I’ve had directv for 15 plus years. They are in a pissing match with the company that owns KARE 11. I don’t watch a ton of tv, but I like to watch Sunday night FB when it’s a decent matchup. I’ve found a way to watch it in Spanish on my tablet tonight. Anyone ever call them to get a better rate? I’ve got a few TV’s and HBO. The bill is creeping over $200 a month. Think I can get a better deal. Or, I can learn Spanish. Might be a good idea.
If you have decent internet, ditch Direct TV and go with Hulu or YouTube TV
You can watch SNF on NFL.com live. I also have direct tv and I can’t watch NBC directly on my tv right now but I can stream it on my laptop. Dallas looks good, they are a dominant team at home.
I pay 165/month for the Choice package which bundles with centurylink for high speed. I used to get NFL Sunday ticket for free every season too. This year they gave me NHL center ice instead.
You can always get an over the air tv antenna and get your local television.
Directv has several plans for less than $200. However, they have a lot of extra. You can take a look at your bill and see what the heck is pushing your bill that high.
Yes, my wife loves chatting with customer service for discounts…. The last couple of years a $40 discount off per month for 12 months is pretty common for her efforts. This was off from one of their plans that was normally around $100 but like I said they have extra fees.
channel 11 – a over the air antenna would fix that problem or your can purchase Peacock and stream.
I left Direct a year ago and picked up HULU for local stations.
Funny – when you cancel Direct they will offer you the sun and the moon to stay.
Call them. Immediately tell them you want to cancel service. They will send you to customer retention. Explain that your bill is out of hand and you wish to cancel. They will more times than not find an offer that will greatly reduce your bill. It’ll take you 15-30 minutes, but you’ll probably save several hundred dollars over the course of a year.
That reminds me that I need to place that call.
$200/month? Wow thats insane. Go buy an antenna from walmart for $30 and pick up all the local stations for free, and stream the other stuff
$200/month? Wow thats insane. Go buy an antenna from walmart for $30 and pick up all the local stations for free, and stream the other stuff
That’s what we do. Our streaming costs less then 50 bucks a month I think. But I couldn’t tell you about football games. I don’t watch sports on TV nor TV much at all. But 200 a month is crazy.
$200/month? Wow thats insane. Go buy an antenna from walmart for $30 and pick up all the local stations for free, and stream the other stuff
I wouldn’t call it insane. It’s more the going rate for cable/internet. Our cable/internet monthly bill is about $230. And virtually everyone else I know is around the same.
I live about 65 miles NW of Minneapolis, so I doubt I can get over air channels. Although, I haven’t cared enough to look if that truly is the case.
I have all the channels they have and last month my bill came at 278 bucks. Ten minute call to loyalty dept and its still expensive but took 75 bucks a month off. I need to get rid of some but figured I would wait til spring and see what happens with the Twins broadcasts to make a decision.
I would wait til spring and see what happens with the Twins broadcasts to make a decision.
Yep, looking to dump Bally’s too. They are bankrupt. Owe the Twins millions. That and no IDO ! (I highly doubt Twins will ever be back on Bally’s) I can get by without the Wild and Wolves for the extra $$$ they charge.
-J.
I have youtube tv, $78 a month. It has Big 10, NFL network, and all the local channels. Works for what I watch.
All of the people who dropped Direct TV and cable. How do you watch the Wild or Twins? Hulu live doesn’t have Bally’s. That is the only reason I keep Direct TV stream. And we pay $150 for that.
I have youtube tv, $78 a month. It has Big 10, NFL network, and all the local channels.
How much do you pay for high speed connection? Or is the 78 including the cost of that too.
Directv stream is $118 a month. I have been using it for like a year and it works great.
Funny – when you cancel Direct they will offer you the sun and the moon to stay.
Call them. Immediately tell them you want to cancel service.
This is what I would recommend as well. You can try the route of calling customer service and discussing ways to lower your bill. As some have mentioned you can find some success with that, although in one of my experiences I was transferred a bunch and spent an hour on the phone years ago to ultimately get like $5-$10 off a month. I called back another time and when they asked the reason for the call I said to cancel, and that pushed me to a whole different level of urgency for them. Business-wise making much less profit off a customer is much different than no profit at all. Plus, companies like this need good subscriber numbers to show advertisers all the people they’ll be reaching.
Another option is to look online or find flyers for what new customers are offered. My uncle called DirecTV one time and told them he would just cancel his subscription and then when the waiting period was over he’d sign up again because new subscribers were getting a much better rate. Faced with losing a customer, they just gave him the better rate.
All of the people who dropped Direct TV and cable. How do you watch the Wild or Twins? Hulu live doesn’t have Bally’s. That is the only reason I keep Direct TV stream. And we pay $150 for that.
I don’t.
