Directv negotiations

[cincygrad]

To those of you that annually negotiate Sunday Ticket prices with Directv.....

How's everyone doing this year? What your angle? I just got off the phone after 30 minutes of waiting and being transferred. I was able to lower my monthly bill by $25 dollars for 12 months and get 6 dollars off HBO for three months (tried to get it free but they wouldn't budge). I need the HBO for Hard Knocks.

After initial negotiations I talked about canceling my Sunday Ticket and they sent me to a different department. Without any arguing they instantly gave me $38.99 for 6 months rather than the $49.99 list price. I thought it would be easy to push them a little further, but I didn't have any luck. I talked about canceling again, but they called my bluff. I'm thinking that I might need to cancel and then play chicken until week 2 if I want to get it any cheaper.

Anyone have any info?

 

[kramer1]

We dropped Time Warner and are currently waiting on the DirecTv guy to show up and hook us back up with them. He should be here in 15 minutes, actually. We got the Ticket free for switching. Oh, and $200 to cover cancellation fees.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Or you can just watch Bengals games and be done with it. I mean, after watching the Bengals, how much more football can you stomach to watch? lol

 

[LucklessPadresFan]

I've had DirecTV for over ten years and feel they are very fair and offer excellent service. They have actually dropped the price of their NFL package over the past couple of years. This year I'm paying about $235. My wife--who is a huge NFL fan--complains each year when the bill comes, but I tell her that we would pay that much to go to ONE FRIGGIN' GAME if you included ticket price, parking, food, etc. The cable companies are assholes. Their is no competition in the cable industry, thus they have no motivation to provide the best service possible. Go to DirecTV ASAP, you won't be disappointed.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Directv is the best service I have had by far. They are willing to at least negotiate with you while you are still a customer. DishNetwork just said, we can't do anything for you. So 5 minutes after I had Directv installed. I called up to cancel and they go, "Oh wait a minute....we can offer you something", after I already have Directv installed. I am like forget it suckers, I am done now.

I have negotiated different plans, and pricing with Directv several times now and they are always happy to work with me. Just because they are not giving you free service doesn't mean they are not fair. I do not get Sunday Ticket because I can't afford it, and I wouldn't watch any other games any ways.

If you will watch several games, it is worth the $235 bucks you are paying for the year, because how would you ever watch those games otherwise? Plus, you are saving $25 buck a month for 12 months on your regular service, and you are getting a discount on a premium movie/sports package for 3 months. That sounds liek a good haul actually for a company you are already with.

Time Warner Cable didn't have as many channels it seemed like, not nearly as many HD channels, no NFL network at the time. They were not willing to negotiate while I was a customer either.

Only Directv has ever reworks plans to make me happy to keep me a customer. Everyone else is only worried about making you a customer, after that, they don't seem to care as much anymore. At least that is my experience.

 

[flamingrey]

That pretty much seems to be their stance right now. I called last week sometime and got essentially the same offer. The only one I recall is $180 for just the Sunday Ticket (minus the internet/mobile options, etc.). I cancelled mine. Will try again later.

 

[cincygrad]

We dropped Time Warner and are currently waiting on the DirecTv guy to show up and hook us back up with them. He should be here in 15 minutes, actually. We got the Ticket free for switching. Oh, and $200 to cover cancellation fees.

Nice. You get a good package when you sign back up for the service. Half year at 30 bucks, free sunday ticket, free movie channels for a while. Unfortunately, when you've had them for almost a decade you just have to continue to negotiate for cheap shit. It takes a while and sometimes it seems like you have to catch them at the right time, but it's generally worth it if you're a cheap bastard like me.

 

[cincygrad]

That pretty much seems to be their stance right now. I called last week sometime and got essentially the same offer. The only one I recall is $180 for just the Sunday Ticket (minus the internet/mobile options, etc.). I cancelled mine. Will try again later.

Let me know if anything changes for you over the next weeks -- The ticket is free for everyone during week 1. In week 2 we have a nationally televised MNF game. I suppose I could cancel and then try for a deal after week 2.... They might be feeling generous at that point.

 

[Be Weary of Query]

For some reason, my Sunday Ticket didn't auto renew this year.

