No ESPN or SEC Network on Spectrum (9/11 update: Settled)

[Ole Man Dan]

We have no CBS on our Direct TV..

Direct TV is playing the game. Cut the cord, and save money.

 

[Ole Man Dan]

A lot of things in play at the moment. Partly because I may have to get a new smart TV because my smart TV was made in 2015 and isn't YTTV compatible. One way or another, I'll probably go to YTTV eventually. Just taking a wait and see but I'm only going to wait and see about another week..Bama Texas is on ESPN next Saturday so... that's as long as I'm willing to stick it out

The Apps on my Samsung are not that good. My other TV is a small Sony in my bedroom. I put Roku and YouTube on both TVs. They work perfectly.

 

[We_are_Bama]

They don’t have an online portal where you can select what services you want? Actually now that I think about it, they probably don’t. Yet another reason to leave dinosaur cable companies in the dust. I honestly didn’t realize so many people still had cable. Literally everyone I know has YTTV.

They don't want to give the customer that much control. The funny thing is, Spectrum isn't going to be able to pay Disney one red penny if they fold like a cheap tent, and it looks like that may be happening as we speak.

 

[CrimsonNagus]

Let's be real though, YTTV is cable by another name. The biggest differences being it is delivered over the internet, no additional fees and taxes and no contracts. It's the same pre-packaged list of channels that we've always gotten and as the contracts get re-negotiated, the price goes up.

I started subbing to YTTV back in 2019, when they finally went nationwide. The price was only $35 because we didn't get all our local channels yet. Once all the local channels were onboard a few months later, the price went to $40. By the end of 2019, the price jumped again to $50. In late 2020, the price jumped once again to $65. Then earlier this year it jumped to $72.99. A $38 jump in 4 years is fast even when compared to cable companies.

I would not be surprised if YTTV cost almost $100 within the next 5 years. These cable networks are going to squeeze every last penny out of the viewers that stick around, as they desperately try to hold onto an outdate broadcast model. The sports leagues will have to find a different way to generate revenue when the collapse of the tradition cable network happens.

It probably means signing deals with more tech giants, like Apple, Amazon and Google, as they have more money to blow than cable networks. Kind of like the deal MLS has with Apple. I think that is the ultimate future of sports broadcasting.

 

[GrayTide]

How does Amazon Fire stick work. I got one for Christmas and it still unopened. Anybody know how much It will cost me. I have Spectrum TV and Internet.

 

[BhamToTexas]

How does Amazon Fire stick work. I got one for Christmas and it still unopened. Anybody know how much It will cost me. I have Spectrum TV and Internet.

The fire stick is just like the Roku. It is a device/platform that has all your apps on it. You would still need to have subscriptions to whatever service you want (YTTV, Hulu, Disney+, etc.).

 

[twofbyc]

My son is coming to help me get into the 21st century.

Don’t feel like the Lone Ranger, although my dislike stems from being used to hitting one or two buttons on a remote (even manually changing channels). I’ve been cussing YTTV ever since I cut the cable a month ago. Finally found SEC Network Saturday, just God help you if you click the wrong button on the remote or you may wind up in a hell you have to turn the dang TV off to get out of (I kid - a little).
I liked Hulu better - but it doesn’t have the wife’s faves.
When I first got it, I was about ready to shoot the TV. Now I’m down to just wanting to throw a lamp at it. Maybe one day I’ll get to the point of really liking it, but I’m not there yet.

 

[GrayTide]

Could no have said it better myself.

 

[TDBama78]

I've got the Roku and YouTube TV,it's not the bargan it used to be, overall I'm satisfied,I see all the games I need to see and then some.

 

[IMALOYAL1]

What is funny is I've gone to youtube.com and typed in the team i wanted to wath and it was streaming for free. I watched the Bama game the LSU game and Clemson just by searching for a live stream on youtube. Spectrum is my internet provider but not my TV provider. I haven't reactivated Sling....yet....

 

[IMALOYAL1]

I may check out iptv but i lost the link to the way to really get it cheap. I think you need a vpn and then several iptv streaming services that offer -maybe 1000 channels? For less than 15 per month. All the ESPN's.

I'm close enough and high enough(elevation) to use an antenna for the major networks.

 

[twofbyc]

Could no have said it better myself.

And let’s not forget the volume differential. Turn on the TV to your first channel and the sound rattles your windows so you turn the volume down. Go to another channel (it ain’t a simple “switch”) and you can’t hear it and have to turn the volume back up.
Maybe the real techies can shed some light on this. My TV volume is all the way down- my sound comes from a Soundbar.

 

[Crimson1967]

We cut the cord recently and signed up for Hulu. I’m starting to get the hang of it.

What I hate is what a pain it is to change channels. For years I turn on the TV in the morning and push 6 and I am watching Fox 6. Not so easy now. If I’m following two games at the same time I can’t just keep hitting the back button.

