Cricket on Satellite... The Carousel Turns Again

[Justcoz]

There may only be 20,000 Cricket subscribers in the US, but I figured I'd speak up on this issue... which is the reason why I have a dish today!

Murdoch (owner of Fox, Sky and most cricket coverage worldwide) has finally brought the hammer down on Echostar cricket in the USA. After 8 years of over-priced, infrequent, but still pretty good coverage on Dish, Directv has decided to muscle in.

This provides a quandary to the American consumer. Shrug the shoulders - and stay with Echostar's systems we have already bought (after spending $100s) or get a Directv system (and spend more $$$)


The Upside

"100 days of cricket for $200" is a bargain ($2/day) compared to the rates Echostar normally wanted (average between $5 and $10 per day).

Directv will allow you to split the payment to 4 pieces (but still at the $200 rate).

Its not just sub-continental cricket. I have enjoyed India vs whoever - but its would be better to watch the other teams play too.

Directv DVRs make it easier to watch the game (but E* has its own dvrs too)


The Downside

You have to call directv to get the equipment/install - cannot shop independent retailers for better pricing/service alternatives.

You need a wopping great 36" dish that does not even get all of Directv's programming (only covers 101 and 95 sats, not 110/119).

There is confusion about what the minimum level of subscription is to get the cricket.

Don't know if there is a future commitment to more cricket.

The have not told anyone about this...It's not on their website - and their CSRs are pretty clueless!!!

Directv needs to make clear:

1. What they are covering (which series, what dates)
2. What it takes to get the PPV (equipment/minimum programming)
3. Rapidity of install
4. Will all future cricket be on 95/101 sats?


To get up and running it takes $150 dish/install, $99 DVR and $20 shipping -$275 before programming... ($200 will be rebated back over a 1 year commitment to programming - half of which the installed system will not let you receive).

So... good luck to all early adopters...

Satellite TV cricket... its never easy, its always confusing - and expensive. With a little communication and planning a lot of the pain could be taken out of the process.

Neil. New York

 

[ramcm7]

Neil,
I fear you and I are the only people interested in this cricket package. The "100 Days of cricket for $200" sounds like a marketing slogan, but I have not seen it advertised anywhere. Had I not gone to the international services page on D*'s website, I would not have heard about it. I am an NFL fan, in addition to a cricket fan, which is why I kept D*. I also was reluctant to switch because, as you have noted elsewhere, the majority of the cricket shown on E* involves South Asian sides. You can see from my avatar where my loyalty lies. I suspect this new cricket arrangement will involve New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, the same countries who supply rugby to Fox Sports World. What will be available later in the year, when it is summer up here and winter down under also interests me. As a fan of Rugby and Aussie Rules football, perhaps we could get New Zealand's Rugby Channel and Australia's Footy Channel on a similar basis. As an existing D* subscriber and cricket fan, I welcome the new service. I am sure the second large dish will not win me friends in the neighborhood and will require some extra landscaping to camouflage it. I hope D* ultimately makes this extra dish worthwhile, as it will likely not provide me anything when cricket is not on.