Normally, the word "hike!" has only positive connotations in the NFL. But YouTube's NFL Sunday Ticket price hike changes that for the worse.
Football fans love the NFL Sunday Ticket to watch all the regular season Sunday afternoon NFL live streams they can. But last December's announcement that YouTube TV picked up Sunday Ticket from DirecTV is being followed up by a steep price increase.
Football fans may pay as much as $150 more to get Sunday Ticket than they did from DirecTV — which charged just under $300 per season. Now, YouTube is charging up to $450 per season for just Sunday Ticket.
Of course, you may save money by not having to spend all that money for DirecTV to get it, but the new highest sticker price could have you seeing red. Here's how to avoid the sticker shock that Denver fans felt when Russell Wilson signed a five-year, $245 million contract with the Broncos.
YouTube TV subscribers, as you may have been able to predict, are getting the best end of this situation. They'll spend only $249 per season if they sign up by June 6th, a whole $200 less than others will.
This is because of two $100 discounts: the first is for YouTube TV subscribers, and the second is for all who sign up for YouTube TV (which is one of the best cable TV alternatives) by that presale deadline. Of course, that subscription will set you back $73 per month.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Bought by June 6th | Bought after June 6 |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube TV subscribers pay: | $249 for Sunday Ticket | $349 for Sunday Ticket |
| Non-subscribers pay: | $349 for Sunday Ticket | $449 for Sunday Ticket |
Those without YouTube TV will get Sunday Ticket through YouTube Primetime Channels, its version of Amazon Prime Video Channels and Apple TV Channels — ala carte subscription ordering services.
Of course, there's an added complexity for anyone who wants RedZone, which YouTube is bundling in for $40 extra.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Bought by June 6th | Bought after June 6 |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube TV subscribers pay: | $289 for Sunday Ticket + RedZone | $389 for Sunday Ticket + RedZone |
| Non-subscribers pay: | $389 for Sunday Ticket + RedZone | $389 for Sunday Ticket + RedZone |
Analysis: Unfortunately, this is the way of streaming
As you'll see below, price hikes have become the status quo over the last year. And since NFL Sunday Ticket is such a beloved service (that YouTube reportedly paid $2 billion per year for), it's not a huge shock to see this high price.
| Service | 2023 monthly fee | 2022 monthly fee |
|---|---|---|
| Netflix Standard (1080p) | $15.50 | $14 |
| Netflix Premium (4K) | $20 | $18 |
| Disney Plus (no ads) | $11 | $8 |
| Hulu (with ads) | $8 | $7 |
| ESPN Plus | $10 | $7 |
| Apple TV Plus | $7 | $5 |
| Apple Music | $11 | $10 |
| HBO Max (No ads) | $16 | $15 |
Hopefully, DirecTV losing Sunday Ticket will help many finally make the decision to cut the cord. It's definitely one way to afford Sunday Ticket's massive price hike.
