Subscription Sports Channels

[scots]

Why oh why oh why does DIRECTV keep automatically renewing those subscription sports channels on my account? Channels that I never wanted or asked for to begin with. Seems like when it gets near any new sports season they automatically "renew" my subscription to these channels, and if I don't want to be charged for them I have to cancel them by a certain date. And I can never remove them online. I always have to call in and talk to a person and play 20 questions with them. Just got my latest bill, and now it's MLB Extra Innings - which I have to call and cancel by April 6 if I don't want it.

This is usually how it goes:

Me: "I'd like to cancel MLB Extra Innings"
DTV: "May I ask why you want to cancel it?"
Me: "We don't watch baseball"
DTV: "NOBODY in your house watches baseball??"
Me: "Nope"
DTV: "Well...I can give it to you for {insert discounted price here}"
Me: "No thanks...we don't watch baseball."
DTV: "Are you sure??"
Me: "Yes, I'm quite sure."
DTV: "Well how about HBO and Cinemax free for 3 months??"
Me: "No thanks...I don't want to have to call back in 3 months to cancel that also."

WHY do they constantly add this crap on automatically all the time?? And WHY can't we cancel it online?? If we can add the crap online we should be able to cancel it online. I know they do it hoping people won't notice and they'll take in some extra money from those people, but it's a bunch of bullcrap! I actually use a custom guide view on all my boxes so I don't even have to see the placeholders for these channels (along with other things I don't want to see like pay-per-view, the 50 million infomercial channels, and the religious channels).

 

[TNGTony]

As Yogurt once said in Spaceballs: "Moichandising"

May the schwartz be with you.

 

[Jimbo]

D* Sports Sub have always auto renewed, since day one ...

However, if you have never had the particular sub, it shouldn't be doing that.

If you had it last year it should renew this year.

But if you haven't had it, it should not ...

 

[jcrandall]

Everyone is different, but many people would have been thrilled with an offer like this:
"Well how about HBO and Cinemax free for 3 months??"

The reason you can't do it online is Directv made a business decision to require the call. There are many people that will just keep the service rather than call.
Then, even when you do call, they may likely send you to a special dept to have someone trained to get you to keep it or take another option.

It's pretty common across many industries. Think of it like this, how would an investor look at the management if they made no attempt to "save" a customer canceling a level of service (wether it be the entire service or just part).

 

[joed32]

They have never added any subscription channels to my account without me asking for them and I've been with them almost forever. My ST auto renews every year but I ordered that.

 

[king3pj]

It's probably one of the new customer deals where they give you Extra Innings or Season Ticket free for the first year. Doesn't that auto renew the second year if you don't cancel it?

 

[raoul5788]

It's probably one of the new customer deals where they give you Extra Innings or Season Ticket free for the first year. Doesn't that auto renew the second year if you don't cancel it?

Yes, all add ons renew automatically unless you cancel BEFORE the season starts.

 

[king3pj]

And I'm sure some new subs who don't care about sports don't even realize they have that package until the next year when it renews.

 

[levibluewa]

RE: MLB Ex Innings...any idea on the 2014 price or does that vary depending on the CSR? Also, does anyone have an opinion as to whether Directv ExI is better than MLBTV Premium sub for $130. Thanks.

 

[jcrandall]

RE: MLB Ex Innings...any idea on the 2014 price or does that vary depending on the CSR? Also, does anyone have an opinion as to whether Directv ExI is better than MLBTV Premium sub for $130. Thanks.

Renewal is $198 ($32.99x6).

It hasn't been announced yet but I would take a guess that the early bird price is $200 ($33.33x6) and the in season non-early bird price may be around $210 or $220.

 

[king3pj]

RE: MLB Ex Innings...any idea on the 2014 price or does that vary depending on the CSR? Also, does anyone have an opinion as to whether Directv ExI is better than MLBTV Premium sub for $130. Thanks.

I have been using MLB.tv for a few years and have no problem recommending it if you have a good internet connection and a streaming device. The picture quality is good, the service is cheaper, it gets both feeds of every game in HD including OTA and RSN feeds that Directv doesn't have, and you can still login and watch when you aren't home. It also includes a subscription to the MLB at Bat app for your smartphone or tablet. That gives you access to both teams' live radio broadcasts including Spanish languish broadcasts if they are available plus the option to stream the TV broadcast to those devices.

If you don't have a streaming device I would use Extra Innings instead. I have tried watching games on a PC connected to my TV via HDMI and the picture quality is not as good as it is on my Apple TV, Roku, PS3, or 360. If you don't have at least a consistent 6Mbps internet connection I would use EI too. If other people are going to be using the internet while you watch your games you probably need more speed than that. My 30Mbps connection works great even when other people are watching Netflix or playing online games at the same time.

