Bar owners are reportedly fuming, and some are now considering legal action, after what looks like a classic bait-and-switch with NFL Sunday Ticket distribution for commercial spots. This whole mess has left a lot of businesses feeling completely hung out to dry, especially after sinking serious cash into new tech.
The “Irreversible” Shift That Wasn’t
Earlier this year, bars and restaurants were told they absolutely had to ditch satellite and move to streaming for Sunday Ticket. Think about that: a massive tech overhaul. Many of them did just that, spending a ton of money to upgrade their systems. EverPass, the company that handles NFL products for commercial places, was pretty clear about it. According to Daniel Kaplan from Awful Announcing, EverPass told one bar owner in May, “The shift happening in live sports distribution is much bigger than any one company or product. To clarify, there are no active discussions between EverPass and DirecTV regarding NFL Sunday Ticket. EverPass is the only authorized commercial distribution platform for NFL Sunday Ticket, beginning with the 2026 season.” That message made it sound like satellite was dead, gone for good.
DirecTV’s Surprise Comeback Leaves Bars “SOL”
But then, late last month, DirecTV suddenly popped back up with a new Sunday Ticket deal. Talk about a curveball! This means all those bars and restaurants that shelled out money to get streaming ready? They’re now totally SOL, as the report puts it. They spent all that cash on infrastructure that was supposedly essential, only to find out they didn’t need it. It’s no wonder some owners are beyond frustrated and looking at litigation for the wasted money.
This isn’t over yet. With bar owners feeling totally burned, everyone’s watching to see if those legal considerations turn into actual lawsuits, and what that means for how we all watch our football at the local pub.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
Leave a Reply