Spectrum/Disney Dispute

Ironman92

Administrator

Fri, Sep 1, 2023 1:06 PM

Apparently am without 26 channels now as the big wigs are fighting. Disney is way bigger….Spectrum knows they can’t outlast the bigger brand. Is this a way to get more onto Fubo (which I believe they are in connections with)….or is this like Dish Network and the Fox channels and Dish just went off to die?

Basically I’m going to need the best ways to watch ESPN channels AND ACC Network. Are there ways to watch on the television WITHOUT a smart tv? (I have a smart tv in my patio but no DVR and such)….not watching on phone or computer.

Heretic

Son of the Sun

Fri, Sep 1, 2023 2:05 PM

Yeah, I found this out this morning. And am not happy. I have a friend with Dish, so I'll be able to hit up stuff on ESPN and ABC, I guess, but it'd be annoying to have to leave my house whenever I want to see something on the affected channels.

Not sure on alternate solutions. Unless "Someone needs to utterly terrorize Disney/Spectrum executives until the concept of even leaving their mansions petrifies them with fear" or "Take a couple heads and tell the survivors to be better" count as solutions.

brutus161

The Navy Guy

Fri, Sep 1, 2023 2:24 PM

Put Youtube TV on a Firestick or Apple TV box?


I ditched cable over a year ago and have been pretty happy. 

Ironman92

Administrator

Fri, Sep 1, 2023 2:36 PM
posted by brutus161

Put Youtube TV on a Firestick or Apple TV box?


I ditched cable over a year ago and have been pretty happy. 

I pay too much for Spectrum cable but I have everything I want and it’s easy and with pause, fast forward, DVR etc….I gotta have it. 

It’s 2023 and I hate that I just can’t download and pay for the channels I want from each service.

Pick any 12 channels for $100 a month. I’ll take it. I don’t want 600 channels and 200 movies.


Reds channel 

ESPN, 2, U

Locals

FS1

ACC Network

Big 10 Network

TBS

Tru 

MLB Network 

NFL Network


There’s my 12….I actually just threw out the number but I’d take it in a heartbeat.

Edit: I guess that is 15 since (locals is 4 channels to me)

birddog23

Senior Member

Fri, Sep 1, 2023 2:44 PM
posted by Ironman92

I pay too much for Spectrum cable but I have everything I want and it’s easy and with pause, fast forward, DVR etc….I gotta have it. 

It’s 2023 and I hate that I just can’t download and pay for the channels I want from each service.

Pick any 12 channels for $100 a month. I’ll take it. I don’t want 600 channels and 200 movies.


Reds channel 

ESPN, 2, U

Locals

FS1

ACC Network

Big 10 Network

TBS

Tru 

MLB Network 

NFL Network


There’s my 12….I actually just threw out the number but I’d take it in a heartbeat.

Edit: I guess that is 15 since (locals is 4 channels to me)

Locals wouldn't count IMO. 

Spectrum did this a few years ago, I think it was called "Choice", and we did it and I think we could pick 10-12 channels. We ended up ditching it anyway because we dropped their internet service and went to streaming YoutubeTV/Hulu.

QuakerOats

Senior Member

Fri, Sep 1, 2023 3:02 PM

DirecTV and Nextstar sparring also ........... CBS and Fox are off limits.  Went out and bought a cheap antenna device to get those channels locally, in the meantime. 

friendfromlowry

Senior Member

Fri, Sep 1, 2023 3:12 PM

I’m in the same boat. I wouldn’t be surprised if something is miraculously worked out right before noon (kickoff) tomorrow and the increased costs will eventually be passed onto us.

Ironman92

Administrator

Fri, Sep 1, 2023 3:32 PM
posted by friendfromlowry

I’m in the same boat. I wouldn’t be surprised if something is miraculously worked out right before noon (kickoff) tomorrow and the increased costs will eventually be passed onto us.

Bring ‘em on

Based on the Dish/Fox Sports from about 3 years ago….I doubt it happens. Hope I’m wrong.


Heretic

Son of the Sun

Fri, Sep 1, 2023 5:31 PM
posted by Ironman92

Bring ‘em on

Based on the Dish/Fox Sports from about 3 years ago….I doubt it happens. Hope I’m wrong.


Oh, it will be sooner rather than later. Difference is the cost of the regional sports networks weren't worth their appeal. This involves ESPN and local stations. People go more ballistic over losing stuff like that.

Devils Advocate

Brudda o da bomber

Fri, Sep 1, 2023 6:02 PM

My brother signed up for a free trial on fuboTV and he says it works pretty good for free espn Other than that I jumped on to Amazon freemvee and they’ve got some stuff but not as much as you think.


friendfromlowry

Senior Member

Fri, Sep 1, 2023 7:44 PM

I went ahead and did a free three week trial of YouTube TV to get ESPN back. If Spectrum is still blacked out after three weeks I may have to go ahead and switch completely then.

Ironman92

Administrator

Fri, Sep 1, 2023 8:14 PM
posted by friendfromlowry

I went ahead and did a free three week trial of YouTube TV to get ESPN back. If Spectrum is still blacked out after three weeks I may have to go ahead and switch completely then.

Does YouTube have ACC Network?


friendfromlowry

Senior Member

Fri, Sep 1, 2023 8:16 PM

It does. 

gut

Senior Member

Sat, Sep 2, 2023 11:21 AM

Yeah, Youtube for the win.  ACC and B1G.  The only channel it doesn't have that I watched a few shows on is History (and there's literally no other way to get that channel one-off).  Sling might be a little cheaper if you can do with a few less channels, but then locals news & sports can be an issue.

