Is NFL-ST for 2008 getting too high, will you renew?

[jcrandall]

OK NFL fans, I am in doubt of my desire to renew this year my NFL-ST, which I've had for two years now and enjoy.

Here are the facts for 2008:

1. Renewal price is $249 + $99 for SF (HD) --> Bottom Line: $350
It's now 6 monthly installments instead of 5, at $41.50 for the base package, plus however you breakup superfan.
Superfan is still $99, and billable in 6 installments of $16.5. Combined that's $58.00 / month for 6 months.
2. New Subscriber Early Bird: $269 + $99 for SF --> Bottom Line: $370
3. Regular Non-Early Bird Rate: $289 + $99 for SF --> Bottom Line: $390

We're up to almost $400 / year now.

Other considerations:
4. Flex scheduling is ensuring the biggest games are shown on Sunday night with NBC, and some games on NFL Network.
5. Football is now using Sunday, Monday, Thursday, and a couple Saturdays, the quantity of NFL-ST is slimming (slightly, still 12-14 games most weeks).
6. When the big huge games happen - NFL makes sure we see it anyway (Patriots game last year on NBC & CBS & NFLN)

So my question to you, will you keep or cancel your renewal this year.

As for "expecting free superfan" this year - D* has been much tighter with credits this year, but I'll give the option too: If I get free superfan, making it $250/$270 total.

 

[rad]

I cancelled before last year started and D* then came out with an offer for free Superfan so I signed up again. When I saw what 2008 was going to cost I cancelled autorenew and would maybe sign up again if they also do another free Superfan, that's the only way I would reconsider.

 

[jcrandall]

Personally, I'm thinking strongly about cancelling. I have to work about every 3rd or 4th Sunday, so Sunday Ticket is more like 12 Sunday's for me. $250 or $350 for that is getting high.

 

[JAG72]

I was thinking about getting ST this year, but it looks like moving my (or purchasing new) sling-box to my sisters house will be a much better option. I know the quality will not be the best but how good of quality do you need to watch the Lions lose every week.

 

[darrencp22]

New York Giants fan.. i'll just "move" to NY during football season.

 

[dcowboy7]

Other considerations:
4. Flex scheduling is ensuring the biggest games are shown on Sunday night with NBC, and some games on NFL Network.
5. Football is now using Sunday, Monday, Thursday, and a couple Saturdays, the quantity of NFL-ST is slimming (slightly, still 12-14 games most weeks).
6. When the big huge games happen - NFL makes sure we see it anyway (Patriots game last year on NBC & CBS & NFLN)

just a couple of notes regarding:
4. cbs & fox can flex block 5 games each so the biggest game might not go to nbc on sunday nite....for example cbs will most likely block the week 11 chargers/steelers game ensuring cbs keeps it during the day.
5. there is only 1 saturday game on NFLN this year.
6. that was a rare exeption due to NFLN not on alot of systems and to appease congress (that whole anti-trust thang).

i wont drop the ticket because:
1. im in new york so take week 7 for example....i get a so-so jets/raiders game and would miss out on getting colts/packers which is a great game + i always do well betting on the colts and i like to watch games i bet on.
2. lets say the jets are 4-9 going into week 15....i have to watch a meaningless bills/jets game while a big game like packers/jaguars i wont get then.
3. *the big reason*....either at 1:00 or 4:15 there will only be 1 game on....no other game to switch to during timeouts, halftime, blowout etc.
4. i do pretty well in betting on these games and that $$ more than pays for the ticket.

 

[Ramy]

I am going to cancel. I really like it but it is just too much money.

 

[Mr Tony]

OK...this is why monopolies on sports packages is WRONG!!!

Lemme give you a simple perspective...in Canada its free for all on the sports packages. There is no "only X carrier gets it"...so both satellite companies and a bunch of cable companies/telco's carry it

2 years ago I got NFL ST on Starchoice (Canadian DTH provider) for....99 bucks. All games in SD plus a fair amount in HD too (from what I got from Detroit & Seattle CBS & FOX + TSN which carries SNF, MNF and the NFL Net games)

Last year I think it was 100 bucks too.....wonder what it will be this year

Expressvu was 179 and that included all the HD games too

 

[charper1]

I will cancel if anyone will buy me a ticket and airfare to each game I want to see through the season. GREAT BARGAIN FOR ME!

 

[JAG72]

OK...this is why monopolies on sports packages is WRONG!!!

