DirecTV admits to incorrect billing for RSNs

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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.

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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.
 
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.
 
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).
 
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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
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.


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You guys don't understand do you?
The sports pack comes with your home RSNs already, So why should I have to pay Twice?


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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.
 
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 .



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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.
 
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.

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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.
 
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.
 
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 ?
 
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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)
 
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).
 
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 ?
 
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.
 
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