Base Package Requirement For Nfl Sunday Ticket

[Scott Greczkowski]

BASE PACKAGE REQUIREMENT FOR NFL SUNDAY TICKET
Effective May 12, 2008, a qualifying base programming package has been required to purchase our exclusive sports programming packages. As a reminder, this requirement applies to customers subscribing to NFL SUNDAY TICKET.

As a notification to customers, DirecTV will be mailing a letter to all those who took NFL SUNDAY TICKET last year and did not have a base programming package subscription.

 

[Ramy]

I thought that they had been requiring this for several years now.

 

[rjruby]

I thought that they had been requiring this for several years now.

I've had the NFL package without any additional programming since ~ 2001 and was "grandfathered" under the old agreement.

I wonder if that will change now.

 

[yourbeliefs]

BASE PACKAGE REQUIREMENT FOR NFL SUNDAY TICKET
Effective May 12, 2008, a qualifying base programming package has been required to purchase our exclusive sports programming packages. As a reminder, this requirement applies to customers subscribing to NFL SUNDAY TICKET.

As a notification to customers, DirecTV will be mailing a letter to all those who took NFL SUNDAY TICKET last year and did not have a base programming package subscription.

....So is this basically saying that you need a basic package like Family, Choice, etc in order to get ST?

 

[msajeff]

Wow...just wow. I thought this was already policy as well. It doesn't impact me but if I was one of those subs from the 90s who have been loyally paying for the ST without a base package requirement, I'd be pissed.

I guess from their viewpoint they are subsidizing the actual cost of ST so it's not too much to ask that a customer subscribe to something that has a profit margin.

From a customers viewpoint... It's yet another kick in the nuts. This from the prospective of someone just reading the lease fee upgrade thread. I'm amazed by two things. For starters, that DTV and the NFL haven't gotten sued to death over their monopoly. I wish that while Arlen Spector was going after the NFL for the Comcast/NFLN thing, he'd broaden it and threaten their anti-trust exception over both NFLN and ST. (I'm still amazed that despite being found guilty of being a monopoly in the USFL ruling that they still are allowed to make anti-consumer agreements.) We've all seen what has gone on pricewise with the MLB EI package. If the NFL was forced to deal with the CableCos, I doubt we'd be seeing double digit % increases over the span of 2 years.

Second, I'm amazed that DTV hasn't been sued to death over "lease upgrade fees" that get you nothing in the end. With Liberty in charge now I highly doubt we'll get any leeway in this anti-consumer policy but with HD being their bread and butter now wouldn't it make sense to handle it like the DVR fees? The first HD-DVR is free with additional units $150 a piece. Forget the upgrade fees on everything else all together. When I joined almost 2 years ago the front line CSR was able to give me a R15 and H20 at no charge. What infuriated me at the time of upgrading to the HR-20 (within days of it coming out) was the fact that besides having to pay $300, they demanded the H20 back and said I'd have to either pay the lease fee monthly or pay the $99 fee to get it back when we added a HDTV.

Of course as we all know DTV has by far the best lineup. We looked at moving to Comcast last year and had both services last August. It's amazing how much better the HR20 is compared to the crap Comcast gives out. Of course your level of tech knowledge will dictate which one you like better...C seems geared towards the technologically challenged while anyone with an ounce of knowledge would pick the HR20. Anyways, I just wanted to make clear that this was not an anti DirecTV service rant as much as an anti DTV policy rant.

 

[hancox]

I'm amazed by two things. For starters, that DTV and the NFL haven't gotten sued to death over their monopoly. I wish that while Arlen Spector was going after the NFL for the Comcast/NFLN thing, he'd broaden it and threaten their anti-trust exception over both NFLN and ST. (I'm still amazed that despite being found guilty of being a monopoly in the USFL ruling that they still are allowed to make anti-consumer agreements.) We've all seen what has gone on pricewise with the MLB EI package. If the NFL was forced to deal with the CableCos, I doubt we'd be seeing double digit % increases over the span of 2 years.

I agree with almost all of your post, except this.

The reason "Arlen Spector" isn't going to do anything (aside from holding a BS hearing as a lapdog of the NAB lobby) is because if "the cablecos" had just as much of a chance to outbid D*. They didn't, and it's moot after that.

Honestly, I could make a better argument that D* exclusivity is PRO-consumer, as it's nationally available at a consistant (albeit HIGH) price. "The CableCos" would undoubtedly #@$%@#% this up to no end, probably stick it on SDV, and maybe not even carry it, forcing out whole areas with THEIR monopolies.

 

[joed32]

Spector is a tool for Comcast.They are based in Philly and that's the only reason he made a fuss about "Spygate". Just trying to get back at the NFL for not giving Comcast a sweetheart deal on Sunday Ticket.

 

[yourbeliefs]

Spector is a tool for Comcast.They are based in Philly and that's the only reason he made a fuss about "Spygate". Just trying to get back at the NFL for not giving Comcast a sweetheart deal on Sunday Ticket.

Yeah I'm sure that's EXACTLY why he made such a fuss about it. Nothing to do with the integrity of America's most profitable and popular sport.

I'm pretty much convinced that the Patriots did SOMETHING shady at this point, but I don't know what, nor do I really care. We do have better things to worry about, I fully agree, but I SERIOUSLY doubt that this thing all stemmed from a vendetta between Comcast and the NFL. I'd believe that idea more if he was a lobbyist for the Rams than I would that.

 

[shibby191]

A base package has been required for *years*. Now what might be changing is those that had ST only from over a decade ago and have been grandfathered may be losing that grandfathering and must now take a base package.