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The new National Football League season is just around the corner, with football's premier competition set to kick off another exhilarating season of high-impact action and sporting drama in front of a global audience at home in the United States and worldwide in the coming weeks.
With 32 teams across both the National Football Conference and American Football Conference looking to leave their mark on the way to Super Bowl LVIII however, fans will want to ensure they don't miss a minute of the action, with the NFL Sunday Ticket once again set to be a hot commodity for supporters around the nation.
But what exactly is the NFL Sunday Ticket, and what do you get for your money this season? Allow GOAL to take the punt downfield and lead you toward those answers about what it entails, what you'll be able to watch, and how much it will cost you to pick up a subscription.
What is the NFL Sunday Ticket?
The NFL Sunday Ticket is an out-of-market subscription package that offers broadcast coverage of fixtures from the National Football League on a Sunday that is not carried by local affiliate stations within your market.
Combining the full end-of-weekend slate from both CBS and Fox, the NFL Sunday Ticket ensures maximum coverage for viewers wanting to get their fix from across the wider National Football League, allowing fans to follow their teams even when outside the local affiliate station range for their respective fixture.
The NFL Sunday Ticket is still subject to traditional linear broadcast blackouts in relation to in-market fixtures. Otherwise, it offers unparalleled single-day coverage across the entire regular NFL season.
🏈 Find out more about NFL ticket prices
What are in-market and out-of-market games?
In sports broadcasting, in-market games refer to the matchups selected for localized regional broadcast during the NFL season. With most regular season games played on Sunday afternoons, clashes frequently happen between fixtures, resulting in geographical separation by network broadcasters.
Out-of-market fixtures are the opposite - games typically broadcast not by your local affiliate network but otherwise potentially available through the national network broadcaster coverage.
The NFL Sunday Ticket specifically caters to the latter bracket, covering games that would otherwise be out-of-market and not necessarily available to a local audience through their national network broadcaster, effectively allowing for free reign over Sunday fixtures.
Where can I find the NFL Sunday Ticket?
The NFL Sunday Ticket is set to be operated by YouTube TV from the 2023 National Football League season onwards, marking a significant move for the package from its previous home of DirecTV.
From its inception in 1994, the NFL Sunday Ticket has been within the exclusive domain of the satellite provider. Still, its switch marks the end of an era as YouTube TV looks to broaden its sporting portfolio further.
To sign up for the NFL Sunday Ticket, head to the YouTube TV official website to discover what options and packages you can purchase.
NFL Sunday Ticket packages
Getty Images Currently, the NFL Sunday Ticket comes as a single catch-all subscription tier - regardless of what package you opt for, the content of the service will still be the same.
YouTube TV offers four different packages, however, both with and without add-ons and for those with or without subscriptions to a pre-existing YouTube TV deal.
In addition, the service is also providing a pre-season discount for those who sign up for the NFL Sunday Ticket ahead of the new campaign. Below, you can find a current breakdown of the regular prices.
- NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube - $449 per season
- NFL Sunday Ticket + NFL RedZone on YouTube - $489 per season
- NFL Sunday Ticket + YouTube TV - $349 per season*
- NFL Sunday Ticket + NFL RedZone + YouTube TV - $389 per season*
(*Requires YouTube TV base plan)
🏈 Find out how to watch and stream the NFL games
What can you expect from the 2023 NFL season?
The road to Super Bowl LVIII at Paradise, Nevada started effectively as soon as the Kansas City Chiefs prevailed earlier in February after a 38-35 win over the Philadelphia Eagles to secure Super Bowl LVII in Glendale, Arizona.
The former, led by star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, will be among the favorites again, but a whole host of other sides, from the Dallas Cowboys to the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals to the San Francisco 49ers, will fancy a crack at immortality this term too.
Either way, there will be no shortage of twists and turns, and there won't be many better ways to ensure you stay on top of all the action than picking up a subscription for the NFL Sunday Ticket.
What is the NFL International Series?
The NFL International Series is the name the league gives to a series of road fixtures played outside of the United States during a single season. Several teams have agreements to play a nominal home fixture in another country, helping to broaden the game's popularity worldwide.
There are five games scheduled to be played as part of the NFL International Series this season, with three in the United Kingdom - split between Wembley Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - and two in Germany, both due to be held at Frankfurt's Deutsche Bank Park.
🏈 Find out more about the NFL international games
FAQs
Getty Images How can I buy NFL Sunday Ticket?
You can purchase the NFL Sunday Ticket through YouTube TV, with prices currently available with a $50 discount ahead of the 2023 NFL season.
How many tiers are there to NFL Sunday Ticket?
There are no additional tiers to NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube TV, with each package including the full range of fixtures covered by the service.
However, you can purchase NFL Sunday Ticket as a standalone option, as part of a more comprehensive package with Red Zone coverage, or as an add-on to a pre-existing YouTube TV package.
Will NFL Sunday Ticket cover the NFL International Series?
The NFL Sunday Ticket will not cover the NFL International Series this season, with all five games set to be played in Europe instead covered by different networks.
ESPN+ is set to broadcast exclusive coverage of the opening fixture between the Atlanta Falcons and the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium before the subsequent four games across London and Germany will be shown as part of the NFL Network Exclusive Game Series.
Can I buy NFL Sunday Ticket cheaply?
The best way to purchase the NFL Sunday Ticket at a discounted rate is to do so ahead of the 2023 NFL season, with it currently available at a lower price thanks to YouTube TV's offer.
How many games are in a regular NFL season?
There are 272 games across the regular NFL season, with each team playing 17 games over an 18-round campaign.
Can I cancel my NFL Sunday Ticket for a refund?
As the NFL Sunday Ticket is an annual subscription taken out season-by-season, you cannot cancel or obtain a refund for your purchase once made for the campaign.
If you do not wish to renew ahead of the next season, ensure you have removed the auto-renew function from your subscription settings.
Do I need a VPN to watch NFL Sunday Ticket?
You do not need a VPN to use NFL Sunday Ticket; however, you may be able to use one to locate additional weekly NFL fixtures not covered by your broadcast or multimedia package.
For more information, consider GOAL's guide to what VPN services may best suit your needs.