"FREE" DirectTV Sunday Ticket Streaming - includes Red Zone Channel

[AmishBengalFan]

Probably wrong forum, but posting it here initially for increased visibility.

 

The upcoming video game release of Madden "25" (as in 25th Anniversary, not 2025) has an "Anniversary" version which gets you DirecTV's Sunday Ticket MAX, including Red Zone Channel, for all 17 weeks of the upcoming 2013 season.  Sunday Ticket Max is the online streaming version of NFL Sunday Ticket.

 

Best thing - you do NOT need to be a DirecTV customer to get this, and getting this will NOT make you a DirecTV customer.

 

If you aren't currently a DirecTV customer, you'll get all of the following stuff online:

• All out-of-market Sunday NFL games (everything except Thursday Night Football, Sunday Night Football, Monday Night Football, and any blacked-out home games depending on where you live)
• NFL Red Zone Channel
• Fantasy tracking including customized scoring alerts.

If you are a DirecTV customer and you're paying for Sunday Ticket, you get all of this stuff for free instead of paying the $15/month x 5 months = $75 access fee.

 

This works on PCs, Smartphones, and Tablets.  The list of supported devices from last season is here:

http://support.directv.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2315/~/what-mobile-devices-work-with-nfl-sunday-ticket-max

 

I have an iPod Touch that this will work with, and an Acer A100 tablet that "might" work.  If not, and if the iTouch is bothersome, I can always get a cheap Motorola XOOM for ~$150 via Cowboom.com.

 

The cost for Madden 25 "Anniversary" is $99.  I plan to resell the game as soon as I get it to help subsidize the cost.

 

This is a spectacular deal for folks like me.  DirecTV and Verizon Wireless have exclusive deals with the NFL for digital delivery of NFL content.  Since I have neither, I am slaved to whatever games the networks decide to broadcast to me.  I am looking to cut the cable and dump my TV provider this summer anyway, so switching to DirecTV just to get NFL content is a stupidly expensive move.  Verizon Wireless does NOT offer NFL content on their prepaid accounts, so I would need to sign up for a 2 year contract that will run $90/month - no way José.  Having this available for under $100 bucks - possibly even MUCH cheaper since the game itself will have some resale value on eBay - is a steal!

 

BTW - The cost for the non-anniversary version of Madden 25 is $59 - so if I was a game player all of the NFL content would only be $40.  If anyone wants to buy my copy from me after I've removed and activated the DirecTV stuff, please let me know.  (I picked up the PS3 version, there's an XBOX version as well).  Hell, I might even donate it to Go and let him decide whether to keep it or offer it up as a prize.

 

UPDATED TO ADD:
#1 - This seems to be an Amazon-exclusive deal.  If anyone sees this elsewhere please sound off.

#2 - This is ONLY for the first 100,000 orders - 50K for both PS3 and XBox.

#3 - Here are the preorder links:

 

Madden 25 Aniversary (PS3): http://www.amazon.com/Madden-NFL-25-Anniversary-Playstation-3/dp/B00CF7KVGE

Madden 25 Anniversary (XBox):  http://www.amazon.com/Madden-NFL-Anniversary-Edition-Xbox-360/dp/B00CF7KVMI/

[alleycat]

Thanks for the heads up.

 

But wait - what about PS3 users?!

 

I moved to a building that doesn't allow dishes (one of nyc's drawbacks), but used the service through the ps3.  This is a good deal cheaper.  Will it still work?  I don't see it listed.

 

Can an iPad mirror to an HDTV with HD quality video?  I'm not going to watch our glorious Super Bowl season on a freaking IPad...

 

(my macbook, on the other hand, can output HD so I'd do that - but this seems to be a hand-held focused offer only).

 

Anyone else have info?

[AmishBengalFan]

I am currently paying about $160/month for bundled TV, Phone and Internet service.  The Internet service is 20MB down, 4MB up.

