Verizon Offers YouTube’s NFL Sunday Ticket For Free To Select Mobile And Internet Customers

deadline.com:

Verizon has reached a deal with YouTube and the NFL that will enable the mobile carrier and internet provider to offer new customers access to Sunday Ticket at no extra charge.

The offer will be made to Verizon customers who buy or pre-order certain smartphones and sign up for a mobile line, or those who sign up for select home internet plans.

Existing customers who upgrade to qualifying plans will also be eligible for the offer. YouTube this season is taking over distribution rights to Sunday Ticket — a full menu of afternoon games without the geographic limitations on broadcast and pay-TV — after DirecTV ended its run with the package after almost 30 years.

The rights changed hands for a reported $2 billion a season in a multi-year deal. While DirecTV popularized Sunday Ticket and reaped benefits for years, the NFL had long signaled a desire to team with a tech partner, and YouTube has already rolled out a number of product enhancements designed to improve the viewing experience.