Sports packaging... Directv VS AT&T

I can't seem to get a straight answer on this one. I presently have Directv, due to all of the sports packaging (of which I have all, for work purposes, lol). I searched online, and also spoke with reps from ATT about their sports packaging. It appears that Directv offers much more, but I'd like to see if anyone out there has the info/knowledge to compare apples to apples, and tell me it this is true. I know that the channels are lined up in a certain way with Directv (with their sports packages). But are the channels offered by ATT the same, just different? Meaning, are the Fox channels, ESPN channels, NFL channels, etc., the same, just not sectioned like Directv? I hope this doesn't seem too garbled, but I'm not sure how else to say it.

On another note... I'll be installing 16-18 receivers in this new house. I'm told that ATT can only service up to 6 of their receivers on a single phone line. Is this true? If so, than the previous answer won't be necessary, as I'm not going to get multiple phone lines to run the receivers.

Thanks in advance for the help.

The Sunday Ticket is only available on Direct. If you are talking about AT&T U-Verse you will get 4 streams, or 4 different channels into your home. This is the maximum amount of different channels. You can hookup 2 more tv's but they will have the same programming. In many areas only one of those streams will be HD.

Yes, like jerry said U-verse will not be able to service all of those receivers. Sounds like if you already have Directv equipment that will be your best service to stay with.

Where U-verse is good is when a person wants to save some money and has a maximum of 4 TVs with only one or two HDTVs. There are a lot of people that just use SD service and that's where the bread and butter customers for U-verse are.

That's what I thought. Thanks for the info.