DirecTV announced enhancements to its venerable NFL Sunday Ticket programming package. As more specialized NFL programming, namely the Red Zone channel, makes its way to DirecTV competitors, they are keen on adding incremental value to their exclusive package.
Enhancements include dropping the $99 subscription fee for the Super Fan package and making those features a part of the standard NFL Sunday Ticket package. The total cost for the package this year currently stands at $300, which can be spread over five payments. The now included Super Fan features are listed below:
- HD Games – Every NFL SUNDAY TICKET game in HD.
- Game Mix Channel – Up to eight live games at once, complete with scores, clock and field position, all in HD (Channel 702).
- Red Zone Channel – Watch the final yards of every scoring drive on one dedicated channel in HD (Channel 703).
- Short Cuts – Every NFL game in less than 30 minutes without commercial interruption, airing Sunday night through Tuesday night (Channels 704-705).
Additionally, DirecTV is introducing NFL Sunday Ticket To-Go, a rebranded mobile offering that includes “live streaming video of up to 14 NFL SUNDAY TICKET games every Sunday, Red Zone Channel, game highlights, and detailed stats, along with several new enhancements to the online and mobile experience.” The package is available via wireline broadband and mobile phones.
NFL Sunday Ticket To-Go is now available on the Apple iPad as well. Additional compatible mobile platforms include iPhone, iPod Touch, Android, Blackberry devices with 3G or wifi, Palm pre/pixi and Windows Mobile devices. Think of it as a NFL TV Everywhere package.
“We’ve made every NFL SUNDAY TICKET customer a ‘superfan’ this year by rolling in HD, Game Mix, Red Zone and Short Cuts to the package at no extra charge, taking the single most compelling sports subscription service to another level and creating the best value in the 16-year history of this exclusive package,” said Derek Chang, executive vice president, Content Strategy and Development for DIRECTV. “With our brawnier NFL package and our enhanced mobile and online service that lets fans watch live games wherever they are, there is no better football viewing experience, anywhere.”
NFL Sunday Ticket may well be the best example of leveraging exclusive content deals to retain current and add new subscribers.
