By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man – @tvanswerman

TV Answer Man, I read your story about DIRECTV Stream now having the Sports Pack. What exactly is the Sports Pack? How much does it cost? — Davey, Madison, Wisconsin.

Davey, somewhat lost in yesterday’s announcement that DIRECTV will carry the NFL RedZone was news that DIRECTV Stream will now offer the Sports Pack. But what is the Sports Pack and how much does it cost?

The Sports Pack has been available for years on DIRECTV’s satellite service. The package, which includes more than 40 sports channels, costs $14.99 a month. You can order it by going to your account page at directv.com, clicking on Manage My TV Package, and then scrolling down to Add-Ons. Then a Sports box will display with an order button and a link to more information about the Sports Pack.

The plan includes out-of-market programming from more than 30 regional sports networks including the Bally Sports nets, the AT&T-named RSNs, the NBC Sports channels, Yes Network, Marquee Sports Network, SportsNet LA, and MASN, among others. The programming includes studio shows, documentaries, and live sporting events that are not blacked out. Yes, live sports from the professional sports leagues such as MLB, NHL and NBA are blacked out on Sports Pack unless you live in a market where the teams are based.

In addition to the RSNs, Sports Pack has some of the leading national sports channels in case your programming package does not include them. Here’s a list:

ACC Network
Big Ten Network
CBS Sports Network
ESPNEWS
ESPNU

FanDuel TV (formerly TVG)
FS2
Golf Channel
Longhorn Network (Out of Market)
MLB Network

MLB Strike Zone
NBA TV
Next Level Sports
NFL Network
NFL RedZone

As you can see, it’s a nice add-on for a rabid sports fan although the $14.99 a month fee might be a bit much for some, particularly since so much programming is blacked out.

Davey, hope that helps. Happy viewing and stay safe!

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Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvanswerman.com Please include your first name and hometown in your message.

— Phillip Swann
@tvanswerman