Lemme give you a simple perspective...in Canada its free for all on the sports packages. There is no "only X carrier gets it"...so both satellite companies and a bunch of cable companies/telco's carry it

2 years ago I got NFL ST on Starchoice (Canadian DTH provider) for....99 bucks. All games in SD plus a fair amount in HD too (from what I got from Detroit & Seattle CBS & FOX + TSN which carries SNF, MNF and the NFL Net games)

Last year I think it was 100 bucks too.....wonder what it will be this year

Expressvu was 179 and that included all the HD games too

Ice, I only agree with the point that monopolies are wrong. I personally don't think the price would be any cheaper if more providers were carrying the package. IMO you can't compare pricing in Canada to ours since the NFL is no were as big up there.

 

[uncrules]

I used to get ST for years and I had it up until they started charging extra money for the HD games. The first year they cost extra was the year I dropped ST. It annoyed me to pay for something I got for free the year before.

 

[satjay]

Superfan is the key for for me. If I can get it at no cost, its most likely a go. Since superfan has been going on I have got it at no cost. But last year I only got it becouse I got some letter in the mail (that I believe a few other got) , but with everything else going up I may need to make adjustments to the old family budget

It will be tough becouse:

A. I love football
B. I am big into fantasy football
C. Our Lions can be quite un-entertaining!!

 

[dcowboy7]

C. Our Lions can be quite un-entertaining!!

but kitna says 10 wins again.

 

[dfergie]

I watched the games free on C-band, then did Sunday ticket on the Tvn channels and switched to Directv Sunday ticket...I work half of the sundays and catch the games I want to watch from my Dish HD locals so... for the 3rd year, no Sunday Ticket for me...

 

[joed32]

I want to see every game my team plays, I'm a Pittsburgh fan living in California. To me it's a bargain. The Steelers played in San Diego and tickets were going for $500 in the upper deck.

 

[satjay]

I saw today on my online bill that superfan and Sunday ticket were added at 0.00 at this time. I made my first attempt to "Discuss" superfan, no luck at this time. I may try again but I think my three seasons of no charge superfan (its been three right?) may be ending......To be continued, I may try again next month then as we get closer, but I got some thinkin to do!!!

I guess all the writting of DTV getting touhger on provideding programming credits is becoming true

 

[johnm356]

I first got Sunday Ticket with the SuperFan package a couple of years ago.
What I found was, with so many games to choose from, I never saw any one game in its entirety with all the channel flipping. Besides, all my teams (Steelers) games were blacked out on ST and already available in HD on my local channels. Add to that, no preseason, no playoffs, etc... and it started to look like not such a good deal after all.

I called prior to last season and cancelled it, being as they automatically renew you without asking.

About 4 weeks into last season I get this unbelievable offer in the mail, the rest of the season PLUS SuperFan for free, all for only about $125. That sounded too good to pass up, so I called the toll-free number and re-upped.

Big mistake... Apparently they were practicing some very creative billing practices with this offer. Rather than just bill me $25 for 5 months like they promised, they decided to charge me the ENTIRE FULL RATE of something like $58.50 a month (SF was still free - at least they got that part right), and they were supposed to include a "credit" for the difference each month, bringing the total down to $125, that's $25 a month for 5 months.

Problem was, they never included the monthly credit. heh, nice.

Dozens of phone calls and many wasted hours on hold later, they "kind of" sorted it out, with several credits spread out over many months, but they never really gave me the deal that was promised in their mailer. I ended up having to create a spreadsheet, just to track actual payments vs credits over a 5-month span just to make sure they weren't screwing me - guess what, they tried, by dropping the promised credits, TWICE. More phone calls and wasted time - of course, every time you call, you have to go through your entire story in excruciating detail with every script-reading moron that you get transferred to, and there were many transfers.

Even with the eventual savings, it wasn't worth the hassle they put me through to make it right.

Never again.

Not that any of this matters, since considering the way things are going, in the next 5-10 years every sporting event will only be available on a PPV basis anyway.
Don't like paying $350 for a whole season of ST? ..wait till they want $25 per game...

 

[jcrandall]

I just confirmed the price for superfan is still $99, or 6 payments of $16.50

That means NFL-ST w/ Superfan = $58 / month for 6 months for renewal customers.

 

[Mr Tony]

IMO you can't compare pricing in Canada to ours since the NFL is no were as big up there.

why not? Its the same package

The hockey packages are cheaper there too...and don't tell me hockey isn't "big" in Canada

 

[msajeff]

Even if I hadn't moved back to my team's market, I would have a hard time justifying this compared to going out to the local sports bar. I love ST and everything you get...it's really great for those that love weather games. The CLE/BUF game last year was worth the cost. The only way I'd do it again is if they gave me the new subscriber deal. They would actually be paying me to take it since we never got rid of the premier package. I wonder as someone coming out of contract in August if that slight bit of leverage would help get the same this year.