 

If I drop TV and Phone and increase my Internet speed to 30/5, my monthly bill drops to $85/month.  The $75 I'm saving ($900/year) would be spent as follows:

• $0/year ($0.00/month) - Netflix subscription (I am already paying for this.  As a sunk cost there is ZERO impact to cost/savings here)
• $79/year - Amazon Prime
• $42/year ($3/episode x 14 episodes) - Doctor Who (new episodes are available a la carte via Amazon Prime - my kid and I are DW junkies)
• $96/year ($7.99/month) - HuluPlus  (yeah, Netflix + HuluPlus + Amazon is probably overkill, but that gets me just about ALL streaming TV/Movie content available)
• $99/year - NFL Sunday Ticket Max (the DTV deal described above)
• $60/year ($5/month) - VOIP Telephone service via OOMA
• $150 one-time cost for OOMA VOIP hardware
• $200 one-time cost for Motorola XOOM, including stereo docking/charging station

Total cost is $726 first year - I break even in 10 months - including the non-recurring hardware costs.  The cost for year 2 is $376, leaving me $524 to figure out how to get NFL content in 2014.  AND all of the above includes a 50% increase in my Internet download speed from 20MB to 30MB.

[AmishBengalFan]

Updated the OP with the preorder links.  This is (apparently) only available via Amazon, and is ONLY for the first 100,000 Madden 25 Anniversary orders - 50K for the PS3 version and 50K for the XBox version.

[AmishBengalFan]

Thanks for the heads up.

 

But wait - what about PS3 users?!

 

I moved to a building that doesn't allow dishes (one of nyc's drawbacks), but used the service through the ps3.  This is a good deal cheaper.  Will it still work?  I don't see it listed.

 

Can an iPad mirror to an HDTV with HD quality video?  I'm not going to watch our glorious Super Bowl season on a freaking IPad...

 

(my macbook, on the other hand, can output HD so I'd do that - but this seems to be a hand-held focused offer only).

 

Anyone else have info?

 

Whoa!  I never knew PS3 owners had this available to them.   Did you have to be a DirecTV customer to get this as a "piggy-back" on your existing account, or was this a standalone "anybody can get it" product?

[Jamie_B]

I see it will stream to PC/Phone/Tablet, will it stream to gaming consoles?

 

Also sweet deal for one year, but after that ...

 

 

I wish the NFL would just let their content stream already, without having to have DirectTV, so I can get out of DirectTV all together, because I agree it's overpriced if all I want is the extra NFL conent, but for an out of towner like me its either that or go to the bar every week which I started doing initially but after food/drinks every week, which is required (or at least one of the two), DTV turned out to be cheaper.

[alleycat]

 

Whoa!  I never knew PS3 owners had this available to them.   Did you have to be a DirecTV customer to get this as a "piggy-back" on your existing account, or was this a standalone "anybody can get it" product?

 

I signed up for the online-only version last year and was able to watch both online and via my PS3 using the same login.  I was not a DTV customer, outside of Sunday Ticket.

[mullichicken25]

last year i paid for my borther's upgrade to sunday ticket max ($100) and used his login to stream at my house....looks like i could pay exactly the same thing this year and get Madden, which i was going to buy anyway.

 

sweet

[AmishBengalFan]

I see it will stream to PC/Phone/Tablet, will it stream to gaming consoles?

 

Also sweet deal for one year, but after that ...

 

 

I wish the NFL would just let their content stream already, without having to have DirectTV, so I can get out of DirectTV all together, because I agree it's overpriced if all I want is the extra NFL conent, but for an out of towner like me its either that or go to the bar every week which I started doing initially but after food/drinks every week, which is required (or at least one of the two), DTV turned out to be cheaper.

 

Yeah, the one-year-solution is a drawback, but it gives me a chance to try a full year of "no network TV" to see if I like it.  If it doesn't work for me, I'm certain that my currrent provider (or DirecTV or AT&T U-Verse or .... ) would be happy to offer me a deal to get back.  :)   And since I've recently installed XBMC on my Raspberry Pi and will have LOTS of time to play around with the Ambiguously Legal Viewing Options that this presents me, going the $100 online route for Sunday Ticket streaming is an even better deal.  It buys me a full year to try this solution out while exploring other solutions, and comes with a Get Out Of Jail Free card (in that my current provider would take me back next year in a heartbeat.

 

DirecTV and Verizon paid a TON of money for their exclusivity rights.  DTV has been grumbling that the NFL keeps jacking up the costs and DTV is losing customers as a result.  Verizon Wireless dropped something like $700M for the wireless rights - there's no way they'll loosen up access to NFL content wirelessly without being a full-time customer on a full-time plan.

[alleycat]

 

Whoa!  I never knew PS3 owners had this available to them.   Did you have to be a DirecTV customer to get this as a "piggy-back" on your existing account, or was this a standalone "anybody can get it" product?