 

[BamaMoon]

What is funny is I've gone to youtube.com and typed in the team i wanted to wath and it was streaming for free. I watched the Bama game the LSU game and Clemson just by searching for a live stream on youtube. Spectrum is my internet provider but not my TV provider. I haven't reactivated Sling....yet....

I think you found a rogue account that's uploading from a paid service provider. I'm surprised YTTV didn't shut it off.

I've done that a time or two trying to watch some of our basketball games that were not broadcast. Would find a link that worked for 5 or 10 minutes and then it wouldn't..

 

[BamaNation]

My view is that we should all hope that Spectrum wins this battle and "breaks" ESPN's insufferable grip on sports TV. Not sure what follows if that happens, but I suspect the whole running clock thing is 100% due to them demanding it. They're affecting the rules and decisions - explicitly or implicitly - that they have no business affecting.

I'm all for businesses making as much money as they possibly can for as long as they possibly can. That's not at issue here. They're about to become all but a monopoly in broadcasting college football and my take is that's not good for anyone who cares.

 

[rolltide_21]

Let's be real though, YTTV is cable by another name. The biggest differences being it is delivered over the internet, no additional fees and taxes and no contracts. It's the same pre-packaged list of channels that we've always gotten and as the contracts get re-negotiated, the price goes up.

I started subbing to YTTV back in 2019, when they finally went nationwide. The price was only $35 because we didn't get all our local channels yet. Once all the local channels were onboard a few months later, the price went to $40. By the end of 2019, the price jumped again to $50. In late 2020, the price jumped once again to $65. Then earlier this year it jumped to $72.99. A $38 jump in 4 years is fast even when compared to cable companies.

I would not be surprised if YTTV cost almost $100 within the next 5 years. These cable networks are going to squeeze every last penny out of the viewers that stick around, as they desperately try to hold onto an outdate broadcast model. The sports leagues will have to find a different way to generate revenue when the collapse of the tradition cable network happens.

It probably means signing deals with more tech giants, like Apple, Amazon and Google, as they have more money to blow than cable networks. Kind of like the deal MLS has with Apple. I think that is the ultimate future of sports broadcasting.

💯

 

[BamaNation]

Charter is playing a high-stakes game theory exercise and, at present, seems to be valuing its internet service above its Cable TV service. It is assuming (I think) that it can be a smaller, more profitable company by mostly being the internet provider to its millions of customers, some of whom don't care about ESPN/sports (or disney for that matter).

 

[JohnD]

Let's be real though, YTTV is cable by another name.

Exactly.

And you can turn in your Spectrum TV equipment and "cut the cable". But if you get internet from them, they'll soon raise those rates because they have better and more stable internet service than most local networks and arguably satellites. At least that's the case in my area. They'll get theirs. Then Disney will buy out YouTube TV, etc, etc.

 

[BamaNation]

Exactly.

And you can turn in your Spectrum TV equipment and "cut the cable". But if you get internet from them, they'll soon raise those rates because they have better and more stable internet service than most local networks and arguably satellites. At least that's the case in my area. They'll get theirs. Then Disney will buy out YouTube TV, etc, etc.

If anyone can't / won't cut the cord, I encourage you to call your provider and tell them to cut the price. Did that today on my mom's behalf and saved $70/mo to eliminate a recent increase. I do this every year with some providers who I know will cut the price. For example, if you're paying more than about $5/mo for Sirius/XM including streaming, you're paying more than necessary. Some of these things can happen over an online chat with no phone call necessary. There are also services that will try to do it for you and their fee is 1/3 of the savings they provide you, etc.

I have absolutely no issue paying for good, reasonable service. However, when the competitors and options are many, it is foolish to not offer others an opportunity to win your business.

Content has to be paid for regardless of how it is consumed. Anyone not doing that is metaphorically walking into Walmart in your pj's and stealing off the shelves. The rubbing point is can I get the content that I want for a lesser price elsewhere without the hassle that is a cable company. The answer is resoundingly yes - especially after your intro contract price with them..

 

[JohnD]

If anyone can't / won't cut the cord, I encourage you to call your provider and tell them to cut the price. Did that today on my mom's behalf and saved $70/mo to eliminate a recent increase. I do this every year with some providers who I know will cut the price. For example, if you're paying more than about $5/mo for Sirius/XM including streaming, you're paying more than necessary. Some of these things can happen over an online chat with no phone call necessary. There are also services that will try to do it for you and their fee is 1/3 of the savings they provide you, etc.

I have absolutely no issue paying for good, reasonable service. However, when the competitors and options are many, it is foolish to not offer others an opportunity to win your business.

Content has to be paid for regardless of how it is consumed. Anyone not doing that is metaphorically walking into Walmart in your pj's and stealing off the shelves. The rubbing point is can I get the content that I want for a lesser price elsewhere without the hassle that is a cable company. The answer is resoundingly yes - especially after your intro contract price with them..

It's not so much the cost with me, but recent events. Aside from the ESPN mess, they recently turned about 16 channels, several of which I occasionally watch, into additional subscription required channels and gave me 16 new channels that i would never watch. Then this month announced that they are increasing my rate.