Google is closing in on a deal with the NFL that would make YouTube TV the new home of Sunday Ticket. The league has wanted the package to become a streaming product for years. Apple’s decision to back out of negotiations opened the door for Google and now some details are emerging about just how much it will cost the company.
Ken Belson and Benjamin Mullen of The New York Times report that the price tag is going to increase from what the NFL charged DirecTV when the satellite company was the exclusive home of out-of-market games.
The NFL is seeking $2.5 billion as a base payment. That is $1 billion more than what DirecTV paid.
Anonymous sources told the reporters that may not be where the price tags ends. Google is aware of what Sunday Ticket could do for YouTube TV subscriptions and so is the NFL. The league could get bonus payments from Google based on new subscriptions to YouTubeTV.
That service currently boasts more than five million subscribers with a $64.99 per month price tag. DirecTV saw between 1.5 and 2 million customers sign up for Sunday Ticket, which came at an additional charge.
Details of the negotiations were not disclosed to The New York Times, but sources say the deal could become official before the end of the week.
