NFL and DirecTV partner on streaming games

You can now watch NFL football over the interwebs, free from regional restrictions! Excited? We thought so -- here's what you'll need. First, sign up for DirecTV's Sunday Ticket ($269/year). Second, add in the "SuperFan" program (an additional $99/year). Third, you'll need a Windows PC (sorry Mac users). Once all that is squared away, you can enjoy watching live games webwide in Internet Explorer. Meh, says we, especially when you look at MLB.TV. Admittedly, the SuperFan package is required for HD delivery of the games on DirecTV anyways (which the internet feed definitely won't be), so chances are that football nuts may already have these packages lined up. The NFL is keeping tight control over their content, but this is a step in the right direction. Meanwhile, "misplacing" a Slingbox at your buddy's place in another region is looking better and better.

[Ryan @ Aug 29th 2007 6:24PM]

This sucks there is no apple support,

Ironically they us a apple for the promotional picture, Hippocrates

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPageNR.jsp?assetId=900044

[mike @ Oct 14th 2007 4:48PM]

I agree. I live in florida, and only half the cowboy games are show here. I live in a highrise condo and cant' get Direct TV. So i have a dummy see in texas so I can watch it on my mac here.

But at the very end, I find you cant use a Mac.

WTF??

[SCHB @ Aug 29th 2007 6:27PM]

For 2007 Superfan is NOT required for HD. The ads are very clever in implying otherwise.

[Pork Rind @ Aug 29th 2007 6:41PM]

"Hippocrates"

Huh? He's been dead a couple thousand years. No way it's his fault.

[Ben Drawbaugh @ Aug 29th 2007 7:06PM]

Superfan has been required for HD for the past few years according to DirecTV. I've had to pay the extra $100 everytime and it sure wasn't because I wanted to watch the SD redzone channel.

[James Hoak @ Aug 29th 2007 7:36PM]

SCHB

Where did you get that information? I don't think that is correct. I am fairly certain that to get the HD games you will need Superfan again this year.

From Directv's website:

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/customer/faqPage.jsp?assetId=1300026#category2

"How is NFL SUNDAY TICKET™ SuperFan different from NFL SUNDAY TICKET™?

NFL SUNDAY TICKET™ SuperFan is an optional add-on to your NFL SUNDAY NFL SUNDAY TICKET" SuperFan is an optional add-on to your NFL SUNDAY TICKET" subscription. With NFL SUNDAY TICKET" SuperFan you'll get more with 180 games in HD*, Red Zone Channel (now available in HD), Game Mix**, Short Cuts, Supercast*** and NFL Sunday Ticket Mobile†.Click hereto learn more about the features."

[strider_mt2k @ Aug 29th 2007 7:01PM]

Hippocrates are for shipping zoo animals.

Streaming games? Like when you write your name in the snow?

[SCHB @ Aug 29th 2007 7:15PM]

For the past few years (2005 & 2006) SuperFan has been required for HD, but for 2007 this has changed. You still need general HD functionality, of course, to get them. It sounds like any game they get in HD they will flow through. Up to 12 of the 14 games per Sunday.

[James Hoak @ Aug 29th 2007 7:43PM]

SCHB

As I said above, can you link to anything that supports this claim? I hope you are right and I will gladly cancel my Superfan if you are, but I haven't seen anything that indicates this.

Thanks

[Garry @ Aug 30th 2007 10:23AM]

@SCHB:

Actually, I'm pretty sure DBSTalk has confirmed that ONLY new subscribers who sign up for NFL ST will get the games in HD without having SuperFan. Current subs will still have to order the SuperFan package to get the games in HD.

That said, when I called and told them I wasn't interested in NFL ST this year, and they knocked it down to $200 and threw in SuperFan for free.

[Paul @ Aug 29th 2007 7:48PM]

The NFL just doesn't get it. What a joke. I'd rather go to the local sports bar and spend $30 on food and beer than sit at home and spend the same for some ridiculously overpriced package. MLB.TV works because IT GIVES YOU VALUE.

[James Hoak @ Aug 29th 2007 7:46PM]

Can you link to something that supports this claim? I hope you are right, but I have not seen anything to indicate you are correct on this.

Thanks

[Jeremy Smith @ Aug 29th 2007 7:49PM]

NFL streaming = $378 (32 teams with 16 games each)

MLB.TV (which I'm watching right now) = $49.95 (30 teams with 162 games each)

My conclusion = NOT FAIR! Being an out-of-market fan, I had to wash my pants I was so excited when I saw this yesterday. Reading the fine details my only conclusion is...

Guess I'm switching to DirecTV!

[dpjax @ Aug 29th 2007 8:01PM]

Did I miss the whole internet revolution where watching TV on a computer was acceptable? Since you are limited to the max bit rate you can squeeze from them to your house, I'm going to go out on a limb and say this will suck. Bad. Much worse than HD Lite.

I'd rather go to a bar.

I can't wait for the fireworks when non-DirecTV affiliated broadband companies throttle down this traffic so its not watchable - that will be entertainment!

[khamel @ Aug 29th 2007 8:26PM]

i have directtv and hate it. i have it because its the only option in my building. but im going to keep it because of sunday ticket. my buddies come over to watch games and when/if i leave my home state im going to have to keep it. its cheaper than going to a bar and you dont have to worry about anyone changing the channel or having to spend 50 bucks to stay long enough to watch all the games.

damn my addiction to the NFL!

[Mick O @ Aug 29th 2007 8:28PM]

They have to charge so much to make up the profits from all the people who can't get DirecTV.. e.g. me. If you artifically cut your demand in half, you have to jack up your margins to make the money.

[Maestro @ Aug 29th 2007 10:33PM]

There is a reason the NFL does not do a Sunday Ticket with cable networks or move to a pay per view model. The networks that pay hundreds of millions of dollars don't want it. Fox is not going to pay 100 million dollars so that I can watch any game I want. They want me locked in to that Fox double-header. The reason DirecTV is able to offer the Sunday Ticket is because subscriber-wise DirecTV is just a drop in the bucket compared to Cable TV. So the networks don't mind so much because it really is not taking a bite out of their profits. However, offer ppv games to the millions of cable subscribers out there and now the fox doubleheader is not the ONLY game on and they can no longer rake in the bucks with advertising.
And yes, you need the superfan for HD. Not for the local broadcast games, but for the ticket games you certainly do.

[Dave @ Aug 29th 2007 11:40PM]

The nice part is that after spending the $368, it's only a small leap to get the games off the PC and into the living room. Addlogix has a PC to TV streamer called InternetVue -

http://addlogix.com/peripheral_sharing/echoviewfm.htm

Pretty simple way to get all the games back on your widescreen rather than staring at the PC. Certainly a better option than dropping slingboxes across all the broadcast regions.