Times are changing for die-hard NFL fans and viewers of the popular Sunday Ticket service have cause for concern after a bungle involving the NBA playoffs on Wednesday.
YouTube TV will be the exclusive home to Sunday Ticket for the 2023 season and beyond, giving fans live access to all out-of-market games for an annual subscription.
DirecTV had been the home of the service since it launched in 1994, but the NFL is deeply committed to moving into the world of streaming, evidenced by its broadcast deals with Amazon Prime and NBC's Peacock, as well as its NFL+ service.
But YouTube TV's stream of TNT's coverage of the NBA Eastern Conference finals clash between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat on Wednesday will not have filled viewers with confidence, with many fans missing the conclusion to the Heat's game-one win at TD Garden.
Jimmy Butler was in fine form as the eight-seed Heat pulled off a big upset win in Boston, but some fans were unable to see them close it out due to a technical issue.
Per Sports Illustrated, a commercial for Disney's live-action reboot of The Little Mermaid was aired with four minutes remaining in a closely-fought game and the coverage never returned.
YouTube TV apologised to viewers in a brief statement, which read: "If you have an issue watching the Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics game on TNT, we’re aware of it & our team is working on a fix — thx (sic) so much for your patience!”
The service costs $72.99 per month for channels including ESPN and TNT, while Sunday Ticket packages range from $249-$489, and viewers will certainly want bang for their buck with no technical troubles when the NFL season begins in September.
Several NBA fans took to social media to complain to YouTube about the issue. One fan said: "I'm a Celtics fan, I missed the last four minutes of the game. I only pay for YouTube TV because I want to be able to watch live sports. I need a refund for the entire month and for the next month as a sign of goodwill or I'm cancelling the subscription and going back to cable."
Another added: "How about some money back for the month after that epic fail?"
It may prove to be a blessing in disguise for NFL viewers ahead of the new season, with the episode giving the NFL scope to apply pressure on YouTube to ensure issues are ironed out in plenty of time before the campaign gets underway.
But YouTube certainly has a task on its hands to get back in the good graces of sports fans after Wednesday's error.
