A cheaper alternative to SundayTicket: Only $40

[GP]

You can pay $40 and watch every game, any game, every week, in HD with full DVR controls (pause, fast forward, rewind) with GameRewind at THIS LINK.

The only downside is that you don't watch it LIVE. You'd have to skip the weekend, and wait for it to pop up during the week. And, you'd have to refrain from watching any of the weekend highlight shows or looking at scoring updates or newspapers, etc., until you watch the game on the Internet.

However, if you're away from your home on weekends, or you can't pay the SundayTicket price, or you have the discipline to do non-TV-watching things on Sundays, then this could be a great thing for you.

For me, I love getting up and fixing my snacks Sunday morning...watching the pregame shows, watching the games at eating snacks. It's just a habit that has been formed since I was a boy growing up in a home where you watched NFL on Sundays. But this might work for some of you.

[Texans34Life]

Another alternative - Redzone. Greatest channel ever known to man.

[GP]

Originally Posted by Texans34Life

Another alternative - Redzone. Greatest channel ever known to man.

I thought you had to buy the whole SundayTicket package to get RedZone.

Explain, if I'm missing something here. I'm curious.

[thetexanator]

you had me until you said i couldnt watch it live. ill just keep watching it over an over seas stream thank you.

[Texans34Life]

Dish and TWC, separate channel to purchase and pay $7-8/month for the whole season.

DIRECTV - if you have been with them for a while, you can negotiate with them to get it separate if you don't want Sunday Ticket. I think it's the same price as Dish/TWC.

[GP]

What really pisses me off is that DirecTV is GIVING AWAY the SundayTicket for free if you switch from a competitor to DirecTV.

I'm going to call and say, "Umm, listen up: I have been with you guys for the past 11 years, and have had Sunday Ticket every year. I want it for at least half price...or I'm going to pay $40 and do the Internet option at NFL.com. Your call: Lose me on SundayTicket completely, or half price and I stay."

It's ridiculous to have to pay them full price for a product you buy every year, especially when it's a deal like mine where I have never switched in the past 11 years. I'm a freaking gold mine for DirecTV. Just give me a break every now and then.

[Craig.]

On Cramcast Red Zone is included in the Sports Tier. It really is the best channel to watch football.

[jaayteetx]

Originally Posted by GP

What really pisses me off is that DirecTV is GIVING AWAY the SundayTicket for free if you switch from a competitor to DirecTV.

I'm going to call and say, "Umm, listen up: I have been with you guys for the past 11 years, and have had Sunday Ticket every year. I want it for at least half price...or I'm going to pay $40 and do the Internet option at NFL.com. Your call: Lose me on SundayTicket completely, or half price and I stay."

It's ridiculous to have to pay them full price for a product you buy every year, especially when it's a deal like mine where I have never switched in the past 11 years. I'm a freaking gold mine for DirecTV. Just give me a break every now and then.

I was gonna call also, but I was gonna demand they give me the same deal they're giving the new customers and see where that takes me.

[GP]

Originally Posted by jaayteetx

I was gonna call also, but I was gonna demand they give me the same deal they're giving the new customers and see where that takes me.

Might make sense to start big and negotiate down (if needed).

I don't think they should run a FREE promo just to get new subscribers and expect long-time customers to pay full price for the same thing. They say they want loyalty, then show ME some loyalty too. That'll be one of the things I say if they argue with me.

For the record, last year I called and negotiated them down. I'm tempted to just say, "Look, obviously I call every year and get it bumped down. Just mark me down as someone who will call every year...so go ahead and mark me for the reduced price too. No need in us doing this every year."

[Trail.Blazr]

does anyone know when the games actually post up? Monday morning or Tuesday after MNF?

If I could figure how to play it over wii or xbox on my tv, that would be perfect, as I spend half my weekends outdoors hiking/rafting/camping, etc..

but if I have to resign to watching it on my 20" monitor... fughetaboudit

[GP]

Originally Posted by _superMario90_

does anyone know when the games actually post up? Monday morning or Tuesday after MNF?

If I could figure how to play it over wii or xbox on my tv, that would be perfect, as I spend half my weekends outdoors hiking/rafting/camping, etc..

but if I have to resign to watching it on my 20" monitor... fughetaboudit

Get online and search for a device called Roku. It's like $99 and it connects to your Internet jack, then a line goes from the Roku to your TV. Allows you to watch Internet content on your TV.

I am not sure if you can browse the Internet, though, or if it's just a deal where you have to use existing Internet "apps" like NetFlix. You need to search online or go to an electronics store and talk to someone in the TV department.

[Doppelganger]

Originally Posted by GP

Get online and search for a device called Roku. It's like $99 and it connects to your Internet jack, then a line goes from the Roku to your TV. Allows you to watch Internet content on your TV.

I am not sure if you can browse the Internet, though, or if it's just a deal where you have to use existing Internet "apps" like NetFlix. You need to search online or go to an electronics store and talk to someone in the TV department.

IS that like a slingbox?

[GP]

Originally Posted by Doppelganger

IS that like a slingbox?

