NFL Sunday Ticket Pricing

[Tom Bombadil]

It isn't quite time yet for the annual "Why doesn't Dish offer NFL:ST" thread yet. I've got to believe that most of the people asking for it must be new Dish subs, for the old-timers know you don't sub to Dish if you want NFL:ST. DirecTV has this package locked up as a DBS provider exclusive for another 4 years.

I was wondering what D* was going to do with pricing, given that their cost went up by close to 90% this year. I see that they have now established their pricing ...

$229 for the Early Bird SD package.

$249 will be the regular price for the SD package.

And $99 more if you want the HD broadcasts (approx 110 games in HD)

So for the NFL:ST in HD, the cost will be $328 - $348.

Wow!

Even at that price, I think D* is going to have a hard time covering their expenses.

It would be interesting to learn how many HD packages they sell.

I wonder why they felt they had to bid $750M/yr for this package. Were they afraid that Charlie was going to bid $700M/yr?

 

[Clancy]

The 2 Canadian satellite providers have been offering NFL ST for less than half the price you have mentioned. In Canadian dollars also. Plus some US locals as well.
Lots of Americans are subbing to a Canadian satellite provider just for locals or Sunday Ticket or both. :up

 

[Darrell S]

I will never pay that much again unless they get rid of that stupid blackout policy.

 

[Curtis0620]

I will never pay that much again unless they get rid of that stupid blackout policy.

Done.

 

[charper1]

Pay that much? Try buying season tix to all those games and add up the costs vs the Sunday Ticket. We all love cheap prices and hate when stuff goes up, even $1, but this really is a value. Its also a luxury, above the FREE local coverage, so if the price is too high just watch the FREE stuff.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

I believe I'll get over 70 NFL games in HD without ST.

My OTA locals offer two each Sunday, that should be 34 HD games.

NBC will be broadcasting 16 Sunday night games and 1 Thursday night game, which I expect to be in HD.

ESPN will be broadcasting 17 Monday night games in HD.

And the NFL Network will be broadcasting 8 Thursday night games in HD.

That's 76 games, minus 3 times when my local team is one of the other games, for a total of 73 NFL games in HD. I'll probably skip at least 30 of these.

And I think I'll get another 16-17 in SD, over and above the 73 above, from OTA digital SD.

Oh, and I didn't count all of the playoff games that I'll get, perhaps all in HD.

Boy, that NFL:ST price looks really high when I take this into consideration.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Pay that much? Try buying season tix to all those games and add up the costs vs the Sunday Ticket.

That's not a valid cost comparison for me. I've never been to an NFL game and have no plans to go to one. I guess if someone was going to skip going to several games a year and watch on ST, then it would be valid.

But I can see how it would be very attractive to someone who is a big fan of an out of market team.

 

[keenan]

It can be had this year for $209(auto-renewal) plus $49 for the HD package. Some have even got the HD package for free. It's costing me $10 over last year with HD included.

 

[JohnH]

Done.

Not so fast:

http://www.directvsports.com/Packages/NFLSundayTicket/

Due to NFL and Broadcast Network requirements outside of DIRECTV's control, games broadcast by your local Fox or CBS station will not be available on channels in the 700s. You must tune to your local Fox or CBS station to watch those games. DIRECTV is required to enforce this rule to ALL its customers, including customers in areas where DIRECTV does not offer Local Channels.

 

[Clancy]

I believe I'll get over 70 NFL games in HD without ST.

My OTA locals offer two each Sunday, that should be 34 HD games.

NBC will be broadcasting 16 Sunday night games and 1 Thursday night game, which I expect to be in HD.

ESPN will be broadcasting 17 Monday night games in HD.

And the NFL Network will be broadcasting 8 Thursday night games in HD.

That's 76 games, minus 3 times when my local team is one of the other games, for a total of 73 NFL games in HD. I'll probably skip at least 30 of these.

And I think I'll get another 16-17 in SD, over and above the 73 above, from OTA digital SD.

Oh, and I didn't count all of the playoff games that I'll get, perhaps all in HD.

Boy, that NFL:ST price looks really high when I take this into consideration.

Good point Tom, there are plenty of ways of receiving a good deal of games as you mention.
If one must have the option for every game, then the Canadian route is by far the cheapest way to go.
I hope that providers that want to shut anyone out of watching NFL that doesn't have their satellite service ,learns this is not a good idea, by losing money big time. The best days were when you could purchase the package from whoever your provider was.

 

[Curtis0620]

Not so fast:

http://www.directvsports.com/Packages/NFLSundayTicket/

Due to NFL and Broadcast Network requirements outside of DIRECTV's control, games broadcast by your local Fox or CBS station will not be available on channels in the 700s. You must tune to your local Fox or CBS station to watch those games. DIRECTV is required to enforce this rule to ALL its customers, including customers in areas where DIRECTV does not offer Local Channels.

