Is the NFL Sunday Ticket coming to Verizon FiOS?
By Ben Drawbaugh 
posted Sep 14th 2009 5:12PM
posted Sep 14th 2009 5:12PM
**UPDATE** As expected, this was confirmed by the NFL as just a glitch in the guide data, but it was fun to dream even if it was only for a day.
How great would it be! I would sign up in a heartbeat.
Its not happening, Ben! Millions+ Directv exclusivity contract will tell that NO its not happening...SOL. Directv ain't that bad, though. Go Trojans! Buddy....
I know, but it's interesting that it showed up in the guide anyways.
I'm pretty sure DirecTV has an exclusive lock on the content for several years, also those are the DirecTV channel numbers.
Yes, DirecTV has an exclusive agreement for NFL Sunday Ticket. What many of you dont know is that every time Comcast, Dish Network, FIOS, or any other competitor to DirecTV signs up another subscriber, the cost for DirecTV to maintain exclusivity increases. DirecTV has known for years that the exclusivity agreement would eventually become too expensive to maintain, and I would not be surprised if in 2009 or 2010, they decide that the benefit of keeping it exclusive is outweighed by the cost. Keep your fingers crossed!
The exclusive was extended to 2014.
WWWWhat ? ! ? ! Correct, DirecTV has an exclusive agreement with the NFL until 2014 (might as well be 2089 for all I care...and I love football) but, please explain to me at least how in the world subscribers to another satillite or cable delivery service has any bearing on what DirectTV pays for exclusivity ??? Whatever that ungodly amount might be, I find it hard to believe it has a n y t h i n g to do with current or future subscribers of a competing service.
"Whatever that ungodly amount might be, I find it hard to believe it has a n y t h i n g to do with current or future subscribers of a competing service."
The point is that DirecTV has to make it worth it to the NFL to have the exclusive deal. The more subscribers on other services, the more the other services would be willing to pay the NFL if they had Sunday Ticket. The more money the other services would bring to the table if DirecTV were non-exclusive, the more DirecTV has to pay the NFL to keep it exclusive.
However, eventually it would hit a tipping point and exclusivity wouldn't be worth it anymore.
Whatever the rumor says: Ten years minimum before it would initiate.......if then! DirecTV dies without the NFL Ticket in all but markets in the sticks. They'll pay whatever to keep it exclusive.
This is a little off topic but....Wow windows 7 media center is sick w/ a tv tuner. You can track players in every sport and see when they are on tv. Why do people like macs I will never know.
How I hate DIRECTV for Sunday Ticket Exclusivity. I mean, it's just not freakin cool.
But with the Media Center guide info. showing it on incorrect channels (the DIRECTV ones, I think) is probably just a fluke. Hey, maybe Microsoft is putting the DIRECTV-WMC thing back together, but we've been down that way before. And FiOS is definitely not getting Sunday Ticket.
I mean, if they at least extended the availability to AT&T or Comcast subs, that would be freakin' sweet!
If NFL Sunday Ticket exclusivity ended, the networks wouldn't pay nearly as much for broadcasting rights. The OTA networks in 30 markets with NFL teams aren't the only markets that bear the costs for those broadcasting rights. Dilute their broadcasting exclusivity, ratings, and advertising revenue by allowing all cable/satellite networks to carry Sunday Ticket and they'd surely balk at paying as much...unless they had some exclusivity like Fox does with Saturday baseball. Can't get those games out of market anywhere offline. Not saying it's right, but it is what it is.
The NFL Sunday Ticket package is worth way more than the MLB Extra Innings Package and NBA League Pass, and the DirecTV exclusivity is part of the reason.
If you hate anyone, you should hate the NFL as well. The NFL decided that DirecTV's money is worth more than not pissing off fans who don't want to switch.
Verizon does have a reseller agreement with DirecTV. It's possible Verizon is leveraging that somehow to bring Sunday Ticket to FiOS.
It's not hard to imagine DirecTV giving Verizon access to Sunday Ticket in exchange for Verizon giving DirecTV more money per FiOS customer as an extension to the reseller agreement they already have.
I had this come up on my guide as well. I have Time Warner Cable up here in North East Ohio. I think this has got to be bad guide data.
I have FiOS and I would love it if Engadget would do a How-to with FiOS. I plan on getting the ATI Digital Cable Card reader and Windows 7.
Any help with a how-to would be greatly appreciated.
Never mind, just got caught up with the Ceton thing. A how-to with Ceton sounds like a much better offering.
These directions will work.
http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/05/12/how-to-install-a-cablecard-tuner-in-your-diy-media-center/
If you wait until the new OEM bypass utility comes out you won't have to do the hack.
So jealous you have FiOS, Ben!
Only have 1 wired option in my area. Comcast...
These channels showed up on my Windows 7 Media Center box with CableCARD that is connected with Brighthouse in Central Florida. It's not real, it's just a guide data error. A few of the DirecTV digital music stations appeared in the guide, as well.
DirecTV has somewhere around 20 million subs (and net gains each quarter of about 250,000). While Sunday Ticket is a great differentiator, there are only about 2 million subs for the package.
Losing the exclusive content will result in a net loss of subs, but the ST is at best a break even for DirecTV. They wouldn't be as hurt as it might seem. (Other than the bragging rights for the winner.)
I can assure you with 100% certainty that the NFL Sunday Ticket drives a huge amount of revenue DirecTV's direction, and they will spend every dime they have to keep it. The contract amount they paid to the NFL to extend the contract to '14 was out of this world. Not to mention all the money they spend on advertising for the Ticket, hell they just spent $3 Million on advertising to air some commercials on fox... just for this past Sunday!
DirecTV bleeds tan leather.