DirecTV Confident it will Close Sunday Ticket Deal by End of '14

DirecTV, the largest U.S. satellite provider, expects to finalize its much anticipated contract with the National Football League for rights to the popular Sunday Ticket package by the end of the year, chief executive Mike White said on Friday.

The company's merger with wireless provider AT&T Inc hinges on the completion of the deal.

"We have made good progress on the deal," said White at a telecommunications conference in New York.