law in Sunday Ticket Case, Awards Billions in Damages

In June 2024, a jury found that the NFL violated antitrust law by setting the price of the Sunday Ticket package. The jury awarded over $4.7 billion in damages, which could be tripled to $14.39 billion under federal antitrust laws. The NFL planned to appeal the verdict.

July 2024: EverPass Media Receives Investment and Acquires UpShow

EverPass Media secured an additional investment from TKO Group Holdings, an Endeavor subsidiary, in July 2024. The company also acquired out-of-home media provider UpShow.