DirecTV teams up with PS3 for Sunday NFL Ticket [update: first image!]

by David Hinkle on Aug 17th 2011 4:38PM

In addition to baseball and hockey, PS3 owners now have the opportunity to catch football games, streamed live through their console. The PlayStation Blog today announced a partnership with DirecTV to offer the satellite television provider's popular NFL Sunday Ticket service, which allows individuals to view out-of-market football games.

Existing DirecTV subscribers can access Sunday Ticket on the console for an additional $50 at the start of the season (on top of what they paid for Sunday Ticket, of course) and can use their console as an additional receiver. PS3 users looking to opt into NFL Sunday Ticket without a DirecTV subscription will have to shell out a hefty $339.95. The PS3 will both show games in HD each week (up to 14) and display DirecTV's Red Zone channel. Or you could just sign up for DirecTV and get NFL Sunday Ticket for free, but then you'd have a bulky satellite dish to deal with.

Based on comments made to Shacknews by DirecTV's director of public relations Robert Mercer, NFL Sunday Ticket will "at least for this season" be exclusive to PS3. "We just want to work with a single partner this time around to give everyone a great experience," he concluded.

Update: Added image of PS3 UI, courtesy of our pals over at Engadget.

Source: PlayStation Blog, Shacknews

Tags: directv, football, nfl-sunday-ticket, playstation, ps3, sports

Reader Comments (79)

But when they say as an additional receiver do they mean to watch all of their programming?!

@Frank the tank

No.

What a shitacular deal.

@Captain Planet Planeteer Power

This is actually a pretty big deal because Directv currently uses Sunday Ticket as a way to stranglehold football fans into using their crappy television service.

This is the only way to get Sunday Ticket without signing up for Directv (which includes a PITA satellite install, a 2 year commitment, expensive programming, and a horrible HD DVR to use).

Frankly, I'm shocked Directv is even allowing this. The whole point in them paying all that money for the exclusive ST deal is to be able to wrangle in subscribers.

@Vcize
I couldn't disagree more. I've had Uverse, Comcast, Dish, and DirecTV, and DirecTV's programming and DVR performed way better than the others.

If you don't think that DirecTV will be making money off of this then you need to get a clue. Cuz ya know, they're in it to make money.

@VideoGameFan

If you think that, you did not actually use a Dish receiver. They are leaps and bounds better then DirecTV, especially when it comes to the DVRs.

Did you know that every DirecTV subscriber helps pay for Sunday Ticket? The deal is so lopsided that everyone's rates are hiked whether they care for football or not.

@Sponge Agreed. Dish is WAY beyond DirectTV on almost all front at this point. We switched to Dish from DTV in 2009 and I've never one time regretted it. Literally everything is better, including the HD picture and the DVR.

Installation was a non-issue because professional installation was free.

@VideoGameFan fios owns all

Meh........

@shimrra74

Meh is right. I love football, but it's not $340.00 worth of love.

@ClownyDaggers

I knew a woman once who gave me $340 worth of love. She made me the man I am today. Thank you, Champagne.

@ClownyDaggers

That's not love.

PURELY AWESOME! I am going to subscribe to this. Although, it is too pricey. At least, I am quite happy that Sony finally found a way to strike an important deal with DirecTV to bring NFL games to Playstation 3. Thank you, Sony, TRULY FOR DOING SOMETHING RIGHT (And rightfully AWESOME!).

Spendy. I'd rather go to a bar for the entire season.

@Truant Good idea, however my wife wouldn't approve of this every week. Lol

@Truant

seriously $20 bucks a week at a bar and you can get yourself a few beers and some food along with the game

@eat it sports bar would be cheaper plus thick at hooters are well worth the visit. this seem like a good idea for those who already have direct Tv .

@eat it
and a sweet dewey on the way home!

@eat it

To me, Sunday Ticket is more for football fans in general, who enjoy watching lots of football, not just their team. For fans like this, $350 isn't too much, cuz $20 isn't gonna get you through 6+ hours at the bar.

However, if you only wanna watch your team and 1 game per week, the bar is probably a better option.