I'm wondering if that's to my benefit or not when calling to get it?

*shrugs*

 

[flamingrey]

For some reason, my Sunday Ticket didn't auto renew this year.

I'm wondering if that's to my benefit or not when calling to get it?

*shrugs*

My Sunday Ticket auto renewed and it showed up on this month's bill. I called them and told them that you have to be kidding. The season is over a month away. Like they're trying to catch people off guard who may have their Directv under automatic payments.

But to their credit, they made no fuss about getting the charge removed.

Grad, I don't plan on calling them until maybe a week out of the regular season. IIRC, that's usually when they're most willing to cut a deal. I've gotten Sunday Ticket free the last 2 years.

Last year I actually cancelled my service and they shipped the box out to return their equipment. Within that time, one of their representatives calls to see if they can do anything to keep your business. Not sure I want to go through that again though. It is a LOT of phone time and plenty of hassle.

 

[SEC Official]

My Sunday Ticket auto renewed and it showed up on this month's bill. I called them and told them that you have to be kidding. The season is over a month away. Like they're trying to catch people off guard who may have their Directv under automatic payments.

But to their credit, they made no fuss about getting the charge removed.

Grad, I don't plan on calling them until maybe a week out of the regular season. IIRC, that's usually when they're most willing to cut a deal. I've gotten Sunday Ticket free the last 2 years.

Last year I actually cancelled my service and they shipped the box out to return their equipment. Within that time, one of their representatives calls to see if they can do anything to keep your business. Not sure I want to go through that again though. It is a LOT of phone time and plenty of hassle.

Yeah they did that shit to me two years in a row.. pissed me off. And they wouldn't negotiate with me very much, yet they give it away to other people.

Fuck DirecTV... I still have it but I am making all that money I wasted back now.

 

[cincygrad]

For some reason, my Sunday Ticket didn't auto renew this year.

I'm wondering if that's to my benefit or not when calling to get it?

*shrugs*

Check closely.... There was a small note on my last bill that it would auto-renew on the next bill. It hadn't happened as of today.

It's interesting to note that Directv might not keep the exclusive rights after the 2014 season. Once the NFL gave the redzone channel to the cable companies it really killed Directv.

DirecTV could pull plug on NFL Sunday Ticket | ProFootballTalk

 

[DanBengalfan]

they wouldn't negotiate with me anymore, I have antennae and netflix/amazon/hulu for tv

 

[flamingrey]

Bump.

Anyone order their Sunday Ticket recently? I plan on giving it a shot today. I will take whatever they say their best offer is. Try to get them down, but if they don't budge, I'll just go with it.

 

[DanBengalfan]

good luck, my internet is fast enough I can stream most games. I've given up on direct tv

 

[jwil007]

good luck, my internet is fast enough I can stream most games. I've given up on direct tv

I typically sit on the FIRST ROW when I cant see it at the Sportsbar....LOL

 

[vancelot23]

I typically sit on the FIRST ROW when I cant see it at the Sportsbar....LOL

HA!!

 

[cincygrad]

Bump.

Anyone order their Sunday Ticket recently? I plan on giving it a shot today. I will take whatever they say their best offer is. Try to get them down, but if they don't budge, I'll just go with it.

You're getting Sunday ticket for free this week. Bengals are on MNF the next week.

If you're looking to maximize your savings and you can live without all the games in week 2, you're best bet is to hook it up right before week 3.

 

[flamingrey]

You're getting Sunday ticket for free this week. Bengals are on MNF the next week.

If you're looking to maximize your savings and you can live without all the games in week 2, you're best bet is to hook it up right before week 3.

I'm out of town this week, so I need it on my computer in order to watch it.

I called in and they're giving ZERO discounts right now. I haven't ordered it yet. We'll see.

 

[cincygrad]

I'm out of town this week, so I need it on my computer in order to watch it.

I called in and they're giving ZERO discounts right now. I haven't ordered it yet. We'll see.

Whoa! There's been talk that they'll be giving up their exclusive rights when the current contract expires (I believe after either this or next season). I wonder if this is a sign that it's true -- Maximize profits now? Regardless, this is definitely a policy change from the last number of years where you could always negotiate something.