You don't need YouTube TV to watch NFL Sunday Ticket, but YouTube TV subscribers get a discount on the subscription price
NFL Sunday Ticket is sold separately from YouTube TV. You can buy the streaming package on its own through YouTube or through your cable or satellite provider if they carry it. However, if you already subscribe to YouTube TV, you'll pay less for Sunday Ticket than someone buying it without YouTube TV — the discount is roughly $50 per season, though the exact amount changes year to year.
The key decision is whether you want YouTube TV itself. If you're mainly interested in watching NFL games on Sunday, YouTube TV is not required. If you watch other live television — local news, cable channels, sports outside the NFL — then YouTube TV might make sense as your main TV service, and the Sunday Ticket discount becomes a bonus.
Key Takeaways
- NFL Sunday Ticket can be purchased as a standalone streaming service without YouTube TV, though the price is higher than the YouTube TV subscriber rate.
- YouTube TV subscribers receive a discount on Sunday Ticket, reducing the annual cost by approximately $50 compared to the non-subscriber price.
- You need either a YouTube account or a YouTube TV account to watch Sunday Ticket, but a free YouTube account is sufficient if you don't want YouTube TV's cable channels.
- Sunday Ticket streams on any device where you can access YouTube — phones, tablets, computers, smart TVs, and streaming devices like Roku or Apple TV.
- The service includes out-of-market games only; your local team's home games still air on broadcast television and are not part of Sunday Ticket.
What NFL Sunday Ticket actually includes
NFL Sunday Ticket gives you access to out-of-market games — the games your local broadcast stations don't show. If you live in New York and your team is the Kansas City Chiefs, you'll see the Chiefs' local games on your home broadcast, but Sunday Ticket lets you watch other games happening at the same time. It does not include Monday Night Football, Thursday Night Football, or playoff games.
The package runs from September through early January and covers all regular-season Sundays. You can watch on your phone, tablet, computer, or connected TV. The service also includes a feature called RedZone, which cuts between games to show scoring plays and key moments across all games at once.
How much Sunday Ticket costs with and without YouTube TV
The price of NFL Sunday Ticket changes each season. A YouTube TV subscriber pays one rate; a non-subscriber pays a higher rate. The difference is substantial enough that if you're on the fence about YouTube TV, the Sunday Ticket discount alone might tip the decision.
YouTube TV itself is a separate monthly subscription that includes live cable channels, local broadcast stations, and cloud DVR storage. You would pay for both YouTube TV and the discounted Sunday Ticket if you wanted both services. If you only want Sunday Ticket and don't care about YouTube TV's other channels, you can buy Sunday Ticket at the higher non-subscriber price and skip YouTube TV entirely.
How to buy Sunday Ticket without YouTube TV
Go to nflsundayticket.tv and sign in with a Google account (which can be a free Gmail account — you don't need to pay for anything). Select the Sunday Ticket package you want and complete the purchase. You'll be charged the non-subscriber price.
You can also buy Sunday Ticket through some cable and satellite providers — Comcast Xfinity, Dish Network, and DirecTV still carry it. Buying through your cable provider means the charge appears on your cable bill instead of your Google account, but the price is typically the same as buying directly from YouTube.
How to get the YouTube TV discount on Sunday Ticket
If you already have a YouTube TV subscription, the discount applies automatically when you buy Sunday Ticket. Sign in to your YouTube TV account, navigate to the Sunday Ticket offer, and the lower price will display. You'll pay the YouTube TV subscriber rate instead of the standard rate.
If you don't have YouTube TV yet but want the discount, you'll need to subscribe to YouTube TV first. YouTube TV offers a free trial period (the length varies), so you could start the trial, buy Sunday Ticket at the discounted rate, and then decide whether to keep YouTube TV after the trial ends. Check YouTube TV's current trial offer before you sign up, since trial lengths change.
What devices you can watch on
Once you've bought Sunday Ticket, you can watch on almost any screen. The YouTube app works on iPhones, iPads, Android phones and tablets, Mac and Windows computers, Apple TV, Roku, Google TV, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung smart TVs, and LG smart TVs. You can also watch in a web browser on any computer by going to youtube.com and signing in.
You'll need to sign in with the same Google account you used to buy Sunday Ticket. If you're watching on a shared TV, make sure you're signed in to the correct account, or the game won't play.
Why your local team's games aren't included
NFL Sunday Ticket only shows out-of-market games — games your local broadcast stations already air. This is part of the NFL's broadcasting agreement. Your local team's home games air free on CBS, Fox, or NBC depending on the week and your region. You don't need Sunday Ticket to watch those games; a standard TV antenna or cable subscription covers them.
If you're trying to watch your home team's away games, those usually air on your local broadcast station too. Sunday Ticket is mainly for fans who want to watch teams from other cities or follow multiple teams across the country on the same Sunday.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I watch Sunday Ticket on my phone while I'm away from home?
Yes. read the YouTube app, sign in with your Google account, and stream Sunday Ticket anywhere you have an internet connection. You don't need to be on WiFi at home or connected to a cable box.
What happens to my Sunday Ticket subscription after the NFL season ends?
Your subscription ends automatically in early January when the regular season finishes. You're not charged again until the next season unless you manually renew. If you bought it through a cable provider, check your bill to confirm the charge has stopped.
Can I share my Sunday Ticket login with family members?
You can sign in on multiple devices with the same account. However, you cannot stream the same game on two devices at the same time. Check YouTube's terms of service for the current rules on account sharing, as these policies change.
Do I need a smart TV to watch Sunday Ticket, or can I use an older TV?
You don't need a smart TV. You can connect a streaming device like Roku, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, or Amazon Fire Stick to any TV, then read the YouTube app and sign in. These devices cost between $25 and $70 depending on the model.
What if I only want to watch one or two games per week instead of the whole season?
Sunday Ticket is sold as a full-season package only. There is no option to buy individual games or a shorter subscription period. You pay for the entire season regardless of how many games you watch.