...i know its early; but the MLS schedule and national TV schedule is out; any news on the shootout package? I know DirecTV has it up as an option, but no details.
i as going to start the same thread and say the following: i am hoping they get things in order earlier than last year in regards to the 2003 shootout...perhaps they could start selling the package a month before the season starts as opposed to a month after the season starts! any word?
Re: Re: Mls Shoot-out Packages I don't have any word except to say that it is on the DirecTV website saying it can't be ordered yet. I was on digital cable last year and my understanding was that cable was the only platform that had the package late. Games were on the dishes from day one last season.
Were people happy with this package, and did you get most of the playoff games? I would like to try it out this year and wanted to get some thoughts.
I have had it on digital cable the last 2 years and I am beyond happy with it. Sometimes there are issues like games being shown tape-delayed, or missing the beginning of the season (like last year), etc. but it is definately worth the purchase.
The package has been different on different systems through the years. Two years ago, Dish had the best package with every game available on there and Direct only doing the weekends. Last year, Direct had everything with Dish only doing Saturday games. Cable options varied by the cable vendors but every game was available on some systems last year. PLayoffs were included in the package. monster will commnce bugging MLS HQ next week and will post what he finds here.
I was happy with the coverage, to a point. I am a Dish network subscriber and as such I only got the saturday night games. The Fire seem to have more Sunday games than anyone else. I am a Flex plan season ticket holder, so I went to the non televised games and got lazy for the others.
Best deal on TV. Hopefully last year they worked thru the kinks and this year will be smooth sailing. Even with the problems last year it is worth it. I don't know how serious MLS fans live without it. Or soccer fans for that matter. 140 games or so for $50. Plus playoff games. You can't beat that with as stick.
I've had the Shootout every year since the first year it's been available (I think that was '97) on DirecTV. In fact, one of the main reasons I got DirecTV in the first place was so I could get the MLS Shootout. It's pretty much gotten better every year, and in fact, the price is now less ($49.00 versus $69.00) than it used to be.
I assume we'll need to wait until all the various local TV deals get finalized. Hopefully, we'll see more standardization in the Shootout packages this year. At $49, it's an amazing deal.
I do plan on bugging them next week on various TV issues. Lots of things conspired against me doing it before.
I tried to get the shoot out package 2 yrs ago, but my local cable company could not figure out how to activate it (no lie!). I gave up in frustration after weeks of trying. Hopefully this year will be a little better.
try again. if you're only talking to the moles, take it above their heads and try to get a higher up involved. if they're offering the product, you should be able to get the product. many cable systems are unfamiliar with the shootout package, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be able to provide it for people who actually want to purchase. i too give a huge thumbs up to the package. best soccer deal anywhere. and monster, we await breathlessly all your media/tv investigations!!!
It took me many, many calls to get the Shootout through my local cable company. Then halfway through the season it just stops showing the games and no one can figure out the problem. Suddenly it turned on again for the playoffs though. Saying all that, I would say it worth it. It's a hassle but it is so cheap. I don't understand why anyone who is a MLS fan wouldn't buy this package.
plain and simple...best deal on television. you get over a hundred or so games last year for $49 bucks? that is less than 50 cents a game. cannot be beat...
Like they say, two years ago the package on DirecTV was for crap, not even managing to deliver what they described in their advertising. (If you screamed and bitched loud enough about this fraud, they sent you some coupons for PPV's, but I tore them up and mailed them back. I'm that way, as some of you know) So last season I was all set to switch to Dish, but lo and behold the DirecTV package absolutely rocked. Anything that had a camera pointed at it someplace, we got. It was hands down the best deal in the world, while Dish never got their act tigether, had NO weekday games and THEY were the ones lying about what they could deliver. Now I'm pretty well locked in to DTV with my HD setup, so they'd better not screw me over.
Re: Re: Mls Shoot-out Packages I already got the advance notice on my Directv bill that I'm signed up for it. No word yet on pricing.
1/2 the fun of the Shootout is the epic struggle required to get the games on through Cable. It's a lot of fun talking to operators who swear they know what they're talking about when they tell you three different things that are all wrong. Did the Metro fan who broke down and bought College Game Day just to get that one game ever get a refund?
Bill, outside of HDNET, what is locking you into DTV especially when 90% of the availabe HD channels are OTA right now? I bet you are like me and can not wait for the HD Tivo coming out at the end of this year... I think I may actually see a soccer game in HD before I die now Andy
Which receiver did you get, the Sony, the Zenith, the Samsung, or something else? How do you like it.
Quick update. Haven't talked to MLS yet, but got e-mails from my cable company and iNDemand. My cable company's GM said they haven't heard anything. iNDemand said they are still in discussions with MLS, which I assume means that the local TV deals need to get done first. That's just my hunch. No idea about dish systems. DTV has an ad with no details on their Web site while Dish has nothing that I could find. In a related note, my cable company's GM said they worked to get a digital sports package together that would include FSW. He said they ultimately gave up because Fox just makes so many demands on people who want to add FSW. He had said this was a problem months ago when we discussed it, but now I guess it's final. Sucks that they want to hold people hostage instead of growing their subscriber base.