DirecTV admits to incorrect billing for RSNs

Status
Please reply by conversation.

Troch77

SatelliteGuys Pro
Apr 4, 2015
4,182
1,206
Southern PA
Edit, I just Chatted with a D* rep about this and heres what she said.

H: Ok, the Sports package itself is $13.
Allie: I understand your concern.

H: So to add this Sports package its $13 PLUS the $7.29 ?
Allie: Yes, that is correct.

H: Wow, so essentially the Sports package cost $20.29, not $13, thats very decieving.

Allie: I completely understand where you are coming from. Actually the RSN is a part of the programming package, so we do not have an option to remove the RSN. It is shows separately to avoid hidden charges.

H: Except the hidden charge in this case is the RSN fee that most subs don't know about.
I told you so...
Been there done that.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Active
 

IcEWoLF

SatelliteGuys Master
Lifetime Supporter
Dec 31, 2006
12,589
11,432
Nevada
Man they Nickle and dime ya every chance they get, I just hope within the next year or two ps Vue/ sling and other streaming services start putting the pressure on directv to bring their prices in line. Big competition is definitely needed.
 

SpaethCo

Pub Member / Supporter
Pub Member / Supporter
Nov 7, 2005
875
125
Minneapolis, MN
That doesn't answer the question.
If I subscribe to the Sports pack, for $13, they should drop the $7.29 RSN fee.
Not charge me $20.29.
Except it's not the same programming.

I'm in Minnesota, so I get FOX Sports North and FSN+ to watch the Twins (MLB), Wild (NHL), and Timberwolves (NBA). If I subscribe to Choice with the RSN fee, I can watch every Twins, Wild, and Timberwolves game aired on those channels. If I drop down to a programming package without the RSN fee like Entertainment or Select, I can still add the the $13 Sports pack. If I do that, it turns on FSN and FSN+ for me to watch, but whenever the Twins, Wild, or Timberwolves games are on those channels they are blacked out.

The RSN fee is supposed to cover the cost of your in-market professional sports broadcasts.
 

keenan

SatelliteGuys Pro
Feb 3, 2004
355
34
Santa Rosa CA
Except it's not the same programming.

I'm in Minnesota, so I get FOX Sports North and FSN+ to watch the Twins (MLB), Wild (NHL), and Timberwolves (NBA). If I subscribe to Choice with the RSN fee, I can watch every Twins, Wild, and Timberwolves game aired on those channels. If I drop down to a programming package without the RSN fee like Entertainment or Select, I can still add the the $13 Sports pack. If I do that, it turns on FSN and FSN+ for me to watch, but whenever the Twins, Wild, or Timberwolves games are on those channels they are blacked out.

The RSN fee is supposed to cover the cost of your in-market professional sports broadcasts.
Exactly, the RSN fee applies to your local RSN and the pro games shown on that(those) channels, it has nothing at all to do with the Sports Pack, they're two completely different things and not related to each as far as additional fees go.

In fact, and it's been a while since I've had the Sports Pack, but you can't see any pro games on those channels unless you have also subscribed to the associated sports league package(MLBEI, NBA, etc.). The only pro games you will see are those on your local RSN, and that's only if you have that channel in your basic programming package(Choice, Entertainment and so on).
 
  • Like
Reactions: SpaethCo

Jw2016

SatelliteGuys Guru
Jun 3, 2016
130
50
Upper Midwest
Man they Nickle and dime ya every chance they get, I just hope within the next year or two ps Vue/ sling and other streaming services start putting the pressure on directv to bring their prices in line. Big competition is definitely needed.

It's the name of the game, hidden fees, bogus fees, fees to get the privilege to pay a fee. Companies can advertise a channel package for let's say $29.95 a month but they don't tell you all the extra fees that makes the cost $45.00 a month. It's getting so bad that Directv might started charging a fee to use a remote like the cable companies used to do a long time ago. Enable a tier bit in their billing system that could enable or disable remote control access!. Seriously this fee business is out of control
 

Jimbo

SatelliteGuys Master
Lifetime Supporter
Cutting Edge
Jul 14, 2005
68,869
7,222
NW Ohio - Buckeye Country
Man they Nickle and dime ya every chance they get, I just hope within the next year or two ps Vue/ sling and other streaming services start putting the pressure on directv to bring their prices in line. Big competition is definitely needed.
As I've mentioned earlier, I expect it to go the opposite way ... I expect the Streaming services to start adding any sort of fees that they can come up with ... I don't want that, but I expect it.
 

