NFLST - Cost geting to high?

[camtah]

I am a long time subscriber to NFLST and my main motivation was it was cheaper than going to a bar to watch my favorite team. I currently have the HD setup

However, the price increases as well as the HD Superfan package extortion has me re-evaluating the entire package. Has anyone had any success in getting at least the
HD Superfan at no cost. It should be included considering I am paying extra for HD content anyway.

Thanks

 

[boba]

Directv is in LOVE with NFLST they think it is their most profitable asset. How many years have they used it as their 3rd quarter promotion? If you look at alternatives to the subscription you may find you can't get every game your team plays but for a lot less you can get many of the games.(try moving and digital OTA reception)

 

[iceturkee]

to answer your question, several people here have reported they have gotten super fan for free.

 

[ScoBuck]

I for one, got NFL ST SF free last season. I requested it through a CSR, and after they took a look at my account, they in fact put it on at no charge. I have yet to deal with this for the upcoming season.

 

[Brewer4]

I get Super Fan every year for free. I want the HD but I refuse to pay so I call Retention every year to get it free or credit offsets.

 

[bonscott87]

They give Superfan for free like candy. Just may have to play a little CSR routlette but it's pretty easy.

For me the cost is no issue, it's my hobby (fantasy football and the games that is). My wife spends a *whole* lot more on yarn per year then I ever think of with Sunday Ticket. I went with the monthly plan where Sunday Ticket is $20 a month for 11 months. Makes it a lot easier to pay (for me) that way.

 

[joed32]

You are all so right about getting it free, some people seem to prefer complaining about the cost to just calling up and asking for it. Not referring to you camtah you were asking a quetion.

 

[satjay]

I get Super Fan every year for free. I want the HD but I refuse to pay so I call Retention every year to get it free or credit offsets.

I also have yet to pay for Superfan...This year I did not really have to aks. When they had there last promotion about a month ago, I called ordered Sunday ticket, and at that time it was included, I got it verified with an Email

As far as costing too much....well I guess that can depend on each person, as someone said in the thread. For fantasy palyers its great....And if you love the NFL its the thing to get..Nothin beats watching a great matchup instead of being left with our local lions out here.

On a side note, I read recently that the NFL was not to happy with comcast, for moving the NFL network to a diffrent package. Not a good move I dont think for our friends over at comcast, if they one day want to get a piece of the Sunday Ticket Pie!

 

[grydlok]

SMH,, I got it for free and I didn't yell, complain or b@#tch about it. They sent me a little card in the mail that said thank you be being a good customer you will receive Superfan for free.

 

[dc_red]

Took the advice in this thread and called and after she went to talk to someone came back and said it was renewed for free. I guess if your a good customer it's a case of 'If you don't ask, you don't get'

 

[Jimbo]

I had to pay for it the first year, the second year alot of us got letters in the mail with a credit for free SF for the next year. This year I was talking with a rep and asked about the auto-renew and sid I should get the auto renew with the SF as well and I mentioned about thedraft week special, he said he would not it on my account that it should be free, but to not to expect to see it until August I think he said.

Jimbo

 

[colebert]

i would easily pay $500/yr for ST w/ SF. And not think twice.

they have a very captive audience.

 

[ocnier]

2010 is the magic year for ST subs. I think the NFL made a mistake by not letting dish and cable in. Yes, I know Direct over paid, but from the NFL position in future it makes no sense to deny your product to consumers that are willing to pay.

 

[bonscott87]

2010 is the magic year for ST subs. I think the NFL made a mistake by not letting dish and cable in. Yes, I know Direct over paid, but from the NFL position in future it makes no sense to deny your product to consumers that are willing to pay.

This has been gone over many, many times.

The reason is it exclusive and not on cable is because the NFL makes the most money that way. Why? Because the networks (CBS and Fox) cried a river the last time the contract was up for bid and said they didn't want it on cable. Why? Because with the limited reach it has now it doesn't impact their local affiliate ratings all that much. If cable had it the ratings (they fear) will really take a hit. And thus the NFL will get a LOT less money out of the networks which they can't make up by even doubling the Sunday Ticket subs.

