Sony has announced a deal with satellite TV provider DirecTV that lets fans get the premium NFL Sunday Ticket package using a PlayStation 3 console connected to the PlayStation, even without a DirecTV subscription.
For DirecTV subscribers, NFL Sunday Ticket costs $334.95. For those without, the premium service costs an additional $5. On top of that, it costs an additional $50 to turn a PS3 into an additional football fan’s dream receiver. That’s more expensive than the PS3 console itself costs, especially with Sony Computer Entertainment’s recent price drops to $249 for the 160GB hard disk drive model and $299 for its 320GB sibling.
NFL Sunday Ticket includes access to up to 14 out-of-market, high-definition football games every Sunday, along with DirecTV’s Red Zone Channel.
Dedicated sports programming is nothing new to PS3 owners, who can use the console to watch Internet-delivered content (or Blu-ray movies) on the TV screen. Already available is an app that lets MLB.TV subscribers view that service via their console, with a basic subscription costing $99.95 and a premium version costing $119.95. Similarly, PS3 owners can use it to watch NHL GameCenter LIVE if they have already paid $169 for an annual subscription, which includes the NHL Vault classic games replay service.
DirecTV customers in the U.S. with NFL Sunday Ticket already can watch it on a limited number of mobile devices using the To-Go option. The provider now has expanded To-Go compatibility to include Motorola’s Xoom and Samsung Galaxy tablets; Motorola’s Android phones; the iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Blackberry devices with 3G or wifi, Palm Pre/Pixi, and other Droid-branded phones.
Also new for this season, DirecTV is partnering with NFL.com to launch an NFL.com Fantasy Football TV app that will allow NFL.com fantasy players with connected set-top boxes to put their NFL.com Fantasy Football teams and scores directly on their TV screen while watching every game.
“We are constantly looking at new ways to enhance the NFL viewing experience and create more value for the loyal fans who continue to make this our most popular and dynamic sports subscription service,” said Tony Goncalves, senior vice president, Product Management for DirecTV. “With the growth in mobile and connected consumer electronics devices, we believe it makes sense to enable viewers to watch their favorite team on more of those devices, like gaming consoles, whose users include legions of NFL fans.”
Note to readers: This story has been amended to give accurate information regarding the pricing.
Related Links:
DirecTV’s NFL Sunday Ticket – http://tinyurl.com/22t54ph
PlayStation Blog post – http://tinyurl.com/3tkvwgq
No, for DirecTV subscribers it’s $50 to be able to watch it on their PS3. The service still costs $339.95, and the $50 is on TOP of that.
It’s my understanding that if you’re already a DirecTV subscriber, it costs $50 to get NFL Sunday Ticket as part of your subscription. The $340 cost is only if you don’t (or can’t) subscribe to DirecTV.
Can you link to where you saw the pricing you describe? I’d like to check it out.
Here’s what Sony said on its blog:
“At the start of the season, viewers who do not currently have access to DIRECTV will be able to subscribe to NFL SUNDAY TICKET at the season price of $339.95. Existing DIRECTV customers who already have NFL SUNDAY TICKET and NFL SUNDAY TICKET To-Go through DIRECTV can access the service on their PS3 for no additional charge.”
Sunday ticket on DirecTV costs $330. I just order it.
Thanks to both of you for bothering to correct my errors. You are correct, and I have updated the story to reflect the accurate information.
My only defense is that I don’t follow professional sports, so I had no idea the prices were so high 🙂
I hope the NFL appreciates having fans like you!
For new customers its free
Yes! Be sure to read the fine print, though.
Here’s a link to get that special pricing, just in case anyone is interested.
http://tinyurl.com/3jf4xkx
(We don’t get anything if you click through, btw. The link is the exact same one posted on the PlayStation 3 blog.)
@ianj302 – Don’t be fooled by false advertising, NFL Sunday TIcket is not free for new customers. Overall cost is about $1,200 because you need to have a two year contract with TV package. The $1,200 quote is for HD service with one TV receiver no not many extras. First year is about $35 per month and the second year is about $66 per month plus you’ll need to buy NFL Sunday Ticket the following year if you want it making the overall cost $1,530+.
Yep, which is why I recommended reading the fine print. But if someone was going to get DirecTV/NFL Sunday Ticket anyway, this deal could be worth checking out.
So what’s the deal if you already have DirecTV but NOT the NFL ticket? Can you get access on PS3 for the $50? That’s what I want to know…
No, the deal is limited to using your PS3 as a separate receiver just for NFL Sunday Ticket, not to anything else from DirecTV. Yet!
comparatively speaking the cost of any subscription TV service with like channel packages isn’t much different at all over that same 2 years. (excluding the NFL which you ARE getting FREE in the 1st year of DirecTV and CAN’T get anywhere else at all) Your statement of complaint holds little to no water as the NFL package is indeed included totally free to new DirecTV subscriber in the 1st year.