2012 NFL Sunday Ticket Discussion Thread

[mkharsh33]

If any of you have DirecTv (as I do) you can always negotiate with them...ALWAYS. Make sure you are a customer in good standing, always paying your bill on time (which I have auto bill pay online).

When you call the 800 number, say "cancel" - when prompted say "cancel" again. Don't panic - this is taking you to the proper people who can really help you out. Ask if they have any way of helping you, but again, be polite.

I have NEVER paid full price for any sports package. I've already purchased it this year and got it down to $149 over 4 payments. I've been with them for 5 years and they appreciate loyalty. Remember, it's a consumer-driven world. If you say you don't the programming, they're going to lose money from you. They want your coin, so just work with them. Worst case scenario is they say no, or you get something off...

I'm a Steelers fan (from NE Ohio) who moved to Florida several years ago. I would die without this (well, not literally). But I LOVE football, and watch all day long.

[bostonchipster]

Quote: Originally Posted by mkharsh33

If any of you have DirecTv (as I do) you can always negotiate with them...ALWAYS. Make sure you are a customer in good standing, always paying your bill on time (which I have auto bill pay online). When you call the 800 number, say "cancel" - when prompted say "cancel" again. Don't panic - this is taking you to the proper people who can really help you out. Ask if they have any way of helping you, but again, be polite. I have NEVER paid full price for any sports package. I've already purchased it this year and got it down to $149 over 4 payments. I've been with them for 5 years and they appreciate loyalty. Remember, it's a consumer-driven world. If you say you don't the programming, they're going to lose money from you. They want your coin, so just work with them. Worst case scenario is they say no, or you get something off... I'm a Steelers fan (from NE Ohio) who moved to Florida several years ago. I would die without this (well, not literally). But I LOVE football, and watch all day long.

Quick question, do they keep record of how many times you threaten to cancel? I've done the same thing with NBA League Pass, but I have no idea if the operator knows that I'm only threatening.

[Sublime12089]

Quote: Originally Posted by bostonchipster

Quick question, do they keep record of how many times you threaten to cancel? I've done the same thing with NBA League Pass, but I have no idea if the operator knows that I'm only threatening.

Yea, they do. I work in customer service in a different field but it is standard to notate your account for each phone call.

Sent from my HTC VLE_U using Tapatalk 2

[Jonsco28]

Quote: Originally Posted by BIGFOOT999

Yea, they do. I work in customer service in a different field but it is standard to notate your account for each phone call.

That's why I didn't try to get them to lower my price this year (I did the last two consecutive years). Beside, they lowered it across the board this year to $199, which is way worth it IMO.

[mkharsh33]

I don't know, but I've done this for EVERY sports package. I have the NBA, NHL, NFL and MLB packages and I've NEVER paid full price for any of them. Yeah, they may note the calls, but I do this for each sports package they provide. I've never had to re-call them - I just take what they offer. They always tell me they value me as a customer in good standing, so it always works on my behalf. Again, I'm very polite... The CSR's have credits available, and they WANT to work with you. They will also try to see what they can do with providing you discounts on other things to bring the costs down. It doesn't make sense to pay full price for something that they're willing to work with you and take 20 to 50% off the cost. I feel if they give me ANYTHING off that I've saved money, and if I don't like it I'll just tell them no thanks and no harm done.

[wwharton]

Quote: Originally Posted by mkharsh33

I don't know, but I've done this for EVERY sports package. I have the NBA, NHL, NFL and MLB packages and I've NEVER paid full price for any of them. Yeah, they may note the calls, but I do this for each sports package they provide. I've never had to re-call them - I just take what they offer. They always tell me they value me as a customer in good standing, so it always works on my behalf. Again, I'm very polite... The CSR's have credits available, and they WANT to work with you. They will also try to see what they can do with providing you discounts on other things to bring the costs down. It doesn't make sense to pay full price for something that they're willing to work with you and take 20 to 50% off the cost. I feel if they give me ANYTHING off that I've saved money, and if I don't like it I'll just tell them no thanks and no harm done.

I agree with your thought process, but the bolded part at the end isn't true. If you say "no thanks", basically meaning they've called your bluff, then you're without Sunday Ticket unless I'm missing something.

[mkharsh33]

No, I would end up paying full price. In 5 years it has NEVER happened. But even if it did: with everything I've saved over the last 5 years for each of the sports packages, am I really "losing" money? Shoot no...I've already saved so much that basically DirecTv is GIVING me one of these packages for free. I look at the big picture, not the small one. I'm winning each time I make a phone call...

[wwharton]

Quote: Originally Posted by mkharsh33

No, I would end up paying full price. In 5 years it has NEVER happened. But even if it did: with everything I've saved over the last 5 years for each of the sports packages, am I really "losing" money? Shoot no...I've already saved so much that basically DirecTv is GIVING me one of these packages for free. I look at the big picture, not the small one. I'm winning each time I make a phone call...

To be clear, you're describing a call where you're threatening to cancel your Sunday Ticket with the hopes of them giving you a deal to get you to keep it. If they refuse to give you a deal you'd just say, "Nevermind, I'll go ahead and keep Sunday Ticket." Not a good look.

Don't get me wrong, your success rate makes the effort worth it, and many people here have been doing the same thing with similar success. But you're basically bluffing so the "worse case scenario" is getting serious egg on your face (and probably a black mark on your account) bc you (at least most of us) would be willing to pay full price despite the empty threat.