Also, not to rain on the parade but I still had to pay the full price to get the Sunday ticket on PS3.  I think it was $300.  So this Madden thing is definitely a deal.  It does appear that you CANNOT use it on your PS3, only Computers, Tablets, and Mobile devices.  

 

The computer is good enough.  As long as I can hardline the ethernet cable (I don't trust spotty wifi for a game), I'll just go through my computer now instead of the PS3.

 

I just pre-ordered.  99 bucks.  Saves me a couple of hundred.  

 

Shit, and now I'll have Madden.  I've managed to stay away from video games since college (I bought my ps3 because it was the best, least expensive Blu-Ray player on the market when the technology first emerged).

[Jamie_B]

 

Whoa!  I never knew PS3 owners had this available to them.   Did you have to be a DirecTV customer to get this as a "piggy-back" on your existing account, or was this a standalone "anybody can get it" product?

 

 

I believe you have to be a DTV subscriber

[alleycat]

 

Yeah, the one-year-solution is a drawback, but it gives me a chance to try a full year of "no network TV" to see if I like it.  If it doesn't work for me, I'm certain that my currrent provider (or DirecTV or AT&T U-Verse or .... ) would be happy to offer me a deal to get back.  :)   And since I've recently installed XBMC on my Raspberry Pi and will have LOTS of time to play around with the Ambiguously Legal Viewing Options that this presents me, going the $100 online route for Sunday Ticket streaming is an even better deal.  It buys me a full year to try this solution out while exploring other solutions, and comes with a Get Out Of Jail Free card (in that my current provider would take me back next year in a heartbeat.

 

DirecTV and Verizon paid a TON of money for their exclusivity rights.  DTV has been grumbling that the NFL keeps jacking up the costs and DTV is losing customers as a result.  Verizon Wireless dropped something like $700M for the wireless rights - there's no way they'll loosen up access to NFL content wirelessly without being a full-time customer on a full-time plan.

 

 

Take if from someone who works in the industry.  Network TV is breathing it's last, gasping, dying breath.  Sports are the only issue, and as long as you just watch Football you got yourself covered with Sunday Ticket packages (which at even at $300) will save you a mountain off of direcTV.

[Jamie_B]

 

I signed up for the online-only version last year and was able to watch both online and via my PS3 using the same login.  I was not a DTV customer, outside of Sunday Ticket.

 

 

Apparently I was wrong. Wish they had it for Xbox

[Jamie_B]

 

Yeah, the one-year-solution is a drawback, but it gives me a chance to try a full year of "no network TV" to see if I like it.  If it doesn't work for me, I'm certain that my currrent provider (or DirecTV or AT&T U-Verse or .... ) would be happy to offer me a deal to get back.  :)   And since I've recently installed XBMC on my Raspberry Pi and will have LOTS of time to play around with the Ambiguously Legal Viewing Options that this presents me, going the $100 online route for Sunday Ticket streaming is an even better deal.  It buys me a full year to try this solution out while exploring other solutions, and comes with a Get Out Of Jail Free card (in that my current provider would take me back next year in a heartbeat.

 

DirecTV and Verizon paid a TON of money for their exclusivity rights.  DTV has been grumbling that the NFL keeps jacking up the costs and DTV is losing customers as a result.  Verizon Wireless dropped something like $700M for the wireless rights - there's no way they'll loosen up access to NFL content wirelessly without being a full-time customer on a full-time plan.

 

 

Sadly.

[AmishBengalFan]

Here's the fine print for this deal:

 

"Exclusive to Amazon.com, the Madden NFL 25 Anniversary Edition combines all the innovation and authenticity of Madden NFL 25, a 17 week Madden Ultimate Team pack subscription, and exclusive offers for DirecTV and NFL Sunday Ticket. Each Anniversary Edition includes a special code for eligible gamers giving them the opportunity to unlock a special, 2013 regular season (17 weeks) trial of NFL Sunday Ticket on computer, tablet, and mobile devices. For fans who are able to receive DirecTV service, a special promo code will be included entitling them to an exclusive promotion, including $10 off per month for their first year of service, and one year of NFL Sunday Ticket Max at no additional charge.

With Madden NFL 25, unlock the power, precision, and creativity of the NFL ball-carrier. Whether you’re a slashing running-back, dual-threat QB, or ball-hawking safety, unleash 30 new moves and string together devastating combos with the all-new precision modifier in Madden NFL 25."

