DirecTV & NFL Extend Exclusive Sunday Ticket Through 2014

[jcrandall]

NEW YORK & EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Mar 23, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The National Football League announced today an agreement to extend DIRECTV's rights to carry NFL SUNDAY TICKET(TM). DIRECTV will continue to have exclusive television rights to air the package of Sunday afternoon games through the 2014 NFL season.

The agreement also significantly broadens the reach of NFL SUNDAY TICKET(TM) by enabling NFL fans who cannot receive DIRECTV satellite service to get NFL SUNDAY TICKET(TM) via broadband. This service will begin no later than 2012.
In addition, the NFL will offer fans (also no later than 2012) a new "Red Zone Channel" that shows crucial live action cut-ins of all Sunday afternoon games starting at 1 p.m. ET and continuing through the conclusion of the 4 p.m. ET games. The "Red Zone Channel" will be available to cable, telco and satellite systems, wireless devices, and the Internet.

"We are pleased to extend a partnership with DIRECTV that has complemented and supported our broadcast television packages for 15 years," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. "We are looking forward to having the Red Zone channel on cable and other media platforms as well as showing NFL Sunday Ticket via broadband to the homes that cannot get satellite. This new content enhances our tradition of being the most pro-consumer, widely available sport on television."

"The NFL SUNDAY TICKET(TM) service has been a part of DIRECTV since our first year of operation and is one of the defining characteristics of our best-in-class positioning," said Chase Carey, president and CEO of DIRECTV Group. "This latest extension allows us to retain and broaden our most popular sports subscription service. Through our wireless offering to NFL SUNDAY TICKET(TM) customers and the new broadband service to non-customers, we're now able to expand the reach to even more NFL fans everywhere."

Among the new features for fans are:
• Red Zone Channel: subscribers who do not have DIRECTV will have access to the "Red Zone" channel through local cable systems or telco and Internet providers. This special channel has been part of NFL SUNDAY TICKET(TM) on DIRECTV the past four seasons and will continue for those subscribers. It provides live look-ins and real-time highlights from every Sunday afternoon game starting at 1 P.M. (ET) through the late afternoon games. The channel switches from game to game and airs live action when a team is in the Red Zone (inside the 20-yard line) and poised to score. A host also provides real-time scoring and fantasy updates.

• NFL SUNDAY TICKET(TM) on Broadband: Fans who live in areas where DIRECTV's service is not available, such as apartment buildings or in residences with poor sightlines to a satellite signal, will be able to purchase a new NFL SUNDAY TICKET(TM) broadband package.

DIRECTV customers who purchase NFL SUNDAY TICKET(TM) and the SuperFan(TM) package receive all Sunday afternoon games in HD; a Game Mix channel with up to eight games on one screen; the Red Zone Channel; the SUPERCAST(TM) service that streams every live NFL SUNDAY TICKET(TM) broadcast to laptop computers; and the NFL SUNDAY TICKET(TM) Mobile service that delivers up-to-the-minute highlights, and soon full-length games, to cell phones, pda's and other wireless devices.


The DIRECTV Group, Inc. - NFL and DIRECTV Extend NFL SUNDAY TICKET(TM) Agreement through 2014 Season

 

[Ramy]

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jcrandall]

Wow, Red Zone channel to become a cable/telco/other provider offering, and Sunday Ticket will come to broadband.

It's exclusive the D* still, but much less exclusive, and therefore, perhaps less elusive

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Can't wait to see how much D* will be charging now.

 

[jcrandall]

Less I hope, since parts will be accessible elsewhere (eventually, still a couple years of status-quo).

 

[Skyhi]

I hope E* picks up Red Zone!

 

[satjay]

Humm...Sunday Ticket available on broadband, so if I am reading this right, Dish/Cable folks will one day be able to access via broadband??

 

[goaliebob99]

Sounds like it to me. With MLB going to braudband also over at E* I wonder if charlie maybe on to something. Allthough I can see comcast putting limits as more and more begin to watch HDTV over braudband.

 

[satjay]

Sounds like it to me. With MLB going to braudband also over at E* I wonder if charlie maybe on to something. Allthough I can see comcast putting limits as more and more begin to watch HDTV over braudband.

Yes, it does make you wonder a bit?? and yes those once unreachable limits Comcast stated only a few would get to, could change if this could happen one day

 

[Rey]

:clap:clap happy about this.

 

[DodgerKing]

Since the Red Zone channel is a Direct channel, I wonder if Direct will get money from the other providers who decide to carry it? If so, Direct may actually profit more by allowing other providers to carry what was once theirs? Also, does that mean that those providers that carry the Red Zone channel will have to look at the studio with DirecTV all over it? If so, free advertising as well?

 

[jcrandall]

Fans who live in areas where DIRECTV's service is not available, such as apartment buildings or in residences with poor sightlines to a satellite signal, will be able to purchase a new NFL SUNDAY TICKET(TM) broadband package.

I'm not sure what to make of this line. I wonder if there will be a qualification thing. You can only buy the broadband if you were declined a directv install?

Hard to guess, but the way the release read, it is possible?

 

[DodgerKing]

Can't wait to see how much D* will be charging now.

Or how much more they will be profiting by selling carriage rights to one of their channels (if it was part of the deal)???

 

[rad]

I wonder if the NFL is taking over the Red Zone channel, having NFL Network produce it, and distribute it to DirecTV and the others?

 

[DodgerKing]

I'm not sure what to make of this line. I wonder if there will be a qualification thing. You can only buy the broadband if you were declined a directv install?

Hard to guess, but the way the release read, it is possible?

From what others are saying on other forums, only those that CANNOT get DirecTV will be able to access the broadband option. If you have Dish or another provider and ARE able to get Direct if you CHOOSE, then the broadband alternative is NOT an option for those folks.

 

[DodgerKing]

I wonder if the NFL is taking over the Red Zone channel, having NFL Network produce it, and distribute it to DirecTV and the others?

That is the key question. Even if Direct still owns part of it, they can only profit further from this deal. Are they basically saying, "I will allow other providers to carry part of this package as long as they pay us something in return"?

 

[satjay]

Or how much more they will be profiting by selling carriage rights to one of their channels (if it was part of the deal)???

So if they follow the lead of MLB network with Directv having some ownership, Dish most likely will not be seeing Red Zone

 

[satjay]

I'm not sure what to make of this line. I wonder if there will be a qualification thing. You can only buy the broadband if you were declined a directv install?

Hard to guess, but the way the release read, it is possible?

Would not be a big shocker if they laid it out that you can only go broadband if you cannot get Directv. Though then what would be the point as right now if you have Directv you can tap into the superfan feature that will allow you to watch games online??

 

[DodgerKing]

So if they follow the lead of MLB network with Directv having some ownership, Dish most likely will not be seeing Red Zone

That's a little different. MLBNet carriage rights depend upon the provider also carrying EI. No EI, then no MLBNet. It sounds too me that Dish will be able to carry the Red Zone channel if they choose (even without ST), but Dish MAY (depending on the terms of the deal with the NFL) have to pay Direct in order to do so. [They will definately have to pay the NFL to do so]. With MLBNet it doesn't matter how much Dish pays MLB or Direct; Dish must carry EI in order to do so.

 

[Neutron]

What would stop someone from using an address of a relative who cannot get Directv?