NFL Sunday Ticket is an expensive out-of-market package for customers. Over the years, DirecTV’s and now its new owner, AT&T have attempted to maximize its base by allowing non-satellite provider subscribers to pay for the package by expanding it outide of its normal customers.

Last season, the charges were as follows:

NFL Sunday Ticket: $251.94 total ($41.99 per month)

NFL Sunday Ticket Max: $353.94 ($58.99 per month)

But even with new customers on board, DirecTV still maintained its extra tier, Sunday Ticket Max that subscribers had to pay an additional $17 per month in order to get access to the Red Zone Channel, Fantasy Zone Channel and most important of all, the ability to stream games online whether it be computers, mobile phones or tablets.

It ended up being an expensive proposition for fans who wanted access to their favorite teams both on TV and online.

Well, DirecTV is going to allow streaming for all NFL Sunday Ticket subscribers, but will continue to maintain its Max tier for its premium features like the Red Zone and Fantasy Zone Channels plus “Short Cuts” which is a 30-minute shortened version of each game that will be available online now. It had been on available on TV for Max customers in the past.

“Streaming of NFL SUNDAY TICKET exploded last year— up 35%. This further proves customers want to watch their favorite team wherever they are,” said David Christopher, chief marketing officer, AT&T Entertainment Group. “That will grow more this year, now that every customer can enjoy live games on a second screen or on-the-go without having to pay more.”

So it brings more customers to the streaming side and will probably attract some fans who had paid extra to watch games on their cell phones, but will lose Red Zone Channel in the process.

Perhaps in the 2017 season, AT&T can make Red Zone Channel available to all Sunday Ticket customers and that would be the ideal scenario for fans.

[AT&T Newsroom]