The NFL Sunday Ticket will continue to be available via satellite at sports bars and commercial venues, following a new multiyear agreement between DirecTV and EverPass Media. This decision reverses the prior plan that would have required these establishments to switch exclusively to EverPass’s streaming platform, which had been set to replace DirecTV’s satellite distribution after the 2025 NFL season. DirecTV, which had served over 300,000 commercial locations across the U.S., was initially sidelined after losing consumer rights to the package to YouTube TV in 2023 and subsequently stepped back from the commercial market.

Earlier in 2026, DirecTV publicly expressed frustration at EverPass’s lack of engagement and questioned the readiness of its streaming technology for multi-screen commercial environments. EverPass, a joint venture between the NFL and RedBird Capital, aimed to modernize sports delivery through streaming, but challenges surfaced regarding the viability of this approach in diverse venue settings, particularly in locations with limited internet infrastructure where satellite remains reliable. This reality prompted the parties to forge a partnership combining DirecTV For Business’s satellite services with EverPass’s streaming offerings for Sunday Ticket distribution.

Under the new collaboration, DirecTV For Business acts as EverPass’s preferred national distributor and will handle sales, marketing, and commercial distribution of NFL Sunday Ticket, including options with or without NFL RedZone. Sports bars and similar commercial customers will have the flexibility to use satellite or streaming platforms depending on their technical capacities and preferences. The deal is expected to last through at least the 2028 NFL season, with the intention to eventually transition fully to streaming when the technology matures and is suitable for all commercial environments.

While financial specifics of the arrangement remain undisclosed, a key point of contention resolved in negotiations concerned the rights fees EverPass sought from DirecTV. The overarching strategy for EverPass remains focused on transitioning live sports distribution to streaming over time. However, with current technological and logistical challenges, satellite service continues to play a crucial role in ensuring reliable game coverage for sports bars across the country.