Jimbo

SatelliteGuys Master
Lifetime Supporter
Cutting Edge
Jul 14, 2005
68,869
7,222
NW Ohio - Buckeye Country
It's the name of the game, hidden fees, bogus fees, fees to get the privilege to pay a fee. Companies can advertise a channel package for let's say $29.95 a month but they don't tell you all the extra fees that makes the cost $45.00 a month. It's getting so bad that Directv might started charging a fee to use a remote like the cable companies used to do a long time ago. Enable a tier bit in their billing system that could enable or disable remote control access!. Seriously this fee business is out of control
I was tsalking with a friend that has the local Cable company and the Do charge for remotes (still/again ?).
She also told me she has one HD DVR will a small amount of storage and it cost her an addl. $30 p/m for the right to have that DVR. Thats ridiculous.
 

Troch77

SatelliteGuys Pro
Apr 4, 2015
4,182
1,206
Southern PA
Exactly, the RSN fee applies to your local RSN and the pro games shown on that(those) channels, it has nothing at all to do with the Sports Pack, they're two completely different things and not related to each as far as additional fees go.

In fact, and it's been a while since I've had the Sports Pack, but you can't see any pro games on those channels unless you have also subscribed to the associated sports league package(MLBEI, NBA, etc.). The only pro games you will see are those on your local RSN, and that's only if you have that channel in your basic programming package(Choice, Entertainment and so on).
You guys don't understand do you?
The sports pack comes with your home RSNs already, So why should I have to pay Twice?
Sports pack includes your local RSNs.

It includes all RSNs.
No one is talking about Out of Market pro teams.
I'm talking about IN Market.
Tell me why I should have to pay RSN fee, if Im choosing to pay $13 for a Package that would provide my Local RSNs?

Understand.
You do realize that your local RSNs are in the Sports Pack.


Samsung Galaxy S6 Active
 

keenan

SatelliteGuys Pro
Feb 3, 2004
355
34
Santa Rosa CA
You guys don't understand do you?
The sports pack comes with your home RSNs already, So why should I have to pay Twice?


Samsung Galaxy S6 Active
Paying what twice? When you have a programming package that includes your local RSN(s) you will have that RSN fee. If you add the Sports Pack you'll get all the RSNs included in that package but you will not be able to view any pro games on any of those channels. The fact that you also get your local RSN in that package is only because it's in your base programming package. If you did not have your local RSN in your base programming package you would not be able to view the channel itself, you'll be able to view all the rest in the Sports Pack but not you local RSN.

You're not paying anything twice, the cost of the Sports Pack is for access to all those other RSNs, not your local RSN. For access to your local RSN you will end up paying that RSN fee.
 

Troch77

SatelliteGuys Pro
Apr 4, 2015
4,182
1,206
Southern PA
Except it's not the same programming.

I'm in Minnesota, so I get FOX Sports North and FSN+ to watch the Twins (MLB), Wild (NHL), and Timberwolves (NBA). If I subscribe to Choice with the RSN fee, I can watch every Twins, Wild, and Timberwolves game aired on those channels. If I drop down to a programming package without the RSN fee like Entertainment or Select, I can still add the the $13 Sports pack. If I do that, it turns on FSN and FSN+ for me to watch, but whenever the Twins, Wild, or Timberwolves games are on those channels they are blacked out.

The RSN fee is supposed to cover the cost of your in-market professional sports broadcasts.
Wrong, Its the exact same programming locally.
Your teams are blacked out based on Zip code, Not your programming package.
Channels availability might change by basepackage.
But not blackout rules.

If you subscribe to Choice or above and choose to pay for the Sports pack, Then the RSN fee should be dropped.
It does not cost $20 for the 4 RSN in the NY market.
It doesn't even cost $20 for. ESPN SUITE .



Samsung Galaxy S6 Active
 

Jimbo

SatelliteGuys Master
Lifetime Supporter
Cutting Edge
Jul 14, 2005
68,869
7,222
NW Ohio - Buckeye Country
Your not paying twice, If you didn't have the Sports Pack, you'd get your local RSN and be assessed a RSN Fee (which I am against, but they don't care what I think).
If your getting the Sports Package, you'll still pay that RSN Fee because you are still getting Your RSN.
Your paying that Fee once, not twice.
 

SpaethCo

Pub Member / Supporter
Pub Member / Supporter
Nov 7, 2005
875
125
Minneapolis, MN
You guys don't understand do you?
The sports pack comes with your home RSNs already, So why should I have to pay Twice?
Again, the RSNs are unique in that it isn't just a channel you subscribe to -- you can have the channel but individual games aired in the RSNs have another layer of subscriptions.

