ESPN GamePlan Owners - Just got off the phone with Directv

[texascpa]

Re-upping my Directv service and asked about any discounts on ESPN GamePlan. The rep I was working with stated that Directv just received notification from ESPN this morning that ESPN GamePlan is being discontinued as an optional pay service, and will instead be provided as part of the Sports Package. I take this to mean that it is being cancelled for all service providers, and as long as you have the required sports package, you will receive out-of-market games as you would have under the Gameplan...BUT FOR FREE!

Oh, and they finally gave me NFL Ticket for free this year. I'm a happy camper.

 

[orange79]

I hate the fact that the only way to get NFL Ticket is to have DirectTV. Seems as if the NFL is throwing away cash, but maybe DTV is making it worth their while. On the bright side, there are 2 lawsuits pending against DTV/NFL - one by 'fans', and one by bar owners. Hopefully, this opens the market a bit.

 

[anomander]

NICE!!!!

Only reason I have DTV is for the NFL Ticket. Well worth it.

 

[qdawgg]

Re-upping my Directv service and asked about any discounts on ESPN GamePlan. The rep I was working with stated that Directv just received notification from ESPN this morning that ESPN GamePlan is being discontinued as an optional pay service, and will instead be provided as part of the Sports Package. I take this to mean that it is being cancelled for all service providers, and as long as you have the required sports package, you will receive out-of-market games as you would have under the Gameplan...BUT FOR FREE!

Oh, and they finally gave me NFL Ticket for free this year. I'm a happy camper.

I still need to call get a deal on Sunday Ticket. Did you have to sign a new contract or were you able to get it free without extending your contract?

 

[texascpa]

I still need to call get a deal on Sunday Ticket. Did you have to sign a new contract or were you able to get it free without extending your contract?

Nah, I had to sign a two year contract. Nothing I'm not used to doing. Unfortunately, where I live I don't have much leverage over Directv. This year, I didn't even ask the guy just said he could do it.

 

[qdawgg]

Nah, I had to sign a two year contract. Nothing I'm not used to doing. Unfortunately, where I live I don't have much leverage over Directv. This year, I didn't even ask the guy just said he could do it.

I've gotten a discount before by threatening to cancel my service but I never get the type of discounts some people claim online, why I was wondering if you did something different. I'll probably be extending my service if I want to get Sunday Ticket free.

 

[Scooch]

I hate the fact that the only way to get NFL Ticket is to have DirectTV. Seems as if the NFL is throwing away cash, but maybe DTV is making it worth their while. On the bright side, there are 2 lawsuits pending against DTV/NFL - one by 'fans', and one by bar owners. Hopefully, this opens the market a bit.

DTV pays the NFL over a billion dollars a year for Sunday Ticket. If there is one thing the NFL never does its throw away money.

 

[texascpa]

I've gotten a discount before by threatening to cancel my service but I never get the type of discounts some people claim online, why I was wondering if you did something different. I'll probably be extending my service if I want to get Sunday Ticket free.

What's funny is I didn't threaten to cancel this time, just asked if what discounts were available. First thing he did was check sports related discounts. I think I just got lucky this time. Oh, and it didn't hurt that we shared the same first name, he was from Rochester area (though working in Idaho) and he was an Air Force vet (my son is going into the Air Force).

 

[faninorlando]

Just got my direct tv reduced all pay channels, sports pack and Sunday ticket for $86 with only 1 year commitment, oh and I have 2 dvrs

 

[Dnyr85]

Im gonna have to try for a discount now, lol.

 

[anomander]

Just got my direct tv reduced all pay channels, sports pack and Sunday ticket for $86 with only 1 year commitment, oh and I have 2 dvrs

Wow. I have 2 Genie's and have got basically every sport package imaginable, every Boxing and MMA PPV and I get nothing for a deal because I have been with them for 7 years. That's BS

 

[CU44SE]

Directv is great, just had to give it up for time warner cable and I am miserable. Never had an issue with Directv, service is great. My parents have had it so long they were somehow grandfathered in and only pay for Sunday ticket and one box monthly. no other channels are billed to them. They also have Comcast for regular cable subscription.

 

[Stern]

I hate the fact that the only way to get NFL Ticket is to have DirectTV. Seems as if the NFL is throwing away cash, but maybe DTV is making it worth their while. On the bright side, there are 2 lawsuits pending against DTV/NFL - one by 'fans', and one by bar owners. Hopefully, this opens the market a bit.

Hate to rain on your parade but it won't change anything. The Sunday Ticket is just a package of games (mind you its almost every game minus the national games on Sunday, Mon, Thurs.) No difference than the AFC Package or the NFC Package or the Monday Night Package..etc. DIRECTV pays the most money to get all of the games and they just signed a long term deal to keep them for many more years.

The lawsuits will be thrown out. Every so many years fans try to sue over this and it fails. It's like a fan suing CBS because CBS doesn't show the Packers vs Cowboys on some random Sunday. It makes no sense. The Sunday Ticket package goes up for bid when the contract is up, and DirecTV pays the most ($1.5 billion a year for 8 years), they keep it. Case closed.

 

[Stern]

I still need to call get a deal on Sunday Ticket. Did you have to sign a new contract or were you able to get it free without extending your contract?

How it works is like this, if you are a long-time DirecTV subscriber, call every 4 or 5 months and ask what you are eligible for. What most people don't know is DirecTV does take care of their subscribers you just need to call and ask. On your account you might be eligible for a set of movie channels for free for 6 months or whatever. Usually on your year anniversary they send a card in the mail and tell you what you get for the next 6 months or so for free. But if you just call out of the blue there might be something on your account you are eligible to get for free and if you ask they will give ya something just for being a "loyal subscriber." It's one of the things they do well. Take care of their own that is.