That rule is changing this year.

 

[JohnH]

That rule is changing this year.

If so, someone should prompt DIRECTV to change the website quickly as the listing is on the 2006 package listing.
Some will base their decision on this item and absent some offical statement they will not purchase.

 

[TheForce]

Blackouts got worse to the point that year before last I ended up only seeing one game via NFLST. That cost was pretty high in my opinion. So, I dropped it. Last year I saw every game I wanted to except for one locally that did not sell out. Then I had comp tickets to go to the game but release them to another guest so it was my choice.

IMHO, the blackout rules should not affect people who pay to watch. If you pay to see the bgame, there should be no blackout rule. Blackout for free local TV is OK. ie if I pay to go see a movie and not enough people fill the theater, do I still pay but not allowed to watch? Blackouts for sports is wrong.

 

[Sean Mota]

DirecTv is a milking cow to the NFL. Basically it has gotten to the point where DirecTv has no leverage in negotiations and the NFL can ask any price or otherwise they will offer the package to a competitor and at a lower price (just so that they can laugh out lout at DirecTv). As long as DirecTv keeps paying the millions, the NFL will keep continuing milking the cow. I personally do not care for NFL ticket. It is over-priced and I am only interested in those games that I can watch locally most of the time.

 

[jcvaughan]

Here's my two cents. Most people who get NFL ST are those folks who live away from the team they primarily route for. (and addicted gamblers) I'm a long time Patriots fan who recently moved to SF. (I stay out of Oakland for my own safety) I usually have to go to a bar to see them play or hope the local teams' schedules allow for a local broadcast of a Pats game. I have E* so NFL ST is not an option to me but here's my idea. I'm going to get a slingbox and hook it up at my mother's house back in Boston then I can watch every game on my computer via the Boston affiliate. And best of all, after the initial purchase, it's free. Now I know it won't be HD (which sucks) but seeing my team is more important. I wish E* or D* someday will offer a lower cost single team subscription. NFL Team Season Ticket perhaps?

 

[Peter Parker]

We all know why DISH does not have Sunday ticket. Why waste yet another thread on it.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Some ST subs are fantasy football league participants. They can scout players and follow their team's players live. If I were big into those leagues, I could see the attraction of ST.

I do find it amazing that the NFL can command the dollars they do from D*. While I'm sure E* would like the package and would be willing to pay a reasonable amount for it, it is not my impression that E* would be bidding $700M, or $600M, and maybe not $500M. So if there are no other DBS bidders, why is D* bidding $750M? Unless they saw the NFL's own network as competition. I guess it is possible that if D*'s bid was not high enough, that the NFL may have offered a multi-channel NFL network package to all DBS & Cable, for a subscription fee.

 

[Jimbo]

Some ST subs are fantasy football league participants. They can scout players and follow their team's players live. If I were big into those leagues, I could see the attraction of ST.

I do find it amazing that the NFL can command the dollars they do from D*. While I'm sure E* would like the package and would be willing to pay a reasonable amount for it, it is not my impression that E* would be bidding $700M, or $600M, and maybe not $500M. So if there are no other DBS bidders, why is D* bidding $750M? Unless they saw the NFL's own network as competition. I guess it is possible that if D*'s bid was not high enough, that the NFL may have offered a multi-channel NFL network package to all DBS & Cable, for a subscription fee.

D* has a desigen to make, when the next contract is coming up, they have to decide to either pay what the NFL wants (and pass it along to us) or compete with the cable co's as well.
The reason D* is forced to pay that much is the potential for the NFL to remove the exclusitivity and go to ALL potential providers.

I feel bad IF the NFL goes to everyone because , there is nothing saying that ALL cable co's will pay to be included....
Therefore the ST may or maynot be available to you in a perticular area, if your cable co's is a small company they may not be able to pony up the money.
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There was speculation a few years back that after the D* contract, that you may be able to sigh up for a specific team down the road, but those prices could also be quite expensive.
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Last year there was talk that the local ST blackouts would be lifted, but nothing in writing

Jimbo

 

[thechad708]

Sorry guys if this is a stupid question but how do you subscribe to the Canadian services?Is it illegal? I see that StarChoice has NFL ST, I am interested in getting ST but D* channel lineup is what is keeping me with E*. Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[Jimbo]

Sorry guys if this is a stupid question but how do you subscribe to the Canadian services?Is it illegal? I see that StarChoice has NFL ST, I am interested in getting ST but D* channel lineup is what is keeping me with E*. Any help would be much appreciated.

Nothing illegal about star choice, check out thier website if you need more info about it.

What channels do you need that D* doesn't have at the moment ?

Jimbo