One of the optional add-ons to your regular DIRECTV bundle is the Sports Pack, priced at $12.99 per month. While more sports is always better, you should have a good idea of what the DIRECTV Sports Pack includes before subscribing to DIRECTV, or if you are an existing customer, adding this to your regular package.
All DIRECTV packages except the Family package include regional sports networks that are in your area. What this means is that you will automatically get the sports networks that cover the area you live in. For example, using this DIRECTV online web tool we entered zip code 80202 for the Denver, Colorado market. In this area, you will receive the Fox Sport Rocky Mountain network, which covers games for the Colorado Rockies. You will also get Altitude Sports and Entertainment, which carries Denver Nugget and Colorado Avalanche games.
So if you are a fan of these teams, and live in the Denver area, you are pretty much set. But what if you live in Denver and want access to programming that covers the Boston sporting scene? Subscribing to the sports pack will give you access to the New England Sports Network (NESN) and CSN New England. These channels carry the games of the Boston Bruins, the Red Sox, and the Celtics. So you can watch all of your hometown games for $12.99 a month right? Wrong.
Unfortunately blackout rules apply to out of market professional sports. You won’t be able to see these games unless you go with the premiums sports packages that have been assembled by the sports powers. Only by subscribing to the NBA League Pass, the NHL Center Ice package, or the MLB Extra Innings packages can you watch your preferred sports team. Even worse, these packages all cost in the area of $200 per season.
So why go with the DIRECTV Sports pack? Well there are a few things that are worthwhile. International soccer fans can get Gol TV and the Fox Sports Channel. Specialized channels covering horse racing and outdoor activities like hunting and fishing are also included. ESPN U is accessible as well for college sports fans. Some find it worthwhile to at least be able to watch the post game coverage of the teams they like, or the added coverage of their favorite team, even though they don’t get the live game coverage.
Many of these regional networks do cover a lot of college sports as well. While some of the games are subject to blackout, there are quite a few that are available on the various networks, so that is another advantage of the DIRECTV Sports pack. To give you an idea of what is available, here is a list of the sports channels available.
Altitude Sports & Entertainment
CBS: College Sports Television
Comcast Sports Net Bay Area
Comcast SportsNet California
Comcast SportsNet Chicago
Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic
Comcast SportsNet NEW ENGLAND
ESPN U
Fox Soccer Channel
Fox Sports en Espanol
FSN ARIZONA
FSN CINCINNATI
FSN DETROIT
FSN FLORIDA
FSN MIDWEST
FSN NORTH
FSN NORTHWEST
FSN OHIO
FSN PITTSBURGH
FSN PRIME TICKET
FSN ROCKY MOUNTAIN
FSN SOUTH
FSN SOUTHWEST
FSN WEST
GOL TV
GolTV
Madison Square Garden (MSG)
MASN
Mtn Mountain West Sports Network
NBA TV
New England Sports Network: NESN
Outdoor Channel
Sports Time Ohio
SportsNet New York (SNY)
SportSouth
Sun Sports
TVG – The Interactive Horseracing Network
YES Network
Now if you already have one of the higher end satellite TV bundles, you might want to consider the DIRECTV Premier package, as it will include all of the above listed channels, plus over 30 commercial free movie channels for about $110 a month before DVR and HD charges.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
While i must say $200 per season is still high, it seems a nice idea to get the directv bundle to get the sports live tv channels online.
Can I get fox west and prime ticket for 12.99 the sport pack at 83833 zip code ???
direct t.v. represintives dont know nothing about this fsn pack,they would tell you that you will see every channel except the one in your area,BIG LIE as soon the game starts, all ur professiomal games will be block,” ALL” the only thing you would see is non-profesional games,this make non sence,why are you paying $12.99 a month? to see how the block the channels,another thing if i have the $200 for the mlb extra inning why should i want the fsn. for all you N.Y.yankees fan you will not see your yankees playing in the YES net channel unless you buy the mlb extra inn for $200. good luck with direct t.v. sport pack. read every details before you sign any contract.
Howard you will be able to see all you colorado home teams games only plus the mariners thats all.