Basically keeping it exclusive and on DBS (DirecTV or Dish) the NFL can extract the most money out of everyone. They aren't going to upset that balance. And the reason it's been on DirecTV only is because Charlie is to cheap to bid on it.

Besides, cable had their change the last time the Sunday Ticket contract was up. Cable *turned it down* and didn't put in a bid. I don't have the article link to that at home but I do at work. Comcast and Time Warner said that it cost too much and they didn't want to bid on it. So of course now all they do is cry and whine that they don't have Sunday Ticket. Well cable, put up or shut up. You can't cry about it since you didn't even want to put in a bid. What a bunch of cry babies.

 

[Brewer4]

i would easily pay $500/yr for ST w/ SF. And not think twice.

they have a very captive audience.

I dunno. I love NFL and ST but if it gets that high in the next 2 or 3 years forget about it. I will deal with 5 games on Sunday via OTA.

 

[mikedz4]

the networks can't cry rivers anymore though. They have the NFL network showing saturday and Thursday games now and that is ONLY on cable. Plus the NFL shows replays of the best games of the week. So when the renewal is up in 2 years the NFL can go FUD on you when the networks cry and take their product to the NFL network and to all cable/satellte.

 

[Jimbo]

They have the NFL network showing saturday and Thursday games now and that is ONLY on cable.

What ???
The NFL Network IS on cable as well as SAT, D* has it and I am almost certian that DISH does as well.

I watched every Thursday and Saturday game last year on D* or network depending on where it was.

As long as people can find the games , they will watch it..... unless it goes to something like the NHL did on obscere VS, which it won't.

I don't care if the game is on network or ESPN as long as I can get it in HD.

As for $ 500, I don't think it will get there, IF it does I will NOT be watching anymore.

As for the battle of Cable vs Sat (D*) , Cable had thier chance to get in on it in the very beginning, way back when it got started, I don't recall when, but I know it was before '94, maybe late '80's I use to watch it on C-Band for $79 a year.

Cable was not interested when it was starting out, therefore I hope it stays D* only.
Their mistake, and now that it's a lucerative business they want in .... Tooo bad .

Jimbo

 

[jcrandall]

Well, I was very fortunate today in calling on my NFLST.

I sent an email this weekend simply asking for a better price, since $329 was getting too high for my budget, and I only want the package for HD games.

My hope was to get SF for free, getting the package to $229.

Someone from 'special services' (retention) called my house and left a number with pin to call back. I called this afternoon and actually didn't say anything, she looked up my account and said to hold on while she read my email. She restated what I wanted, and I reiterated that I just wanted to see what they could do, as I couldn't afford it, I also mentioned a friend got SF for free during the draft.

I was on hold for 10 minutes, and she came back and said the draft promo was over and she couldn't add free superfan.

I held another minute, she came back and thanked me for being such a good customer. She then told me she would give me $10 off my package for 1 year, and waive the $9.99 HD Access charge for 1 year, essentially giving me $240 and covering the cost of the NFLST package.

WOW!

So I wanted them to waive $99 SF package, and she waived the $229 entire NFLST package for me! Wow...

So, here are some details on me, as a reference.

I am only a sub since September, still with 1 year 3 months left in my contract. I had the NFLST package last year with 4 months free premier package.

I sub to total choice for $47.99, HD, DVR, and HBO. So my regular bill is $77 plus $15 for extra receivers. I also sub to the Extra Innings package with Superfan.

Today I am still receiving a $10 / month credit for the first 15 months of my contract, and receiving another $10 credit, but I can't remember how long that one is good for.


I'm very happy with the discounts, one thing I like over E*, who wouldn't give a price break once in my 3 years with them, even when leaving. I've been VERY happy with D*.

While this may not help others, and D* may not offer discounts like this to others, I wanted to share my experience. All I did was be nice and ask, had a goal in mind, and waited to see what they could do.

I will say this, I think the more you sub to the more accomadating they are. With two sport packages and an average bill over $100 even with discounts, they did take care of me.