DirecTV / MSG Question

[26CornerBlitz]

I am a NHL Center Ice subscriber, but because of my past 5 years of loyalty to DirecTV (I have only been loyal because they are the only ones to carry the Bills out of region) I'm getting 3 months of the 'Sports Package'.

 

So let me get this straight: the NHL does not see fit to charge extra for HD service, but DirecTV does? MSG-HD is extra, no?

 

I question the legality of this. Particularly with the Sunday Ticket. My argument is that both Fox and CBS broadcast games in HD for the local market NFL game. To see these games, you have to pay an extra premium for the service ($10/month) along with the cost of the receiver rental ($6/month). On top of that, DirecTV then forces you to buy that ridiculous 'Super Fan' (I call it Stupid Fan) of an extra $100/season ON TOP OF the already high cost of Sunday Ticket to see the NFL in HD.

 

How can they take a game being broadcast in HD by the broadcaster, but make you pay more for it?

 

FYI: If you "negotiate" properly with DirecTV, you will pay $0 for SuperFan (StupidFan as you call it) and get Sunday Ticket at a significantly reduced price. This is especially true if you're a 5 year customer. They have an even greater incentive to negotiate on the price of Sunday Ticket since the advent of the NFL RedZone Channel that is available to Cable and other Satellite providers.