OT: Cutting the Cord 2.0 - ESPN/Fox/Warner Launching Combined Sports Streamer

[MickeyDavis]

I started the 7 day trial last night on Fubo. It's really user-friendly. I like it a lot.

The biggest thing is the picture quality. Waaaaaaaaaaaaay better than Directv.

You're the first person I know who has Fubo so I appreciate the info. DVR capabilities?

[buckboy]

I started the 7 day trial last night on Fubo. It's really user-friendly. I like it a lot.

The biggest thing is the picture quality. Waaaaaaaaaaaaay better than Directv.

You're the first person I know who has Fubo so I appreciate the info. DVR capabilities?

1000 hours. Keep it as long as you want. Which is a huge huge plus.

[RogerMurdock]

Man, I wish local ISPs weren't effectively monopolies. I'm finally leaning toward ditching cable TV and going with YouTube TV (or another streaming TV service, but I've been trialing YouTube and it's good), but having to stick with Xfinity for internet is what will prevent me from big savings. Well that plus YouTube TV isn't really that cheap anymore.

I called Xfinity to see if they'd work with me on price for TV and they absolutely will not. We'll see if I make headway when I call to truly cancel. And they will have no incentive to do anything about the price of my internet, since there are no real competitors. Plus, I'll have to keep paying the extra $30 for no data cap because after all, if all my TV is streaming, my data usage will be high.

That said, I think I can still save around $70 a month or so, so that's not bad.

EDIT: I like my Xfinity services - cable and internet are both very good - I just hate their high prices.

[ReasonablySober]

Good to know about Fubo, but $84.99 (4K) version is still probably double my price point for the same content I get now.

[ReasonablySober]

Man, I wish local ISPs weren't effectively monopolies. I'm finally leaning toward ditching cable TV and going with YouTube TV (or another streaming TV service, but I've been trialing YouTube and it's good), but having to stick with Xfinity for internet is what will prevent me from big savings. Well that plus YouTube TV isn't really that cheap anymore.

I called Xfinity to see if they'd work with me on price for TV and they absolutely will not. We'll see if I make headway when I call to truly cancel. And they will have no incentive to do anything about the price of my internet, since there are no real competitors. Plus, I'll have to keep paying the extra $30 for no data cap because after all, if all my TV is streaming, my data usage will be high.

That said, I think I can still save around $70 a month or so, so that's not bad.

EDIT: I like my Xfinity services - cable and internet are both very good - I just hate their high prices.

Same with Charter/Spectrum. I very much miss the says of $30 monthly broadband. It's now $79.99, which they can charge because there's no competition here somehow.

[RogerMurdock]

Same with Charter/Spectrum. I very much miss the says of $30 monthly broadband. It's now $79.99, which they can charge because there's no competition here somehow.

I could lower it a little bit if I was willing to go with slower speeds, but I'm paying $122 with Xfinity for 400 Mbps and unlimited data. It would be $92 without unlimited (1.2 TB cap). When I called to try to get them to lower my overall price, the lady actually suggested going up to 800 Mbps. I reminded her that I don't want to spend MORE money.

Our speeds are good for us. If my son and I weren't gamers, we could probably go with lower speeds, but the savings aren't that great, so there's no point in screwing up one of the pastimes we enjoy the most.

I looked up competition and was slightly hopeful when I saw AT&T had fiber, but alas, not at my address. Google Fiber is in some parts of town, but not here. AT&T's non-fiber speeds are crap. All other competitors I saw were slow, so I didn't bother looking at their prices.

If T-Mobile and Verizon can keep improving their speeds for home internet as the years go on, we might be onto something.

[buckboy]

Good to know about Fubo, but $84.99 (4K) version is still probably double my price point for the same content I get now.

I believe that, but $40/month is worth it to me to just have it all in one place.

[Brewster]

Should I get Fubo or Sling? Sling seems cheaper but does it have Packers and Bucks games?

[MickeyDavis]

Sling does not have Bally's. Fubo does.

[Brewster]

Sling does not have Bally's. Fubo does.

I saw this on JSonline, that's why I thought Sling had Bucks games.

https://www.jsonline.com/story/sponsor-story/sling-tv/2023/10/06/heres-how-to-watch-the-packers-and-bucks-play-without-cable/71056376007/

[MickeyDavis]

Sling does not have Bally's. Fubo does.

I saw this on JSonline, that's why I thought Sling had Bucks games.

https://www.jsonline.com/story/sponsor-story/sling-tv/2023/10/06/heres-how-to-watch-the-packers-and-bucks-play-without-cable/71056376007/

It's an ad with a misleading headline. Only Fubo and DirecTV streaming have Bally's.

[Gant]

A few NBA teams are starting direct to consumer streaming or OTA broadcasting. This has to happen more as cable continues to wither. They won't get new fans with the current model like they would by being more consumer friendly.

[0BobLobLaw0]

Fubo doesn't seem to have Turner. So the TNT games and TBS games are a no go.

[MickeyDavis]

An article posted today on JS Online says that Bally's contract with Spectrum expires at the end of February. Given that Bally's parent company Diamond Sports is in bankruptcy there's no guarantee that there will be a new agreement so Bally's may be off Spectrum before Bucks season ends.

