The NFL and DirecTV have reversed their recent strategy and will continue offering NFL Sunday Ticket to sports bars and commercial venues via satellite through a new multiyear agreement starting in 2026. This deal ensures that establishments relying on DirecTV's satellite infrastructure can keep showing out-of-market NFL games without being forced to switch exclusively to streaming services. The previous contract had ended after the 2025 season, with EverPass Media, a joint venture between the NFL and RedBird Capital, becoming the exclusive streaming provider for the package at commercial locations.

The shift back to satellite distribution addresses concerns raised by DirecTV, which criticized EverPass's streaming technology as unproven in multi-screen commercial settings and expressed frustration over failed negotiations to renew terms consistent with prior agreements. DirecTV For Business will now partner with EverPass as a sales, marketing, and commercial distribution channel, offering customers access to both satellite and streaming options. This hybrid approach aims to ease the transition for bars and restaurants that serve more than 300,000 commercial locations nationwide.

Under the new arrangement, venues can continue using DirecTV’s satellite services or explore streaming through EverPass or DirecTV’s platforms, depending on their technical capabilities. The agreement also provides access to other premium sports content on EverPass, including the NFL’s Netflix Christmas Day games, Amazon’s Thursday Night Football, and Peacock Sports Pass. The contract will run through at least the 2028 NFL season, and its financial terms were reportedly finalized after resolving disagreements over rights fees.

Although EverPass’s long-term objective remains to fully transition commercial customers to streaming, satellite is still preferable for some remote or low-connectivity areas. The NFL, EverPass, and DirecTV are balancing modernization efforts with practical delivery needs to maintain reliable NFL Sunday Ticket availability for sports venues across the country. This arrangement marks a compromise reflecting the complexities of evolving broadcast technologies in the sports media landscape.