Plus, there's the spoofing trick you can do to watch any NFL game for free, without buying Ticket.

Unlimited cloud DVR, as well.

Ironman92

Administrator

Sat, Sep 2, 2023 12:07 PM
posted by gut

Yeah, Youtube for the win.  ACC and B1G.  The only channel it doesn't have that I watched a few shows on is History (and there's literally no other way to get that channel one-off).  Sling might be a little cheaper if you can do with a few less channels, but then locals news & sports can be an issue.

Plus, there's the spoofing trick you can do to watch any NFL game for free, without buying Ticket.

Unlimited cloud DVR, as well.

MLB Network? I know YouTube tv dropped the Reds so I have to have them


iclfan2

Reppin' the 330/216/843

Sat, Sep 2, 2023 12:25 PM

Off topic, but have had YouTube tv for years, but just found the multiview option. 4 games on the tv at once. Pretty sweet. 

Laley23

GOAT

Sat, Sep 2, 2023 1:53 PM
posted by iclfan2

Off topic, but have had YouTube tv for years, but just found the multiview option. 4 games on the tv at once. Pretty sweet. 

They just now put it out. Only thing is cannot choose what goes in. But have heard its in development. 

Laley23

GOAT

Sat, Sep 2, 2023 1:54 PM
posted by Ironman92

MLB Network? I know YouTube tv dropped the Reds so I have to have them


Yes, they have MLB Net. I watch a lot of sports, the only thing they didnt have was Tennis Channel (and that was added about 3 months ago at the start of French Open).

Ironman92

Administrator

Sat, Sep 2, 2023 2:35 PM
posted by Laley23

Yes, they have MLB Net. I watch a lot of sports, the only thing they didnt have was Tennis Channel (and that was added about 3 months ago at the start of French Open).

But I know they dropped the Reds…I don’t want to switch back and forth (but will keep happening under this format)


MontyBrunswick

Senior Member

Mon, Sep 4, 2023 6:14 PM
posted by Laley23

They just now put it out. Only thing is cannot choose what goes in. But have heard its in development. 

it was unveiled during march madness this year

MontyBrunswick

Senior Member

Mon, Sep 4, 2023 6:55 PM
posted by Ironman92

But I know they dropped the Reds

it wasn't really a case of "they" dropping the reds, so much as a really terrible business decision by sinclair. a redditor summed it up nicely:


Bally Sports pays a lot of money to pro sports teams for local broadcast rights. How Bally gets the content into viewers homes is (unfortunately) in their hands. The common thinking is that Sinclair overpaid when the bought the Fox Sports / Bally stations in 2019. In order to compensate, they attempted to impose significant rate hikes on all cable, satellite and streaming providers. Many providers, including YTTV, Hulu, Dish and Sling pushed back, leaving Bally looking for ways to generate more revenue.


....


Bally was apparently unwilling to make their stations available as an optional add-on. That left YTTV to decide if it was worth paying for that expensive programming for all subscribers, passing the costs on to them.

MontyBrunswick

Senior Member

Mon, Sep 4, 2023 7:01 PM

^^ it's also worth mentioning that sinclair has started whiffing on payments to the pro sports teams for their local broadcast rights. they already filed for bankruptcy.


i could see MLB just stepping in and taking the RSN's over whenever sinclair deems their purchase a failure.


also apparently Bally's is available on both fubo and directtv streaming. you can also "buy" a bally's pass but i think it's extremely limited as to what you can/cannot watch due to the weird local broadcast rules.

Ironman92

Administrator

Mon, Sep 4, 2023 7:51 PM

Bought a Roku but we don’t have a 4K tv in main room….the Roku we bought doesn’t appear to have ACC Netwirk but the Roku for 4K tvs does.

Some ACC games this year are on CW Network. And I’m going to half of them….but would like to have it as will need for basketball 

gut

Senior Member

Mon, Sep 4, 2023 11:06 PM
posted by MontyBrunswick

also apparently Bally's is available on both fubo and directtv streaming. you can also "buy" a bally's pass but i think it's extremely limited as to what you can/cannot watch due to the weird local broadcast rules.

You can subscribe, and then add the Bally app to Chromecast (same as with other apps like Netflix, Prime, etc).  It's not as seamless as one might like, but it will do.

Otherwise, it's pretty easy to cast anything streaming on your phone/tablet/laptop CHROME browser to your tv with a Chromecast.

For me, Xfinity had the best UI and channel availability, but it's a good bit more money than YT TV.

Laley23

GOAT

Mon, Sep 4, 2023 11:24 PM
posted by MontyBrunswick

it was unveiled during march madness this year

They gave us a glimpse. They had multi view of only those 4 linked channels. Now they have it across channels and even across sports. 


friendfromlowry

Senior Member

Tue, Sep 5, 2023 8:59 PM

https://cordcuttersnews.com/spectrum-cable-tv-teams-up-with-fubo-to-offer-a-discounted-live-tv-streaming-service-so-its-customers-can-watch-espn/


My prediction for Spectrum/Disney to resolve their issues by this past weekend crashed and burned. 

Spectrum is offering this deal as it seems this may go on for a while. Unless I’m missing something, it seems fucking stupid. Pay $70/month to get the sports channels abruptly removed from you? I know you get the whole elite package of channels but what if you already had all that initially. Some people - a lot maybe - would be paying $70/month to essentially get back a half dozen channels, and even some of those you may not care about (myself and National Geographic, for example)