I rarely intend to watch 3+ hour regular season baseball games when there are over 150 of them. As someone who played baseball most of my life, I still think it’s boring to watch on a screen. If the Twins are in a big game it will be on one of the main networks (some of the time). Same with my Brewers. Otherwise, I just put it on the radio while working or in the boat.
As for hockey, the same is true with the big games. If you are a diehard hockey fan you will have to look at other options most likely.
Had to watch channel 11 on I think the woman said Peacock or something last night. Yes I could watch the game but picture quality just aint the same. I will not pay 200 a month starting next year if it dont include Twins Wild and Wolves.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>MX1825 wrote:</div>
I have youtube tv, $78 a month. It has Big 10, NFL network, and all the local channels.How much do you pay for high speed connection? Or is the 78 including the cost of that too.
My internet is $60 a month. I live in the country.
I live about 65 miles NW of Minneapolis, so I doubt I can get over air channels. Although, I haven’t cared enough to look if that truly is the case.
This site will show you what channels an antenna can get based on your location.
https://www.antennaweb.org/
It will also help you figure out what kind of antenna you need.
All of the people who dropped Direct TV and cable. How do you watch the Wild or Twins? Hulu live doesn’t have Bally’s. That is the only reason I keep Direct TV stream. And we pay $150 for that.
For the wild, I have an Amazon fire stick, I downloaded Express VPN (need subscription), and have ESPN+ subscription. You can watch nearly all games this way.
Almost the same for the Twins. You just need an MLB subscription. Sometimes these are offered for a year free.
You guys watch way to much TV
Wife spends about a half hour on the phone every year with Direct tv to get our bill lowered every time they raise it.
She has to go through two or three people till she finally gets someone that can lower it.
It doesn’t do any good to tell them you can get a better price from someone else as you would have already switched if that were the case. You need to tell them you just can’t afford their rste increase, and when they say they can get you less of a plan for less money, say no, you like the plan you have. Also if you are a long time user like we are, stress that.
You guys watch way to much TV
Based on what? I don’t think one person in this thread made mention of time spent watching TV.
All of the people who dropped Direct TV and cable. How do you watch the Wild or Twins? Hulu live doesn’t have Bally’s. That is the only reason I keep Direct TV stream. And we pay $150 for that.
The short answer that I found when I looked hard at all options last year is that you can’t easily replace cable/sat sports channels with streaming services without a lot of complicated IT wrangling.
As BG points out, for right now at least, you MIGHT be able to fake out ESPN+ by using a VPN service to get Wild games streamed even though you are “in market”.
This isn’t going to last for long would be my prediction. The in-market local sports networks are getting steamed up about this because ESPN is stealing their subs, so given the precarious nature of the RSN channel’s finances, they won’t be putting up with this forever. Apps can already block people from using VPNs, so IMO enjoy it while it lasts because just like password sharing for Netflix, the party won’t last forever.
By the time I got done last year, I cut $110 off our monthly internet/TV bill by ditching Direct TV and going with cable. I really tried to make streaming-only work, but in the end it was the sports deal that was just too complicated.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Bearcat89 wrote:</div>
You guys watch way to much TVBased on what? I don’t think one person in this thread made mention of time spent watching TV.
Just teasing a couple of my buddies. Is that OK with you ? No offense to any one caught in the cross fire. It was a friendly jab at a couple who I tell watch to much TV.
If Bally’s does go bankrupt and stops showing Wild games, then I really have no reason to keep Directv. Everything else is easily replaceable.
As BG points out, for right now at least, you MIGHT be able to fake out ESPN+ by using a VPN service to get Wild games streamed even though you are “in market”.
This isn’t going to last for long would be my prediction. The in-market local sports networks are getting steamed up about this because ESPN is stealing their subs, so given the precarious nature of the RSN channel’s finances, they won’t be putting up with this forever. Apps can already block people from using VPNs, so IMO enjoy it while it lasts because just like password sharing for Netflix, the party won’t last forever.
Luckily subscriptions for a VPN and ESPN+ are on a month by month basis so you aren’t locked into a decade contract with your home as collateral like DTV.
About 2 weeks ago the vpn wasn’t working because I assumed ESPN had blocked their locations be that only lasted a couple days. It’s back on now. I imagine Express VPN pulled some strings and got things running again.
Ultimately I totally agree with you. TNT won’t even allow you to use a vpn to open their app and I’m totally baffled why espn doesn’t do this. Seems pretty simple but for some reason they refuse to. Ok by me.
Otherwise you can watch the Wild games through some Russian pirating sites. Probably risky as hell but so far so good. It’s my backup plan when the ESPN+ quits working.
Is that OK with you ?
No I am now butt hurt and need someone to help with my hurt feelers. Oh wait I didn’t even post in this thread never mind. 
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