The other big difference is that MLB.tv doesn't include commercials. They just put up a blue slate saying that a commercial break is in progress. That isn't a positive or a negative for me. Believe it or not, I have actually heard some people complain about it though. Apparently, they like seeing the out of town commercials on directv.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[madmadworld]

The other big difference is that MLB.tv doesn't include commercials. They just put up a blue slate saying that a commercial break is in progress. That isn't a positive or a negative for me. Believe it or not, I have actually heard some people complain about it though. Apparently, they like seeing the out of town commercials on directv.

i wonder why don't they sell their own commercials on these types of internet services. just a matter of time i guess, but missing $ today.

 

[dishcomm]

I have been using MLB.tv for a few years and have no problem recommending it if you have a good internet connection and a streaming device. The picture quality is good, the service is cheaper, it gets both feeds of every game in HD including OTA and RSN feeds that Directv doesn't have, and you can still login and watch when you aren't home. It also includes a subscription to the MLB at Bat app for your smartphone or tablet. That gives you access to both teams' live radio broadcasts including Spanish languish broadcasts if they are available plus the option to stream the TV broadcast to those devices.

If you don't have a streaming device I would use Extra Innings instead. I have tried watching games on a PC connected to my TV via HDMI and the picture quality is not as good as it is on my Apple TV, Roku, PS3, or 360. If you don't have at least a consistent 6Mbps internet connection I would use EI too. If other people are going to be using the internet while you watch your games you probably need more speed than that. My 30Mbps connection works great even when other people are watching Netflix or playing online games at the same time.

The other big difference is that MLB.tv doesn't include commercials. They just put up a blue slate saying that a commercial break is in progress. That isn't a positive or a negative for me. Believe it or not, I have actually heard some people complain about it though. Apparently, they like seeing the out of town commercials on directv.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

I have bought MLB.tv in the past. I did not last season because I knew the Mets were going to stink. I may get it again this season because the Mets will stink 'less'.
Never had an issue with PQ. However, I cannot watch the HD version while my son is on line with the X-Box. So I watch in SD. PC isn't bad. The premium version is feature filled. Cool stuff.

 

[king3pj]

I have bought MLB.tv in the past. I did not last season because I knew the Mets were going to stink. I may get it again this season because the Mets will stink 'less'.
Never had an issue with PQ. However, I cannot watch the HD version while my son is on line with the X-Box. So I watch in SD. PC isn't bad. The premium version is feature filled. Cool stuff.

I don't think the picture quality is bad on PC. When I watch it on a spare 22" monitor at work it seems fine. I do have a gaming PC hooked to my 46" TV. The picture quality is ok when I watch it through that setup but all of my streaming devices (Apple TV, Roku, Xbox 360, PS3) have noticeably better picture quality. From my experience, it's pretty clear that they send a different set of streams to dedicated streaming devices than the one the send to PCs.

I agree that the premium option is packed with cool features though. The premium subscription ($130) is required if you want to have access on streaming boxes, smartphones, and tablets. There is a cheaper option that only works on PCs but I don't know why anyone would make that choice. In addition to only being available on PCs the basic option doesn't give you the choice between home and away feeds. Premium is definitely worth the extra $30.

If you have a good streaming setup there isn't much reason to go with Extra Innings instead of MLB.tv. MLB.tv is cheaper, it has live game feeds that the EI providers don't, it works outside your home, and it has lots of cool features. I don't do it all the time but I really like the ability to watch a live game with the radio broadcast synced to the video instead of the TV broadcast audio. I often watch one live game on the TV with another one on the iPad at the same time too. MLB.tv is really great for a fantasy baseball nut like me.

 

[levibluewa]

Quick ? ... if you have 2 roku's can you have 1 game on in the lr and a different game on in the bed room....

Posted Via The FREE SatelliteGuys Reader App!

 

[king3pj]

Quick ? ... if you have 2 roku's can you have 1 game on in the lr and a different game on in the bed room....

Posted Via The FREE SatelliteGuys Reader App!

I think you can. I know their FAQ says you can't be logged in on two computers at the same time but I have definitely used an iPad and either my Apple TV or Roku at the same time. I also have friends who share an MLB.tv account. Both of them use PS3s to watch MLB.tv. I have to assume that they would be trying to watch games at the same time occasionally and I haven't heard any complaints. Keep in mind that this is what has worked in past seasons. They could easily stop allowing multiple devices at a time to keep people from sharing accounts.