Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) announced on July 30, 2026, that it is kicking off the 2026 NFL season by offering YouTube's NFL Sunday Ticket at no extra cost with select mobile and home internet plans. The promotion, available through September 2, allows customers to save up to $480 on the streaming package, which includes out-of-market Sunday afternoon regular season games.
To qualify for the free NFL Sunday Ticket, customers can purchase an eligible 5G phone and activate a new smartphone line on an Unlimited Ultimate or Unlimited Plus plan. Alternatively, existing customers can switch an existing line to one of these plans after purchasing an eligible 5G phone. Home internet customers can also qualify by switching to Verizon's 100% fiber-optic Fios Home Internet plans, select premium Verizon Home Internet options (including 5G Home Ultimate or Verizon Home Internet Lite Extra), or a premium Frontier Fiber tier (1G, 2G, 5G, or 7G).
For existing Verizon Home Internet customers and new or existing Simplicity customers, a standalone subscription to YouTube's NFL Sunday Ticket is available for $234, or the NFL Sunday Ticket + NFL RedZone streaming bundle for $276. These offers provide significant savings for football fans looking to stay connected throughout the season.
Beyond the streaming deal, Verizon is introducing the Verizon Shine loyalty program, which offers customers weekly chances to win once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Starting the week of August 3, customers can enter to win an all-expenses-paid 5-day trip to see the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. New Orleans Saints in the first NFL game in Paris. Additional daily surprises and football fan giveaways are accessible through the My Verizon app.
The Verizon Shine program is part of the broader Verizon Loyalty Program, which also eliminates activation and upgrade fees and offers Verizon Dollars, allowing customers to earn 3% cash back each month. This initiative aims to reward customer loyalty beyond traditional discounts.
This news matters for consumers and the business services industry as it highlights Verizon's strategy to bundle premium content with connectivity services, potentially increasing customer retention and attracting new subscribers. For the industry, it underscores the growing trend of telecom operators leveraging exclusive content partnerships to differentiate their offerings. The inclusion of the Verizon Shine loyalty program also signals a shift toward experiential rewards, which could influence how other companies design customer loyalty initiatives.
Customers interested in the offer can visit verizon.com/nfl-sunday-ticket-on-youtube-streaming/ or visit a Verizon store to select a plan. The promotion runs through September 2, just before the start of the regular season.
