DIRECTV Calls on Raycom Media to Free NFL and College Football Fans to See Their Games

DIRECTV today called upon local broadcaster Raycom Media to allow DIRECTV customers to see opening weekend NFL action – beginning with tonight’s primetime match-up between the Green Bay Packers and defending Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks – as well as upcoming NCAA football games this Saturday.

DIRECTV customers are able to see tonight’s NFL opener on NBC live online at NBCSports.com.

“People in great NFL cities like Cleveland and New Orleans avidly support their local teams in many ways, including with public monies to keep these teams within their home communities,” says Dan York, chief content officer for DIRECTV. “To have any local broadcaster like Raycom deliberately deny these fans the freedom to watch the home teams they’ve helped to preserve is simply atrocious.”

He added, “We ask nothing more than for Raycom to set aside their egregious pricing demands for access to 'free' over-the-air TV signals for a few hours, abide by their license to serve the public interest and allow their own viewers to enjoy their NFL and NCAA football games.”

DIRECTV pledges to compensate Raycom the final price that the parties ultimately agree upon for the days its customers are permitted to enjoy tonight’s and Sunday’s NBC, CBS or FOX NFL coverage, as well as this weekend's NCAA football games.

No matter what Raycom decides, DIRECTV will offer all customers a free preview of NFL SUNDAY TICKET to help welcome the new season, enabling each fan to see as many as nine additional out-of-market games this weekend they wouldn’t get without an annual subscription, as well as THE RED ZONE, the new DIRECTV FANTASY ZONE, Game Mix, and Shortcuts, which offers full games in 30 minutes.

DIRECTV hopes Raycom will do the right thing and put fans first and not use their own content as a means to extort even more out of the wallets of families in the communities they claim to serve.

About DIRECTV

DIRECTV (NASDAQ: DTV) is one of the world’s leading providers of digital television entertainment services delivering a premium video experience through state-of-the-art technology, unmatched programming and industry leading customer service to more than 38 million customers in the U.S. and Latin America. In the U.S., DIRECTV offers its over 20 million customers access to more than 195 HD channels and Dolby-Digital® 5.1 theater-quality sound, access to exclusive sports programming such as NFL SUNDAY TICKET™, Emmy-award winning technology and higher customer satisfaction than the leading cable companies for 14 years running. DIRECTV Latin America, through its subsidiaries and affiliated companies in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela, Colombia, and other Latin American countries, leads the pay TV category in technology, programming and service, delivering an unrivaled digital television experience to more than 18 million customers. DIRECTV sports and entertainment properties include two Regional Sports Networks (Rocky Mountain and Pittsburgh), and minority ownership interests in Root Sports Northwest and Game Show Network. For the most up-to-date information on DIRECTV, please visit www.directv.com.