Is the Sunday Ticket worth it for out of town fans?

[PatsFans.com Article]

Is the Sunday Ticket worth it for out of town fans?
By: John Morgan

In today’s mobile society there are many fans of a team (the New England Patriots, in this case) that do not live locally to their favorite team. Just a few years ago out of towners were limited to buying a day old Sunday Globe from a newsstand that specialized in out of town papers and perhaps a subscription to the Sporting News. Thanks to the internet it is now much easier to follow your favorite team from afar in terms of quantity and timeliness of sports news, analysis and opinions.

But one issue still remains for those relocated former New Englanders: watching the Patriots play live. Local stations broadcast the local teams rather than the Pats, and for die hard fans that is not acceptable. For many a subscription to the Sunday Tickethttp://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/content/sports/nfl from DirecTV is the answer; but is it worth it?
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[mgteich]

Basically, you're asking whether having the game available live is worth $20 a game. In many cases, you won'y be able to get the game at all if you don't get it live.

I have decided "yes". Of course, I already have Direct TV. In our area, Direct TV is a mcuh better value than the local cable company (no COMCAST available).

 

[Boomer B]

I live in Vancouver, Canada and our local cable provider offers the NFL package (every game in HD) for $44 per month.

So for $11 a week I have access to every game which is well worth it.

 

[DarMan]

I have had the NFL ticket for over 10 years...would not go without it now...cheaper than going to a bar and buying drinks and food

 

[ForThoseAboutToRock]

I live in Vancouver, Canada and our local cable provider offers the NFL package (every game in HD) for $44 per month.

So for $11 a week I have access to every game which is well worth it.

Funny that if you want a fairer way to access the NFL, you move to Canada.

Otherwise, just let your eyes glaze over as the Direct TV fairies sprinkle their pixie dust on your TV

 

[supafly]

At this point, I don't think I could live without it

 

[blackglass3]

Absolutely positively worth it.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

For the $200 price it's absolutely worth it. Even if I would've seen about 10 Patriot games this year anyways since they tend to be on alot in my area, when the playoff race heats up and there's like 4-5 games each week that can affect our playoff position it's always great to have this.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

Depends on how much you value watching the games in your home and the type of season. I think in 2007, there were only 4 games that weren't televised in my area (never told the wife i paid $40-50 per game that year).

It should be noted that the $200 is only if you have a recurring subscription with DirectTv. I have this minimal/grandfathered plan to keep myself active for $3/mo. i only use direct tv for NFL Sunday ticket and until it' available on cable could get the #200 package and then loe and behold...I can't opt for the lower variety.

 

[utGronk66]

I live in Utah so the only team I get to watch is the Broncos and I was raised to hate them. I love the fact that I get to watch every game 200 bucks for sunday ticket is not bad at all and as long as they keep it there I will continue to buy it

 

[Frezo]

I live in Utah so the only team I get to watch is the Broncos and I was raised to hate them. I love the fact that I get to watch every game 200 bucks for sunday ticket is not bad at all and as long as they keep it there I will continue to buy it

Can you actually watch every game or do you have pick and choose?

 

[Thirdbasekid24]

It's absolutely worth it. Being able to watch any game I want (when the pats aren't playing of course) and not being stuck watching the crummy seachickens is well worth it.

 

[xlcjw72]

Times like this make mehappy to live in Maine and have red zone and nfl network for 13 a month

 

[Boomer B]

It's absolutely worth it. Being able to watch any game I want (when the pats aren't playing of course) and not being stuck watching the crummy seachickens is well worth it.

Haha. How many horrible 'Hawks games did the non-Hawk fans in the Pacific Northwest have to watch over the years?

I've been an NFL fan and a Pats fan since I was 12 years old in the mid 80s (picked them as my team 'cause I loved the red uni's). For about 15 years straight the 'hawks were the only team we'd get to watch on a regular basis. Even the non-'hawk games were usually west coast based teams. I'd get to see maybe 1 or 2 Pats games a year and would live to see the highlight shows to see what happened.

God bless the NFL Sunday Ticket.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

God bless the NFL Sunday Ticket.

However, DirecTV sucks. Unquestionably sucked in my experience. Poor confused customer service/inexplicable billing/snowy-why-the-he**-is-my-screen-doing-that-again suckitude of the highest order. I would rather watch Elizabeth Warren rant about bank fees while mud wrestling Eli Manning in the nude than have DirecTV in my home ever again. In my humble opinion.

 

[naF staP]

Do people really pay full price for Sunday ticket anymore?

First year I got it free being a new subscriber to Direct tv. Second year (last year) I called and told them another cable company wanted to buy me out of my direct tv contract and direct tv offered me credits for the sunday ticket and free movie channels in order to stay with them. Total cost of Sunday ticket last year $14 plus got free channels. This year I needed a 2nd dvr, now to get free equipment you have to sign up for 2 year commitment which is fine, I will have cable with someone for the next 2 years, why not them. So I call, got the 2nd dvr, free showtime and another movie channel for 1 year and free HBO and another movie channel free for 6 months, a one time $50 credit (took care of my UFC PPV purchase) 12 months of $20 credits and free Sunday ticket.

Sunday ticket for 3 years = $14

All you gotta do is negotiate with them!!

 

[IndyKen]

I went without it last year, as it was my way of protesting their yearly cost, which was something around $320/yr. Unfortunately, I missed 5-6 of the Pats games as a result living here in Indiana.

This year they dropped the price to $199 per yr, so I jumped on it - really looking forward to seeing all the games this fall.

 

[peterforpats]

any amount is worth it here in florida to not have to watch the jaguars, the bucs , or the dolphins. $199 for the season is a downright steal and godsend!!

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

I have recently moved back into Pats territory, but when I didn't, I thought the money was better spent on beer and bar food. (In other words, I didn't get Sunday ticket, I went to a bar that had it)

 

[Gwedd]

Earlier this year I got an ad in the mail offering free NFL Sunday Ticket to new subscribers. I only had 3 months left on my commitment to DirecTV, and the "buyout fee is $20/month" so simple math said that $60 to get out of my contract and then wait a week and sign up as a new subscriber would be a good deal. Free NFL Sunday Ticket vice $199 for it.

So, I called up their customer service line and asked them why I shouldn't terminate my contract, pay the fee, the resign and get what I wanted for free. The guy on the other end was really nice and said that, yeah, I could do that and yeah, it'd be free. Then he asked me if I could hold for a minute.

When he came back he made a counter-offer: Extend my commitment for another 12 months, and he'd give me the NFL Sunday Ticket for free, PLUS drop $20/month off my bill for 12 months. I said sure, let's do this!

About as month later I closed on a new house. After we moved in I got a nice letter from DirecTV informing me that "as a valued customer, yadda yadda yadda, they were upgrading me to the full Sunday Ticket package for free.

I am a VERY happy camper right now. :rocker: