DirecTV Gains Exclusive Rights to NFL Sunday Ticket Through 2014

On Monday, the National Football League (NFL) announced that it will extend its agreement with DirecTV. The satellite-TV provider gained exclusive broadcast rights to the NFL Sunday Ticket through 2014.

Under this agreement, NFL fans who cannot access DirecTV’s satellite service can view the NFL Sunday Ticket via broadband Internet connection. This far-reaching service will be available by 2012.

"We are pleased to extend a partnership with DIRECTV that has complemented and supported our broadcast television packages for 15 years," stated Roger Goodell, NFL Commissioner. "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," stated President and CEO of DIRECTV Group, Chase Carey. "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."

NFL fans will enjoy various new features, including:

• Red Zone Channel: NFL fans who do not subscribe to DirecTV can access the “Red Zone” channel via telco, local cable systems, and Internet providers. The “Red Channel,” included with DirecTV’s NFL Sunday Ticket, provides real-time highlights from each Sunday afternoon NFL game.
• NFL Sunday Ticket via Broadband: NFL fans who do not have access to DirecTV can purchase the NFL Sunday Ticket broadband package

DirecTV and the NFL have also extended a carriage agreement which provides subscribers with NFL coverage 24/7 via the NFL Network, offered with DirecTV’s Choice Package.