For the 2026 NFL season, EverPass Media has become the exclusive commercial distributor for NFL Sunday Ticket, moving the service from traditional satellite to a streaming-based model. Bars and restaurants can seamlessly transition from satellite to EverPass by pairing compatible streaming sources with an centralized AV over IP system. This centralized setup allows you to distribute live games to every TV in your venue without the cost or clutter of a box behind every screen.
The Challenge: Streaming to TVs The primary challenge in moving from DirecTV to EverPass is the complexity of distributing multiple games across a large number of displays. While the old satellite model relied on a rack of receivers, the new streaming model demands significant network bandwidth. To prevent lag and keep every TV in the building perfectly in sync, a centralized distribution approach is no longer optional—it’s essential.
Integration with centralized AV Over IP Distribution
To use NFL Sunday Ticket via EverPass with a centralized AV over IP distribution system:
-
- Source Connection: Plug an EverPass-authorized streaming device—such as the EverPass streaming device, Xumo Stream Box directly into a Octava AV Over IP Transmitter via HDMI.
-
- Multi-Screen Distribution: Once connected to the transmitter, the EverPass stream can be routed to any all Octava AV Over IP Receivers (screens) throughout your venue.
-
- Multiple Games: Since one streaming device typically provides only one concurrent stream, you will need one EverPass device and one Octava AV Over IP Transmitter for each unique game you want to display simultaneously.
“Unique Stream” Logic: Why Fewer Boxes Mean Better Business
When transitioning to a streaming-based platform like EverPass, many venue owners fall into the trap of thinking they need to buy a streaming box for every single TV in the building. However, from a technical and financial standpoint, that is rarely the case.
In a professional sports bar environment, your hardware requirements are determined by the number of unique programs you want to show at once, not the number of screens on your walls.
The 1:1 vs. 1:Many Strategy
-
- The Old Way (Decentralized): 50 TVs = 50 Streaming Boxes, 50 points of failure, and massive strain on your network.
-
- The Octava Way (Centralized): If you have 50 TVs but only plan on showing 8 different NFL games plus the RedZone channel, you only need 8 streaming boxes.
Why This is Better for Your Venue:
-
- Content-Driven Scaling: On a typical Sunday, there are usually only 7 to 9 regional games happening simultaneously. By having 7 or 9 “Source” boxes in a central rack, you have enough coverage to show every single game available, with the flexibility to “blast” the most popular game to 40 of your 50 TVs at the touch of a button.
-
- Optimized Bandwidth: Instead of 50 devices pulling 50 different data streams from the cloud (which may cause sporadic streaming ), you only pull the 9 or 10 streams you actually need. Your Octava AV over IP system then takes those 10 streams and replicates them across your internal local area network (LAN) to every screen in the building.
The Bottom Line
Using a centralized AV Over IP distribution system allows decoupling of video sources (the games) from your displays (the TVs). This creates a more efficient, reliable, and cost-effective infrastructure that scales with your business.