$340 for one season???!!! I'd get it if it was life time priced for that but $340 is an option that both parties are asking you to pass on.

@Kbb81tn

We get it every year at my house and you should only get this if you really love football. I'm in a different market than my home team and I'll be damned if I have to watch Redskins' games every Sunday

@Bubbameister33

Yeah I used to have Directv and I too got the NFL package back then but it was only $99 to $149 depending on how early you signed up. $340 is too steep for any gaming product that isn't a console. Not to mention there are no DVR options so if you miss a game, you're basically losing money.

if existing users have to spend an extra $50 why would anyone sign up for this?

also what's the deal, with blackouts. the sign clearly says follow your favorite team no matter where you live. but then it says out or market games in the body copy

@eat it

The only games they don't show are the ones being televised on CBS/Fox in your area.

So if Redskins/Cowboys are on FOX in your area and you try to tune into the Redskins/Cowboys game on the ST specific channel (703-717 range) it will basically say "change your channel to Fox, you can watch it there".

339 dollars for non subscribers. Thanks PS3 lol

At I was kind of happy because the games might be in HD and I don't an HD receiver. Then I saw the extra $50 and I was immediately disappointed.

the $340 can cover Alot of the games i want coming this year ! .. and also i can't get this cause ... i'm Canadian

The Red Zone channel actually is a channel hosted by Andrew Siciliano where he bounces you around to different games. There is a different channel that displays multiple games.

Joystiq, and several other sites are making it sound like this is some crazy price Sony & DirecTV have brewed up to screw over PS3 users. That's not true, this is what NFL Sunday Ticket costs.

Yes it's expensive, and yes it's ridiculous, but scream at the NFL for giving DirecTV a monopoly on it.

If this was right around a hundred bucks, I would so gladly pay for this. At this current, ludicrous price, this deal exists for no other reason than to further clutter my XMB.

NFL Sunday Ticket for $339.95? Hell NO! I can use that money for a new iPad. Plus,I'd rather have MLS Direct Kick.

@Napoleon357 Ha! MLS Direct Kick, you're funny but seriously just put the whole $340 towards an iPad and save yourself 2 hours of flopping and the kick in the b@ll$ after. 0-0 tie of mind numbing waste of a perfectly good football field.

This year I paid 60 bux for MLB.TV and am getting tons of games in HD. I love it. *IN B4 FOOTBALL>BASEBALL* (not 280$ > @ least) Go Tigers!

Wait, so you can order Sunday Ticket through your PS3 without having Directv service?

That is HUGE. The only reason I have Directv is because of the ticket. Their prices are ridiculous and their HD DVR is a pile of laggy junk. This is a big deal if that was the case.

Also, I wish I'd known about being able to use the PS3 as a receiver before I ordered an additional receiver for TV #4.

Aha. This is why they dropped the price of PS3s...

thanks to RedZone (part of NFL Network), Sunday Ticket is completely irrelevant. and the best part about RedZone; no commercials.

Why doesn't anyone do this for football here? We've got NFL, MLB, NHL, and I think NBA full coverage, but why can't I get my favourite European football leagues covered? I miss not being able to watch it. Proxies are a hassle and more illicit channels aren't reliable enough.

Fox Soccer maybe shows one Ligue 1 game a year! And there's no legitimate way to get Ligue 2.

@Gwenchanteur I couldn't agree more! I want Premiere League as well as Rugby World Cup! Make it happen SONY! Give us Fox Soccer! It has MSL on it too...

"We just want to work with a SINGLE partner this time around to give EVERYONE a great experience," he concluded.

Wha wha wha whaaaaaat?? Maybe not the best wording for your quote there bud.

Thanks but I'll just keep using my ps3 for games and movies.

I have Directv and a PS3 and this is a horrible price and extra charge on the PS3 end. Thanks for the discount for existing customers Directv! MLB.tv is $120 per year and you get almost every game for the whole VERY LONG season...

I am getting fed up with both the NFL and Directv.

@Umbassa

It's called capitalism. Even at 1/3rd the price MLB TV only has 1/3rd as many subscribers (500,000) as Sunday Ticket (1.6 million).

