DirecTV admits to incorrect billing for RSNs

[ncted]

https://arstechnica.com/information...-regional-sports-fees-starts-issuing-credits/

 

[jcrandall]

That's a pretty big mess up, and that zip code map is VERY telling of a mess up. It sounds as though they owned up to it pretty quick, as it is only two months into the recent increase.

 

[Claude Greiner]

I noticed this. Looked messed up a bit who was I to argue.

 

[Jimbo]

I was shocked to see they are charging my area $7.29 p/m for the right to watch the Tigers and Indians and Red Wings.
They should be paying us !

 

[IcEWoLF]

Mine is $5.83.
Its for the following teams:

• Comcast SportsNet Bay Area
  
  • Golden State Warriors
  • San Francisco Giants

Comcast SportsNet California

• Oakland Athletics
• Sacramento Kings
• San Jose Sharks

Too bad with my current package I can't opt out of it.
I have league pass, so I would get both SF/Warriors game, I don't really care much about Baseball or hockey...

 

[IcEWoLF]

I was shocked to see they are charging my area $7.29 p/m for the right to watch the Tigers and Indians and Red Wings.
They should be paying us !

Wow thats pretty hefty for only those teams....

 

[spiketoo]

Well actually, two months was kinda a long time as I was the impetus for this. Emails, phone calls, unreturned VMs, etc. Since the charge appeared for the first time on my bill in Jan and I noticed the discrepancies in zipcodes all around me, it had to be new computer code that was recently installed. Being in the IT industry, IMHO two months is actually a long time to acknowledge bad code that a customer brings to your attention.

 

[Jimbo]

Wow thats pretty hefty for only those teams....

I think the Reds are in that group too.

 

[keenan]

Mine is $5.83.
Its for the following teams:

• Comcast SportsNet Bay Area
  
  • Golden State Warriors
  • San Francisco Giants

Comcast SportsNet California

• Oakland Athletics
• Sacramento Kings
• San Jose Sharks

Too bad with my current package I can't opt out of it.
I have league pass, so I would get both SF/Warriors game, I don't really care much about Baseball or hockey...

When you say have "league pass" are you talking about the NBA League Pass package? Aren't in-market games blacked out since you should be watching on your local RSN, CSNBA? To see the Warriors and Giants you will end up having to pay that RSN fee no matter what because you'll need the programming package with that channel in it.

Unless I've misunderstood what you mean.

 

[IcEWoLF]

When you say have "league pass" are you talking about the NBA League Pass package? Aren't in-market games blacked out since you should be watching on your local RSN, CSNBA? To see the Warriors and Giants you will end up having to pay that RSN fee no matter what because you'll need the programming package with that channel in it.

Unless I've misunderstood what you mean.

Nope, they don't get blacked out as long as I watch the NBA league pass channel for the team broadcast that is near me.

 

[keenan]

Nope, they don't get blacked out as long as I watch the NBA league pass channel for the team broadcast that is near me.

I guess I don't follow you as that would be CSNBA right? Or are you saying the NBA package doesn't have local blackouts like MLB does?

 

[SpaethCo]

Nope, they don't get blacked out as long as I watch the NBA league pass channel for the team broadcast that is near me.

That's only because the League Pass channels are directly mapped to the RSN channels themselves. If you go through the RSNs in the 600s you can also tune them directly when they are airing an NBA game when you are subscribed to League Pass (assuming they aren't playing your local team).

If you dropped to a package that didn't include your RSN, you would be blacked out from watching your local team -- even with a League Pass subscription.

 

[keenan]

That's only because the League Pass channels are directly mapped to the RSN channels themselves. If you go through the RSNs in the 600s you can also tune them directly when they are airing an NBA game when you are subscribed to League Pass (assuming they aren't playing your local team).

If you dropped to a package that didn't include your RSN, you would be blacked out from watching your local team -- even with a League Pass subscription.

Yes, that's how it works as I understand it. The point being, you will have to pay the local RSN fee in order to see your local team regardless of whether you have a league package for the sport or not.

For example, I have only the Family package and I'm in the SF bay area. I also have the MLB-EI package but I can't see the local games broadcast on CSNBA(Giants) because that channel is not included in the Family package. And because I'm in-market I'll be blacked out from watching the away team broadcast as well. If you want to watch your local team you're going to pay that RSN fee, no way to get around it. National broadcasts are different and are available to everyone if you subscribe to that national channel of course.

As there is no RSN with Family I don't pay the RSN fee.

 

[ejb1980]

That's only because the League Pass channels are directly mapped to the RSN channels themselves. If you go through the RSNs in the 600s you can also tune them directly when they are airing an NBA game when you are subscribed to League Pass (assuming they aren't playing your local team).

If you dropped to a package that didn't include your RSN, you would be blacked out from watching your local team -- even with a League Pass subscription.

I have the Sports Pack and often just use the channels in the 600s that I am used to during the free previews. Very handy.

 

[Troch77]

If this RSN fee is legit, why is when you subscribe to the sports pack with all the RSNs they still Charge you an RSN fee?

Samsung Galaxy S6 Active

 

[SpaethCo]

If this RSN fee is legit, why is when you subscribe to the sports pack with all the RSNs they still Charge you an RSN fee?

With the sports pack you only get the other RSNs without any professional sports (NBA/NHL/MLB games are blacked out, unless you have the specific out of market sports package for the league) so it's not quite the same thing. Much as I hate this stupid fee, I think the purpose is to pay for in-market professional sports broadcasts.

The real apples-to-apples question I have: if this stupid fee can really be as high as $7+, how can SlingTV include the RSNs in their $25/mo Blue package, and how can Vue offer RSNs in their $35/mo Core package?

 

[Joe The Dragon]

With the sports pack you only get the other RSNs without any professional sports (NBA/NHL/MLB games are blacked out, unless you have the specific out of market sports package for the league) so it's not quite the same thing. Much as I hate this stupid fee, I think the purpose is to pay for in-market professional sports broadcasts.

The real apples-to-apples question I have: if this stupid fee can really be as high as $7+, how can SlingTV include the RSNs in their $25/mo Blue package, and how can Vue offer RSNs in their $35/mo Core package?

the sports pack does get you some games on RSN's in some outer rings.

 

[Troch77]

With the sports pack you only get the other RSNs without any professional sports (NBA/NHL/MLB games are blacked out, unless you have the specific out of market sports package for the league) so it's not quite the same thing. Much as I hate this stupid fee, I think the purpose is to pay for in-market professional sports broadcasts.

The real apples-to-apples question I have: if this stupid fee can really be as high as $7+, how can SlingTV include the RSNs in their $25/mo Blue package, and how can Vue offer RSNs in their $35/mo Core package?

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.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Active

 

[Jimbo]

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.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Active

I would think that would be the way its done, adding the $7.29 on top of the $13 would seem ridiculous ... I doubt anyone would purchase it for that cost.
I don't know that for a fact, just presuming.

 

[Jimbo]

I would think that would be the way its done, adding the $7.29 on top of the $13 would seem ridiculous ... I doubt anyone would purchase it for that cost.
I don't know that for a fact, just presuming.

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.