By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man – @tvanswerman
DIRECTV Stream has announced new price increases effective November 5, 2023. The multi-channel, live streaming service has announced at its web site that it will raise its Choice plan from $99.99 a month to $108.99 a month; the Entertainment plan will rise from $74.99 a month to $79.99 a month. The Ultimate package will increase from $109.99 a month to $119.99 a month. And the Premier plan will rise from $154.99 a month to $164.99 a month.
The price hike has more significance than your average pay TV increase because DIRECTV Stream provides more regional sports channels than any other live streaming service. Unlike Sling TV, YouTube TV and Hulu Live, DIRECTV Stream carries the Bally Sports RSNs as well as particularly tough-to-find local sports channels such as MASN, Altitude and SportsNet LA, among others. But Choice is the cheapest DIRECTV Stream package that offers regional sports channels which means cord-cutting sports fans will have to pay almost $110 a month to watch their favorite teams on the streamer.
The streaming service also announced that Showtime’s price will rise by 99 cents a month and AMC+ will go up by $1 a month. DIRECTV Stream also announced price increases for some of its ‘grandfathered’ packages which were available when it was known several years ago as DIRECTV Now:
$10 a month increase:
LIVE A LITTLE
GOTTA HAVE IT
GO BIG
PLUS
PLUS w/o HBO
MAX
OPTIMO MAS
XTRA
ULTIMATE
CHOICE
PREMIER
$5 a month increase
TODO Y MAS
$7 a month increase
ENTERTAINMENT (not the Entertainment package available to new customers.)
Just Right
DIRECTV Stream customers who have two-year contracts will also see increases to the following packages:
| OPTIMO MAS | $6 |
| ENTERTAINMENT XTRA |
$8 |
| CHOICE ULTIMATE |
$10 |
| PREMIER | $11 |
| SHOWTIME | $0.99 |
| AMC+ | $1 |
DIRECTV Stream blames the increases on the escalating cost of programming and the rise in the nation’s inflation rate. “We’re adjusting the price of your television package in order to remain competitive in the marketplace, while still delivering the best possible programming. TV networks are continuing to increase the fees they charge DIRECTV for the right to distribute the content they produce, including movies, shows, and sporting events. We remain steadfast in our commitment to bring you the best programming at a fair and reasonable price,” the streamer states at its web site.
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
When I switched a year ago to Directv Stream the price was $89.99. Then it jumped to $99.99 in January. That was not a promotional price . Now $109.99 in November. I’ll be back to paying the regular cable tv price before I switched. Pretty sure I’ll switch back to cable and take their 6 month or 1 year promotion. I wish they would stop adding useless channels here and there. I’m sure those drive up the rates . Very disappointing this “cutting the cord” thing.