Yesterday, for the first time since its 1994 debut, NFL fans went to YouTube instead of DirecTV to watch the Sunday Ticket kickoff.
According to Sports Illustrated, fans loved YouTube’s multiview options but wished they could customize them. They also appreciated that local commercial breaks were replaced with “Enjoy the Zen” videos.
The biggest issue at kickoff time was that fans didn’t know where to go. Though the NFL announced that the Sunday Ticket is now on YouTube TV, a DirecTV ad during Thursday night’s Lions versus Chiefs game claimed that the provider “gives you access to every game.”
While this is true on a technicality, the NFL accused DirecTV of deceptive advertising.
DirecTV is extending the ad anyway.
DirecTV’s head of communications, Jon Greer, said, “If consumers are confused, it’s because where to watch which football games is more fragmented than ever. Our advertising is clear, and just as we’ve done for 30 years we’ll continue to deliver access to the national, regional and local sports our customers want without having to switch inputs on their TV or leaving the DirecTV experience.”
In response, YouTube told USA TODAY that, “It’s disappointing to see this type of confusion in the marketplace. NFL fans deserve a seamless and high quality experience, and we want them to know that YouTube is now where they can go to get every out-of-market Sunday afternoon game in the U.S.”
Separately, check out this story about how YouTube’s CEO plans to use NFL Sunday Ticket as part of the platform’s “beachhead of innovation.”
Other news
- To promote its new big game burger, Arby’s is opening a “hike-thru” location on top of a mountain in the Colorado Rockies. AdAge breaks it down here.
- In a new brand collab, Heinz partnered with Lick to make “ketchup-red” paint.
- Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones can now answer your questions via generative AI.
That’s all for this week’s Marketing Roundup. Check back in next Monday for more news to start your week off right. And subscribe to our newsletter below for additional updates.
