It’s almost the 2025 NFL season, and YouTube is presenting a new and more flexible payment option for its NFL Sunday Ticket package.
Fans will now be able to pay monthly instead of a single lump payment upfront. The change to monthly payments aims to provide viewers with greater convenience ahead of the regular season. Learn more here.
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Traditional Pricing
In past years, the NFL Sunday Ticket has been sold as a season-long package at $276 via YouTube’s promotional pricing for new customers.
The service provides access to out-of-market Sunday afternoon games not broadcast on local networks. The one-time fee has been a substantial but straightforward option for many football fans.
New Month-to-Month Plan
However, this year, YouTube introduced its “Month-to-Month” plan. Posted on the company’s latest blog, the new plan allows subscribers to spread their payments over the months of the active season.
New users can receive a promotional rate of $85 per month for up to four months, after which the fee rises. The rate will go up to $115 for returning customers and up to $145 for those not subscribed to YouTube TV.
The monthly subscription auto-renews, but unlike the lump payment, comes with the ability to cancel at any time, effective the following month.
While this may be a convenience to some, YouTube does acknowledge that the month-to-month plan generally ends up being around 20% more expensive than the season pass one-time payment.
The lump fee of $276 is non-refundable. However, it does offer cost savings for those dedicated to watching the whole NFL season.
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Solo vs. Bundling
Various sources have shown differences in pricing and bundling for the NFL Sunday Ticket.
For example, Tom’s Guide claims the standalone price of NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube Primetime Channels has increased to $480 for the full season, with an additional $42 to include NFL RedZone. Bundling with YouTube TV offers a discounted total of $378, but still requires a separate YouTube TV subscription.
Other outlets report that YouTube TV subscribers can pay $31.50 per month over 12 months, totalling the bundling price of $378. Non-subscribers pay $40 monthly, equal to the $480 standalone price.
The monthly payments function more like deferred payments than instead, rather than a subscription that can be canceled anytime. The new month-to-month plan differs from this and allows cancellations.
There may be some regional limitations to payment plans. States such as Georgia, New York, and New Jersey are reportedly excluded due to regulatory concerns.
It is also important to note that YouTube TV consistently markets discounts to attract NFL Sunday Ticket customers. Some discounts take between $48 and $96 off the regular price. Always check when paying, though, as some discounts can be inconsistent between the promotion and checkout totals.
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YouTube’s NFL Sunday Ticket
The expansion in payment options follows YouTube and Google gaining exclusive streaming rights to NFL Sunday Ticket through 2029 after the long-standing partnership between the NFL and DirecTV fell through.
The streaming giant reportedly pays $2.5 billion annually for these rights. This price once again highlights the popularity and competition between streaming services when it comes to live sports.
In conclusion, YouTube’s month-to-month plan provides welcomed flexibility to the service, even though it might be more expensive compared to the traditional pass.
Prospective subscribers must weigh the benefits of pricing and cancellation policies. This is especially true as the service continues to explore different pricing strategies and promotions to attract more viewers.