Diamond keeps stalling and asking for extensions in their bankruptcy resolution. 5 MLB teams, including the Brewers, are fighting the extension. I'm sure every MLB team that has deals with Bally's want everything resolved before next season.

Edens said earlier this month that no matter what happens to Bally's, Bucks games will be available. But that statement has nothing to do with Bally's and Spectrum. Eden's statement means whenever Bally's goes out of business the Bucks are prepared to step in.

There are some NBA teams who have already severed ties with Bally's. It's tricky when there are still contracts in place. The Suns are offering games on regular local TV as well as streaming options.

I don't mind streaming games as long as I can easily do it on my TV. I don't want to have to hook up my laptop, tablet or phone to the TV. And I won't watch Bucks on a phone or laptop. That's ludicrous when I have an 85" screen.

We'll see how it all plays out.

[GrandAdmiralDan]

Bally's Sports + didn't work for me last night, and it still doesn't work for me today. Not on my TV (and of course on my only months old high end 86" LG TV, the Ballys app isn't even available, so I have to move the Chromecast with Google TV from my bedroom to my living room, but it still didn't work), not on my laptop, and not on my phone.

I have NBA League Pass Premium as a perk of my Bucks full season ticket holder package, but the broadcast is blacked out there. I paid $13 for one month of Express VPN as I've heard that some people use that to be able to watch blacked out League Pass games. I couldn't get that to work on TV, laptop or phone either. No matter where I connected my location to, League Pass still wouldn't let me watch the Bucks game.

Eventually downloaded this game from an unsanctioned site.

This is beyond stupid.

I love YouTube TV asy primary TV and DVR option. But it doesn't have Ballys Sports anymore after Ballys/Diamond/Sinclair wouldn't negotiate in good faith. So now I pay for Bally Sports+ separate.

It seems completely unreliable now, so I either have to not watch non-national network road games at home, or I have to get Spectrum instead of YouTube TV.

This is not acceptable.

[Matches Malone]

Read on Twitter

[MickeyDavis]

Read on Twitter

I read that somewhere last month and contacted them, hoping I could get grandfathered in because I want 4K but nope, have to pay more.

[MickeyDavis]

Bally's Sports + didn't work for me last night, and it still doesn't work for me today. Not on my TV (and of course on my only months old high end 86" LG TV, the Ballys app isn't even available, so I have to move the Chromecast with Google TV from my bedroom to my living room, but it still didn't work), not on my laptop, and not on my phone.

I have NBA League Pass Premium as a perk of my Bucks full season ticket holder package, but the broadcast is blacked out there. I paid $13 for one month of Express VPN as I've heard that some people use that to be able to watch blacked out League Pass games. I couldn't get that to work on TV, laptop or phone either. No matter where I connected my location to, League Pass still wouldn't let me watch the Bucks game.

Eventually downloaded this game from an unsanctioned site.

This is beyond stupid.

I love YouTube TV asy primary TV and DVR option. But it doesn't have Ballys Sports anymore after Ballys/Diamond/Sinclair wouldn't negotiate in good faith. So now I pay for Bally Sports+ separate.

It seems completely unreliable now, so I either have to not watch non-national network road games at home, or I have to get Spectrum instead of YouTube TV.

This is not acceptable.

Agreed. I have Spectrum so I'm ok but what Bally's is doing is a joke. They have tweeted out updates that they are "aware" of the situation" and working on it. But they are in bankruptcy (their parent company Diamond Sports) so how much time and money are they really putting into their app (or anything else). Teams are bailing on them as soon as they can get out of their contracts.

Fubo has Bally's from what I understand. And I believe DirecTV's streaming service does too but that's it. It's one of those or cable. So I stay with Spectrum. ESPN is expected to offer a streaming service in about a year. You'd think paying for ESPN+ would give you access to ESPN programming but nope.

Streaming is becoming so fractured and expensive that it's not really the deal it used to be. Personally cost isn't a big deal for me but I'd still dump Spectrum if there were reliable alternatives where I can get the sports I want. Give me a good picture. Let me record so I can watch later. Or do what Amazon does with NFL. Let's say I'm a half hour late on a game. I have the option to start from the beginning or start the live feed. Sweet. It also gives me an option to watch the highlights so far. Very nice.

[GrandAdmiralDan]

Read on Twitter

I read that somewhere last month and contacted them, hoping I could get grandfathered in because I want 4K but nope, have to pay more.

My Max renewed on October 2nd. I have the annual option for Max, Disney+, and Prime. Monthly for Paramount+ and Ballys+ because I don't keep those the entire year.

My Max subscription currently says "Legacy Ad-Free Yearly"

I'm guessing I'll get to keep 4k and ATMOS with no additional charge?

[MickeyDavis]

Read on Twitter

I read that somewhere last month and contacted them, hoping I could get grandfathered in because I want 4K but nope, have to pay more.

My Max renewed on October 2nd. I have the annual option for Max, Disney+, and Prime. Monthly for Paramount+ and Ballys+ because I don't keep those the entire year.

My Max subscription currently says "Legacy Ad-Free Yearly"

I'm guessing I'll get to keep 4k and ATMOS with no additional charge?

Because you're annual you should be good I would think until next year. I was going month to month so my "Legacy" account had to be upgraded.