Here is the Roku, a fairly small and simple box:



A slingbox, IIRC, is a device that connects to your TV and it then pipes your TV content through the Internet to you wherever you are--If you have a laptop, and you're traveling, you can be in a hotel with your laptop and watch whatever is on your TV back at your house.

When looking at the Roku, I don't think it has the ability to just browse the Internet. It looks like you have to choose from various preexisting "apps" such as NetFlix or Pandora Radio or Hulu, etc.

Does anybody know of a product that you can connect an Internet line to, then the product to the TV, so you can browse Internet on your TV? (1) I know full well that you can connect your computer to a modern flatscreen via a VGA or HDMI cord (a monitor "out" cord), and I know (2) that TVs are now being made with built-in Internet browsing and a separate QWERTY keyboard for typing in the address to websites.

What I think people want know is: Is there a box or product, similar to Roku, that connects to your TV and provides a browsing scenario for looking at all web content and not just preexisting apps?

[Texanmike02]

Originally Posted by Doppelganger

IS that like a slingbox?

Not exactly. If you've seen the TVs that connect to the internet (give you apps like blockbuster/netflix/facebook) it is like the missing component to connect to those services.

Mike

[The Pencil Neck]

Originally Posted by GP

Get online and search for a device called Roku. It's like $99 and it connects to your Internet jack, then a line goes from the Roku to your TV. Allows you to watch Internet content on your TV.

I am not sure if you can browse the Internet, though, or if it's just a deal where you have to use existing Internet "apps" like NetFlix. You need to search online or go to an electronics store and talk to someone in the TV department.

There are only pre-defined "channels" like Netflix, Pandora, Amazon, Hulu, etc.

You add the channels you want via the Channel Store. You normally have to "register" your device so the service (Netflix, Amazon, etc.) associates your Roku to you. There is a MLB channel and a NHL channel to watch live games through it but no NFL.

I've got this (the HD version of the Roku box) with Amazon and Pandora and I love it. I don't use it for a ton of stuff, though. Yet. I'm hoping more channels that I like/want are going to come on. Or I'll add Netflix or Hulu at some point.

[TheMatrix31]

I have to find a way to get them to drop Sunday Ticket also. Utterly ridiculous that it's free for new subscribers.

[Buffi2]

I was going to call and complain too until I looked at my account and Direct tv still hasn't charged me for this year's Sunday Ticket even though it shows that I have it. I know they said they weren't going to charge for ST until the games were scheduled - but the games are and DTV hasn't. Have you folks already been charged?

[GP]

Originally Posted by Buffi2

I was going to call and complain too until I looked at my account and Direct tv still hasn't charged me for this year's Sunday Ticket even though it shows that I have it. I know they said they weren't going to charge for ST until the games were scheduled - but the games are and DTV hasn't. Have you folks already been charged?

I think they delayed the start of billing until September. IIRC, there was a tidbit about how they were going to delay billing.

Dream on if you think you're going to get unnoticed by DirecTV. They know what cereal you eat, the combination to your gym locker, and what you made on your algebra final in college (and they are NOT impressed with that, btw).

[TheMatrix31]

My Dad told me the first 50 dollar charge was on the bill already. Not sure though.

I feel like they hear the "well if new customers get it for free, why cant we?" schtick way too often for it to be effective, though.

What's the best way to call? Immediately ask for retentions? Tell the main CSR that you want to cancel it? Ask for a discount from the CSR then ask for retentions?

[GP]

Originally Posted by TheMatrix31

My Dad told me the first 50 dollar charge was on the bill already. Not sure though.

I feel like they hear the "well if new customers get it for free, why cant we?" schtick way too often for it to be effective, though.

What's the best way to call? Immediately ask for retentions? Tell the main CSR that you want to cancel it? Ask for a discount from the CSR then ask for retentions?

Last year, I told them I couldn't afford it at full price and I wasn't going to renew it unless they gave me a pretty big discount. Then I paused for about a half-second and added "Plus, if you look at your records...I've been with you guys for 10 or 11 years now, purchased SundayTicket every year, and I want to purchase it again this year...but I just can't afford it. Can you help?"

They said they could, and I got like $200 off or maybe a bit more. Can't remember. There's a thread dedicated to it: Thread link here.

Here's what happened way back a long time ago (post #23 in the thread link I supplied you) when I called them and asked for a discount:

My original payment plan, with Superfan, was 369.99.

He took the grand total down to 149.44.

That's a $220 savings, just for calling and sticking to the script.

Me: "Yeah, I am thinking about cancelling. I have been a customer for almost 10 years, I have two HD DVRs, I order UFC PPVs all the time, PPV movies every now and then, and I just wondered if you guys could help out on Sunday Ticket."

His answer: "Sure, no problem. Just give me a second to look at your account history." ....pause while I stay on the line... "OK, I adjusted that for you. We went from $369.99 to $149.44 and kept the Superfan on there for you."

Cha-ching.

Rep to Stingray, and an imaginary mug of frosty cold beer.