Unanticipated Preseason Games Appear on YouTube's NFL Sunday Ticket
Subscribers to NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube have unexpectedly seen a small slate of preseason games appear on the platform as part of a limited trial. The move marks a departure from the package’s usual focus on out-of-market regular-season broadcasts and has drawn attention from fans and observers alike.
Limited Technical Test with Preseason Matchups
YouTube and YouTube TV — which hold the NFL Sunday Ticket rights under a multibillion-dollar agreement — were allowed by the league to stream a handful of preseason matchups this year as a technical test. Games such as the Aug. 16, 2025 Dolphins-Lions and Patriots-Vikings contests, plus a Texans-Lions tilt scheduled for Aug. 23, 2025 in certain markets, were made available to some subscribers.
Traditional Coverage and the Unusual Preseason Airings
Sunday Ticket traditionally delivers every Sunday afternoon regular-season game that isn’t shown locally on CBS or FOX, letting out-of-market fans follow their teams. Preseason and postseason games have been excluded from the service, so the unexpected preseason airings represent an unu...