DirecTV to Add Sports Surcharge in LA

[DodgerKing]

DirecTV Subscribers Charged Extra for Regional Sports Packages

4:49 PM PST 12/10/2012 by Alex Ben Block

New subscribers that want a regional sports package have to pay a $3 surcharge to watch teams like the Lakers.


This fall, as the Lakers added superstars Steve Nash and Dwight Howard to their roster, Time Warner Cable was busy negotiating carriage deals for its new networks -- Time Warner SportsNet and Time Warner Deportes -- with providers like Charter Communications, Verizon FiOS... and DirecTV. There were two big sticking points: Time Warner Cable wanted almost $4 per subscriber more, and it wanted those networks available on the most basic tier of service. DirecTV signed a deal with Time Warner Cable to carry the channel on Nov. 15.

DirecTV has been adding a surcharge for new subscribers who want to watch regional sports teams - such as those who want to watch Lakers games on the new Time Warner networks. A spokesman for DirecTV said that they have added this choice, and the surcharge, in major markets across the U.S. -- representing roughly 20 percent of their subscriber base -- where there is more than one regional sports network. That way people who don’t want sports don’t have to take it and those that do pay for it.

“It’s really about the rising cost of sports programming that is going through the roof,” said a DirecTV spokesman. “This is one way to off-set sports costs. It doesn’t cover everything but it does cover a portion."
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/directv-surcharge-regional-sports-package-400205

Does this mean that new subs will have to choice to pay the extra $3 or is it automatically added for those with Choice and above?

Could they also choose to only add 1 RSN or do they have to pay for all of them?

 

[jcrandall]

It is automatic with packages Choice or higher. If you were to call wanting it removed most likely they would offer to change you to the Entertainment package (lacks the RSNs).

There is no option to choose one RSN.

Right now it is new customers only, but it wouldn't suprise me if they added it to existing subs during the next price increase in early 2013. They added it to NY area customers last year.

 

[whitewolf8214]

LA will do anything to get a dollar out of anyone anyway they can get it and people in California needs to stop it anyway they can by getting them out of office and tell them no to spending imo

 

[dtro77]

It is automatic with packages Choice or higher. If you were to call wanting it removed most likely they would offer to change you to the Entertainment package (lacks the RSNs).

There is no option to choose one RSN.

Right now it is new customers only, but it wouldn't suprise me if they added it to existing subs during the next price increase in early 2013. They added it to NY area customers last year.

I have NY DMA Sports, and I do not have this charge.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I have NY DMA Sports, and I do not have this charge.

You will soon.

 

[Tampa8]

You very well might, and some people DO pay a surcharge for the NY RSN's, where they also get other RSN's. This exactly the problem subscribers are going to face, risings costs, plus a sports surcharge.

 

[dtro77]

OH well, once i see it, I'll just take 5 minutes of my time call Directv and more then likly end the call with a $5 credt for 6 months. That would cover the $3 cost for almost 2 years.

 

[mattzane227]

They should pay you $3 to watch the Lakers. They suck.

 

[Ramy]

So even if you are not in the LA area you will have the charge? I am confused.

 

[Teehar]

So even if you are not in the LA area you will have the charge? I am confused.

No it would only apply to subscribers in the LA dma.But,if this works out other cities will be coming soon.

 

[Will94]

The Rockets and Astros have started Comcast Sportsnet Houston. Comcast is demanding $3.40 per subscriber for television providers in the Houston DMA. Needless to say, it's essentially only available to people with Comcast cable at this point. Only 40% of TV viewers in Houston can see Rockets game. I think that the Rockets and Astros are both in for a rude awakening as the huge majority of Houston sports fan absolutely do not want to have to pay more for this channel.

 

[Teehar]

The Rockets and Astros have started Comcast Sportsnet Houston. Comcast is demanding $3.40 per subscriber for television providers in the Houston DMA. Needless to say, it's essentially only available to people with Comcast cable at this point. Only 40% of TV viewers in Houston can see Rockets game. I think that the Rockets and Astros are both in for a rude awakening as the huge majority of Houston sports fan absolutely do not want to have to pay more for this channel.

Yea I agree and hope these new team channels fail miserably.Every year we are introduced to new team run/owned channels demanding outrageous prices.

 

[dtro77]

What pisses me off is we can't even get all of our real RSN's in our DMA. Comcast Philly is missing, and we don't get any locals from that DMA to make up for it. So living in PA, Just because they choose NY as our Sports DMA, we get to pay a premium! Screw that! Whos's rule is that? Directv?

 

[skysurfer]

I am pretty ticked off about this charge. I don't have it yet (my RSN's are ROOT RM and Altitude) and I am not going to pay it if they start charging it to me because Altitude is not worth having as an RSN in my package. I am reamed because if I don't pay it, I'll be going to the Entertainment tier and lose a few non-sports channels that I like in my Choice package that aren't in the Entertainment package. Alternately, I may pay it but only for half the year since the Rockies are the only reason I can see to want ROOT RM. I chose Choice level more for the non-sports channels included that weren't in Entertainment rather than the because of the fact RSN's are included in Choice and not in Entertainment. I'm not too enthused about either RSN to make Choice a must have.

 

[dtro77]

Well Just got off the Phone with Directv and I guess my county isn't under the new fee. So I'm good.

 

[whitewolf8214]

Well Just got off the Phone with Directv and I guess my county isn't under the new fee. So I'm good.

For now if it is in LA and I bet if it works I bet it will be going all over We all better Keep our heads up and ears open and an eye on it

 

[dtro77]

For now if it is in LA and I bet if it works I bet it will be going all over We all better Keep our heads up and ears open and an eye on it

Its for the NY DMA.
They claim since my address is PA and I Get Scranton Wilkes barre Locals, it doesn't apply to me even though I get NY Sports. Now Pike county pa , Which is the only county in PA that is a NY City Market may be looking at this fee

 

[Mr Tony]

LA and NYC are the two that have it right now

Its all due to the sheer amount of RSN's those markets have in it

I doubt someone who has only 1 RSN (like me) or even someone with 2 (like Colorado) will ever get this fee. Its for the markets that have 3 or more RSN's in a market

 

[Mr Tony]

I am pretty ticked off about this charge. I don't have it yet (my RSN's are ROOT RM and Altitude) and I am not going to pay it if they start charging it to me because Altitude is not worth having as an RSN in my package.

highly unlikely markets with 2 RSN's (and there are only a few) will get charged this. This is for markets with 3 or 4 RSN's in their market

 

[skysurfer]

highly unlikely markets with 2 RSN's (and there are only a few) will get charged this. This is for markets with 3 or 4 RSN's in their market

I think it will eventually roll out to markets with 2 RSN's (since one or two articles I read Tuesday mentioned that if successful in the test markets, it would roll out to markets with 2 or more RSNs and likely to all subscribers, not just new subscribers, in each of those applicable markets).

I just consider Altitude a non-RSN (Nuggets streetball that I don't care for seems to be the only sports-related programming on the channel - it seems like the rest of the schedule is poker or hunting or infomercials).

If the fee is added here, I probably will have to just pay it summer only for Rockies baseball or hope DIRECTV smartens up and offers each of the tiers of Choice and above with and without RSN's so the RSNs can be removed to avoid the fee while keeping all the same non-sports channels of each tier without having to change tiers and lose a bunch of non-sports channels in the tier change.