 

Exclusive Offers From DirecTV

• For fans who are not currently DirecTV subscribers but are able to receive DirecTV service, they will receive a promo code entitling them to $10 off per month for their first year of service and one year of NFL Sunday Ticket Max at no additional charge.
• For fans who are already DirecTV and NFL Sunday Ticket Max subscribers, you can access NFL Sunday Ticket on your computer, tablet, and mobile devices using your current DirecTV username and password.
• For fans unable to receive DirecTV service, each Madden NFL 25 Anniversary Edition will include a unique code to access the 2013 regular season (17 weeks) trial of NFL Sunday Ticket on computers, tablets, and mobile devices- including access to the award-winning Red Zone Channel.

The bit above in red is important to note!  If you are not a DTV subscriber, then when you sign up you have to tell them that you cannot get it.  This can be because you have a big tree or mountain in your yard, or because you're renting the living room from your wife and she won't let you get it, or because you live in an apartment building - make up any reason you want.  You have to indicate that you are (a) NOT be a current DTV subscriber; (b ) NEVER have been a DTV subsriber, and; (c) CANNOT be a DTV subscriber.

 

If you ARE a DTV customer, this deal allows you to get Sunday Ticket for $50 off and a free upgrade to ST Max - a total value of $125 (I think).

 

Since this is a preorder, you can cancel the Madden order any time prior to it's ship date in late August - Amazon doesn't charge until they ship.  Since this is a limited quantities deal, preordering now and (possibly) cancelling later is a better option than waiting and not being able to get this at all - IMO.

[alleycat]

Here's the fine print for this deal:

 

"Exclusive to Amazon.com, the Madden NFL 25 Anniversary Edition combines all the innovation and authenticity of Madden NFL 25, a 17 week Madden Ultimate Team pack subscription, and exclusive offers for DirecTV and NFL Sunday Ticket. Each Anniversary Edition includes a special code for eligible gamers giving them the opportunity to unlock a special, 2013 regular season (17 weeks) trial of NFL Sunday Ticket on computer, tablet, and mobile devices. For fans who are able to receive DirecTV service, a special promo code will be included entitling them to an exclusive promotion, including $10 off per month for their first year of service, and one year of NFL Sunday Ticket Max at no additional charge.

With Madden NFL 25, unlock the power, precision, and creativity of the NFL ball-carrier. Whether you’re a slashing running-back, dual-threat QB, or ball-hawking safety, unleash 30 new moves and string together devastating combos with the all-new precision modifier in Madden NFL 25."

 

Exclusive Offers From DirecTV

• For fans who are not currently DirecTV subscribers but are able to receive DirecTV service, they will receive a promo code entitling them to $10 off per month for their first year of service and one year of NFL Sunday Ticket Max at no additional charge.
• For fans who are already DirecTV and NFL Sunday Ticket Max subscribers, you can access NFL Sunday Ticket on your computer, tablet, and mobile devices using your current DirecTV username and password.
• For fans unable to receive DirecTV service, each Madden NFL 25 Anniversary Edition will include a unique code to access the 2013 regular season (17 weeks) trial of NFL Sunday Ticket on computers, tablets, and mobile devices- including access to the award-winning Red Zone Channel.

The bit above in red is important to note!  If you are not a DTV subscriber, then when you sign up you have to tell them that you cannot get it.  This can be because you have a big tree or mountain in your yard, or because you're renting the living room from your wife and she won't let you get it, or because you live in an apartment building - make up any reason you want.  You have to indicate that you are (a) NOT be a current DTV subscriber; (b ) NEVER have been a DTV subsriber, and; (c) CANNOT be a DTV subscriber.

 

If you ARE a DTV customer, this deal allows you to get Sunday Ticket for $50 off and a free upgrade to ST Max - a total value of $125 (I think).

 

Since this is a preorder, you can cancel the Madden order any time prior to it's ship date in late August - Amazon doesn't charge until they ship.  Since this is a limited quantities deal, preordering now and (possibly) cancelling later is a better option than waiting and not being able to get this at all - IMO.

 

From what I just read on a techie forum, if you don't currently have direcTV you can just check a box when signing up for the NFL Sunday Ticket Max that you can't receive it at your location.  