And when it comes to the Sunday Ticket if you call and give them a "sob story" of some sort then yes they usually take some money off it and will give you a deal. Depends on the representative you get and how much you push for it.

 

[dollarbill44]

Hate to rain on your parade but it won't change anything. The Sunday Ticket is just a package of games (mind you its almost every game minus the national games on Sunday, Mon, Thurs.) No difference than the AFC Package or the NFC Package or the Monday Night Package..etc. DIRECTV pays the most money to get all of the games and they just signed a long term deal to keep them for many more years.

The lawsuits will be thrown out. Every so many years fans try to sue over this and it fails. It's like a fan suing CBS because CBS doesn't show the Packers vs Cowboys on some random Sunday. It makes no sense. The Sunday Ticket package goes up for bid when the contract is up, and DirecTV pays the most ($1.5 billion a year for 8 years), they keep it. Case closed.

It really sucks for those of us who can't get DTV due to terrain/trees.

 

[corpjet]

DirecTV is the best certainly when it comes to sports, love being able to watch every Reds game while living in Indianapolis and not having to buy the MLB package

I think the ACC could expand their AppleTV model and not have to worry what cable or satellite provider would pick them up

 

[AZOrange]

Wow. I have 2 Genie's and have got basically every sport package imaginable, every Boxing and MMA PPV and I get nothing for a deal because I have been with them for 7 years. That's BS

Yeah What. Every time I ask they don't give me anything...

 

[OrangeTown]

How it works is like this, if you are a long-time DirecTV subscriber, call every 4 or 5 months and ask what you are eligible for. What most people don't know is DirecTV does take care of their subscribers you just need to call and ask. On your account you might be eligible for a set of movie channels for free for 6 months or whatever. Usually on your year anniversary they send a card in the mail and tell you what you get for the next 6 months or so for free. But if you just call out of the blue there might be something on your account you are eligible to get for free and if you ask they will give ya something just for being a "loyal subscriber." It's one of the things they do well. Take care of their own that is.

And when it comes to the Sunday Ticket if you call and give them a "sob story" of some sort then yes they usually take some money off it and will give you a deal. Depends on the representative you get and how much you push for it.

This is exactly it. Every person is eligible for certain "credits" based on length of service and the "credits" already applied to the account. I was explicitly told by a representative to call every 6 months or whenever the current "credits" expire to ask for whatever new ones are available. It's a pain, but worth the $30-$40 per month it usually saves me. Not to mention the once per year call to tell them I want to cancel the Sunday ticket and see how low they will go.

 

[Orangepace]

I hate the fact that the only way to get NFL Ticket is to have DirectTV. Seems as if the NFL is throwing away cash, but maybe DTV is making it worth their while. On the bright side, there are 2 lawsuits pending against DTV/NFL - one by 'fans', and one by bar owners. Hopefully, this opens the market a bit.

I mentioned this in a previous thread, but you DO NOT have to have Directv to be able to subscribe to Sunday Ticket. I know for a fact that Sunday Ticket was offered as a standalone subscription on the PS4 last season. It may be offered on XBox, AppleTV, etc, but I haven't checked. Something to look into for those of you who are not DirecTv subscribers.

 

[donniesyracuse]

It may be offered on XBox, AppleTV, etc, but I haven't checked. Something to look into for those of you who are not DirecTv subscribers.

It is not currently available on Apple TV, but there are rumors that Apple is working with the NFL for their forthcoming streaming service.

 

[Orangepace]

I hate the fact that the only way to get NFL Ticket is to have DirectTV. Seems as if the NFL is throwing away cash, but maybe DTV is making it worth their while. On the bright side, there are 2 lawsuits pending against DTV/NFL - one by 'fans', and one by bar owners. Hopefully, this opens the market a bit.

Sorry if I came off in an "offensive ground and pound manner," but since you liked the post, you didn't read it that way, thankfully. Few other things I was able to drum up (though some are dated)...

donniesyracuse - See AppleTV related below.

AppleTV related:
http://9to5mac.com/2015/07/20/nfl-games-apple-tv/
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.directv.sundayticket&hl=en (if you have AppleTv, you can typically send right from your iPad to the AppleTv with a swipe).

XBoxOne/PS3/PS4 owners:
http://www.dualshockers.com/2014/08/26/directtvs-nfl-sunday-ticket-now-available-on-ps3-and-ps4/
http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/07...coming-to-xbox-one-and-ps4-but-theres-a-catch

Overall:
http://www.tomsguide.com/us/nfl-sunday-ticket-no-subscription,news-19175.html

 

[qdawgg]

It is coming to Apple TV... sort of

"The new Game Pass service coming to Apple TV will mark the first time that users have access to watch full NFL games on the device, although the service won’t offer any live streams ofregular season, playoff, and Super Bowl game broadcasts."

I had Sunday Ticket on PS3 originally and the quality was poor/unreliable enough, that's when I ended up getting Directtv and keeping TW. Has the quality improved watching through the consoles? I'm pretty close to my 2 year contract ending.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[texascpa]

hmmm...thank goodness I just re-upped. I think the discounts are going to disappear.

 

[Stern]

hmmm...thank goodness I just re-upped. I think the discounts are going to disappear.

Not at all, other way around. You might see prices drop and get more discounts. DirecTV now has secure financial backing with a huge partner. It will make them more competitive with the other cable giants and do what they must to grow DirecTV. Which usually means dropping prices to bring in more subscribers.