Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2022 July 25

Welcome to the Wikipedia Entertainment Reference Desk Archives
The page you are currently viewing is a transcluded archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages.

July 25

Alternative to NFL Sunday Ticket

I grew up in New York and now live in Atlanta. I want to watch the Giants on Sunday. I am forced to watch the Falcons and, possibly, the Panthers instead. The only legal way I know to watch out-of-market games is by using the Dish Network NFL Sunday Ticket. I looking into that. It is $300 for NFL Sunday Ticket. But, I have to have Dish Network. I did check. I did call. Because I am in a market where Dish can be installed, I cannot get NFL Sunday Ticket without also having Dish Network. The installation in my area is $450 for a new Dish installation. I know that Dish install and service is higher in Atlanta than other areas, but that isn't the issue here. Then, it is around $100/month for the minimum service. But, the minimum service doesn't qualify for NFL Sunday Ticket. I have to get the $175/month service to qualify to purchase NFL Sunday Ticket. Also, I cannot actually get a monthly subscription. In my area, I have ot purchase a minimum 3-year contract to get started, but if I want the higher plan, which allows me to get the NFL service, I have to go for the 5-year contact. I haven't started the process, so I don't know about all the other fees that will come along: Initiation fee, turn-on fee, consultation fee, service tax, dish tax, etc... So... Is there a legal alternative? Right now, it appears that the only legal alternative is to move back to New York during the football season. 97.82.165.112 (talk) 13:38, 25 July 2022 (UTC)

AFAIK, the only other legal alternative is to find a local sports bar that is showing your preferred sports team. I know where I live in Raleigh, North Carolina they have a bar that always features New England Patriots games (and many other bars feature the other teams as well), and the local fan club meets there every week to root on the team. For the price of a meal, I can watch my preferred team in the company of like-minded fans, and don't need to shell out for the NFL Sunday Ticket. --Jayron32 14:26, 25 July 2022 (UTC)

DirectTV has this separate NFLSUNDAYTICKET.TV streaming service, but it is only for people who are either:[1]

1. Residents of multi-unit buildings (apartments, condos, high-rise buildings, etc.) that do not get DIRECTV satellite service
2. Residents in select areas within various metropolitan cities
3. Students currently enrolled or previously enrolled within the past 18 months in a U.S. college or university
4. People who live in a residence that is unable to receive DIRECTV satellite service due to housing restrictions or obstructions blocking access to satellite signals

I am not sure if the Atlanta area is one of those metropolitan cities that qualify under #2, but it does not hurt to use the Check Eligibility on that web site. In any case, this is the last season that they have the rights to NFL Sunday Ticket, [2] with Apple, Amazon, and YouTube reportedly submitting bids for 2023.[3] So committing to a 5-year contract for satellite service would definitely be problematic for you in that regard too. But at least there is only one season left. Zzyzx11 (talk) 10:20, 27 July 2022 (UTC)