 

It requires a little honesty, but then that assumes that you think you should play fairly with multi-national monopoly-wielding corporations to begin with.

[AmishBengalFan]

 

From what I just read on a techie forum, if you don't currently have direcTV you can just check a box when signing up for the NFL Sunday Ticket Max that you can't receive it at your location.  

 

It requires a little honesty, but then that assumes that you think you should play fairly with multi-national monopoly-wielding corporations to begin with.

 

Amish never lie.  I don't own a Television, so how can I be a DirecTV customer?  :)

[Oldcat]

 

Amish never lie.  I don't own a Television, so how can I be a DirecTV customer?  :)

 

Well you could just send them money every month.

[coup000]

Thanks for the heads up, I just got in on it

[-GoBengals-]

i just call DTV every august and tell them im going to cancel in my name and switch to my wifes name to get it free since we are out of contract.. they bill me for the most discounted sunday ticket package and then credit my bill for it all... i have paid 50% for the first year and got it free the last two, i MAY have paid the extra $50 to get max for old and others to use to watch.. but i know i got that free at least one year..

[Squirrlnutz]

last year i paid for my borther's upgrade to sunday ticket max ($100) and used his login to stream at my house....looks like i could pay exactly the same thing this year and get Madden, which i was going to buy anyway.
 
sweet

I'm looking forward to getting my stream back and setting up a third TV for redzone channel along side my normal two TV setup!

[AmishBengalFan]

I just got my copy of Madden 25 Anniversary (for PS3) today.  As advertised, I'll be using the Direct TV Sunday Streaming dealio for myself and will recycle the game - I'm thinking maybe eBay or one of the local used game stores like GameStop.

 

Oh, nearly forgot.  Besides the streaming NFL deal, the Anniversary version also comes with some sort of extra special magic dealie that is important to game players but totally lost on me.  Like a weekly unlock code to get you Barry Sanders or Jerry Rice or Fran Tarkenton or some shit like that.  It's called the Madden Ultimate Team pack subscription, and it gives you something special every week.  No fucking clue what that it, but I suppose it makes the game worth more than just the vanilla Madden 25 version, which is $60 new.

 

Anyone want this?  I mean, I figure it's gotta be worth $40 or $50 - more because it's been Touch by Amish, eh?  ;)

[Rumble In the Jungle]

So all I gotta do is get the madden anniversary edition and i'm in bidness?

[AmishBengalFan]

BTW - If anyone else got this but isn't willing to open it until the deal has been confirmed as available to everyone WITHOUT REGARD to DirecTV's legalese double-talk mumbo jumbo... I just installed it.

 

It's a snap!

 

Instructions here: http://www.easports.com/madden-nfl/news-updates-gameplay/article/anniversary-edition-sunday-ticket

 

Find THIS THING:

 

Simply Put:

1. Open your game package and find the NFL Sunday Ticket insert... it looks like the image above.

2. Point your browser at http://www.directv.com/easpecial

3. Find and click the blue START WATCHING button.  It's in the middle of the page.

4. Find the EMAIL ADDRESS and PASSWORD fields on the page, enter the info from the Sunday Ticket insert

5. Check the Remember Me box (unless you want to enter the address/password info every time) and click the START WATCHING button

 

 

Seriously, that's all there is to it.  The season hasn't started, so you'll see a short video clip telling you how awesome DirecTV thinks they are.  If you see the video, your info works.

 

For those who were worried that you'd have to answer a bunch of questions about access, or your home address, or whether you have been or want to be or can be a DirecTV customer - by clicking the first START WATCHING button, you've already self-certified yourself as being eligible for the deal.  Rest assured, it really is easy peasy.

 

Once you've registered, go to your favorite app store and download the "DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket" app.  Use the same email address and password as above to register the device to your account.  You'll see the same short confirmation video.  I've got it working on my kitchen laptop, my iPod Touch, my Android tablet and my Android cell phone.

 

FOR BONUS POINTS!   If you get a Google Chromecast dongle ($35 at Amazon, backordered right now) then you can use that to watch Sunday Ticket on your BIG SCREEN TV.  Just log in to Sunday Ticket using Chrome on your laptop, Android Tablet or iPhone/iTouch, then "CAST" the video from the browser to the Chromecast.

So all I gotta do is get the madden anniversary edition and i'm in bidness?

 

You gotta get it from Amazon.  They've got the exclusive dealio.

[AmishBengalFan]