More people want it, and want it more badly. That means they charge more.

@Vcize

Where did you get your subscriber number for Sunday Ticket at? I can't find it anywhere online. Also you are comparing MLB.tv to Sunday Ticket, but you are forgetting MLB Extra Innings which is the digital cable service that is similar to Sunday ticket. I think your number for both MLB.tv and Sunday ticket are WAY off. I think both services has a lot more subscribers than what you are giving them credit for. Sunday Ticket is on in a lot of bars so that should boost their numbers quite a bit.

But the NFL is absolutely screwing their fans over on this. 340 bucks for Sunday ticket on PS3? I believe it was only 299 last year on direct TV so they went up 40 bucks after a lock out? Wow. I'll continue to get my football fix via college football this season.

What a horrible deal. MLB.tv, which literally broadcasts ten times as many games, is $125 for the whole season for the premium package and allows you to watch on any PC, Iphone/iPad/android device, and PS3 at no extra charge.

The fact that it costs $50 on TOP of the basic charge to watch it via DirectTV is insane. And if you already have DirecTV and the NFL sunday ticket, what would be the point of this?

Just seems like a completely missed opportunity to capitalize on this idea. I don't see this panning out in any meaningful way.

@Haud

While I agree with you, MLB still screws their fans a bit by charging $15 for an Android app to use your already paid for MLB.TV account.

@jlatimer11 Yeah, but that $15 also gets you MLB Gameday and all radio feeds for every MLB game via 3G or WiFi on your phone -- and brings your total up to $140. This is still HALF the price of this NFL package and the extra $50 just gives you the right to stream this on your PS3. At least MLB gives you something for the $15.

@Haud

No doubt. Can't believe it's that expensive for 17 weeks of football.

thats a fk load of dough

I just stream out of market (Bears mostly) games online... They aren't all in HD but I still get to see my Bears ... Or go to a sports bar I'd love to get this Sunday ticket but no way would I throw that type of money down.

@Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell

Which site do you use for that?

@Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell
Because we all know who's gonna win it all this year my friend. A certain team from a certain town...

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DirecTV teams up with PS3 for Sunday NFL Ticket [update: first image!]

Reader Comments (79)

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 4:40PM Frank the tank said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 5:06PM Vcize said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 4:41PM Captain Planet Planeteer Power said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 5:17PM Vcize said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 6:24PM VideoGameFan said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 7:34PM Sponge said

Posted: Aug 18th 2011 11:03AM jblank said

Posted: Aug 18th 2011 12:36PM chinedooo said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 4:41PM shimrra74 said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 5:14PM ClownyDaggers said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 8:43PM Zoot Suit Jedi Grammar Hammer En said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 9:53PM Vcize said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 4:43PM LovesJapanManga said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 4:43PM Truant said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 4:48PM Maximo said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 4:57PM eat it said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 5:41PM kmcroc said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 6:21PM VideoGameFan said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 11:00PM tylerh1701 said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 4:47PM Kbb81tn said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 4:53PM Bubbameister33 said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 5:09PM Kbb81tn said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 4:48PM eat it said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 5:08PM Vcize said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 4:49PM maxxgold said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 4:50PM Bubbameister33 said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 4:50PM HardBoiled2009 said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 4:51PM Drew327 said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 4:53PM aroGADGET said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 5:00PM Haizeus said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 5:01PM Napoleon357 said

Posted: Aug 18th 2011 11:47PM ericosu said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 5:04PM OdessaSteppa said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 5:06PM Vcize said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 5:07PM berzirk said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 5:07PM carg0 said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 5:11PM Gwenchanteur said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 7:37PM OMAOILRIAN said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 5:12PM ShadowAsura said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 5:17PM Umbassa said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 5:20PM Vcize said

Posted: Aug 18th 2011 1:43AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 5:38PM Haud said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 8:02PM jlatimer11 said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 10:48PM Haud said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 10:53PM jlatimer11 said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 5:46PM adr916 said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 5:49PM Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 6:31PM Im No Hero said

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