The Sports Pack doesn't authorize viewing MLB, NBA, or NHL games on any of the RSNs, which are the sports leagues that add the bulk of the expense to the channels in the first place.

33408695721_b88a1863e0_c.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: keenan

keenan

SatelliteGuys Pro
Feb 3, 2004
355
34
Santa Rosa CA
Your not paying twice, If you didn't have the Sports Pack, you'd get your local RSN and be assessed a RSN Fee (which I am against, but they don't care what I think).
If your getting the Sports Package, you'll still pay that RSN Fee because you are still getting Your RSN.
Your paying that Fee once, not twice.
So if you get the Sports Pack it includes your local RSN? And do you get pro games as well? I wasn't sure if it worked that way but if it does thanks for the info.
 

Don in CT

SatelliteGuys Master
Pub Member / Supporter
Dec 4, 2013
11,837
15,872
Central CT
So if you get the Sports Pack it includes your local RSN? And do you get pro games as well? I wasn't sure if it worked that way but if it does thanks for the info.
Your local RSN is not included in the sports pack, only out of market channels.
 

Jimbo

SatelliteGuys Master
Lifetime Supporter
Cutting Edge
Jul 14, 2005
68,869
7,222
NW Ohio - Buckeye Country
Your local RSN is not included in the sports pack, only out of market channels.
Really ?
You get your RSN regardless, why would it not be included ?

So, if I dropped down to a package that doesn't include the local RSNs and added the Sports package, I would get all the RSNs EXCEPT my own ?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Troch77

Jimbo

SatelliteGuys Master
Lifetime Supporter
Cutting Edge
Jul 14, 2005
68,869
7,222
NW Ohio - Buckeye Country
So if you get the Sports Pack it includes your local RSN? And do you get pro games as well? I wasn't sure if it worked that way but if it does thanks for the info.
I thought that was the case, but others are saying otherwise.

I would expect to get My local RSN and the Pro games for my local RSN, but no Pro games in the other RSNs ....

I'm not really sure what the purpose is in the Sports Package then if you don't get any Pro games when paying for the SP.

I understand you use to be able to get a bunch of Pac 10 College football games in them channels which was always nice, which somewhat made the Pac 10 Network useless. (at least the way I saw it seeing you could watch most in the 600s)
 

SpaethCo

Pub Member / Supporter
Pub Member / Supporter
Nov 7, 2005
875
125
Minneapolis, MN
So, if I dropped down to a package that doesn't include the local RSNs and added the Sports package, I would get all the RSNs EXCEPT my own ?
In November when I was looking at PS Vue I dropped down to Select, and tried adding the sports pack.

I was able to watch FOX Sports North here in MN for the Wild pre-game show, but as soon as the game started the channel was not authorized. Same for the Timberwolves -- I could watch the pre and post game shows (per the timeslot, so it did include games that stretched beyond their scheduled timeslot) but the actual game timeslots themselves were blacked out.

It's possible I wasn't suppose to get the local RSN at all -- but the blackout of local pro sports definitely works. I couldn't watch local Wild and T-Wolves games until I bumped back up to Choice which includes the RSN (and associated RSN fee).
 

Jimbo

SatelliteGuys Master
Lifetime Supporter
Cutting Edge
Jul 14, 2005
68,869
7,222
NW Ohio - Buckeye Country
In November when I was looking at PS Vue I dropped down to Select, and tried adding the sports pack.

I was able to watch FOX Sports North here in MN for the Wild pre-game show, but as soon as the game started the channel was not authorized. Same for the Timberwolves -- I could watch the pre and post game shows (per the timeslot, so it did include games that stretched beyond their scheduled timeslot) but the actual game timeslots themselves were blacked out.

It's possible I wasn't suppose to get the local RSN at all -- but the blackout of local pro sports definitely works. I couldn't watch local Wild and T-Wolves games until I bumped back up to Choice which includes the RSN (and associated RSN fee).
Did you happen to contact them and question the Pro games In your market not showing ?
Just wondering if they may have messed up ...

If thats the case, why would anyone buy the Sports Package ?
 

SpaethCo

Pub Member / Supporter
Pub Member / Supporter
Nov 7, 2005
875
125
Minneapolis, MN
Did you happen to contact them and question the Pro games In your market not showing ?
Just wondering if they may have messed up ...
I didn't, but mostly because it worked exactly how I expected it to work. It was the same deal with Dish and the Multi-sport pack when I had them a decade ago.

If thats the case, why would anyone buy the Sports Package ?
College sports. Particularly if the college you want to follow isn't local.
 
Status
Please reply by conversation.

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Total: 0, Members: 0, Guests: 0)

Who Read This Thread (Total Members: 1)