So im getting Direct tv installed on friday and I have the sports package in my plan. I was looking through all the channels on the sports package and they have a ton of FSN channels. What Im trying to figure out is if it worth it to get ESPN gameplan ($115) once college football starts or can I watch most, if not all of the NC state games through the sports package?

I dont wanna pay $115 if I dont have too.





[Edited on August 12, 2009 at 3:37 PM. Reason : of]

8/12/2009 3:29:07 PM

You need to know what games will be shown on which FSN... it could be 2 or 9.

8/12/2009 3:43:36 PM

I guess a shorter way to say all of that up there is if raycom broadcasts a game, is that separate from FSN 1-9, N, S, E, W or will raycom broadcast for FSN?

8/12/2009 4:02:12 PM

you should get AT&T U-Verse. Trumps them all!

8/12/2009 4:12:56 PM

considering FSN doesn't have the rights to ACC football games, you'll still want to have ESPN Gameplan, as they broadcast the Raycom games, which is where all of our games end up that aren't on one of the ESPN networks

FSN doesn't broadcast the Raycom games except for when there is not a local affiliate to broadcast the game. this usually only happens with FSN Florida

[Edited on August 12, 2009 at 4:55 PM. Reason : ]

8/12/2009 4:54:52 PM

and ncsuftw ftw

thank you

8/12/2009 5:29:54 PM

Depending on your ISP, you may already get ESPN360, which I think covers most of what you would get on Gameplan. Of course, the quality often leaves much to be desired.

I had Gameplan 4-5 years ago and was well worth the $99 it was back then (especially since I was outside ACC territory). TV rights/coverage has changed a bit since then, with so many games on ESPN-U and the creation of ESPN 360. If I didn't have season tickets (i.e. I am traveling to 8 games a year) it would still be a good option.

Basically Gameplan and ESPN-360 will give you the out of region ACC regional games, and local syndicates like Raycom. FSN is mainly helpful with Fox Sports regional covered games, mainly in the West (Mountain West Conference, Big 12, Pac 10).

8/13/2009 10:49:25 AM

yea I live in NY so I definately need to get gameplan. I got it last year but that was when I had regular cable. I think the only games I missed were the FCS game.


Forgot to add.....Optimum online doesnt carry ESPN 360 so, yea gameplan it is.

[Edited on August 13, 2009 at 11:52 AM. Reason : sadf]

8/13/2009 11:51:11 AM

what are teh game options for TWC?

8/13/2009 11:59:13 AM

With DirecTV, you only get the regional FSN channels with the sports package. Sorry to disappoint, but you won't get most of the FSN channels (FSNNE,SW,MW,etc.).

But for $12/month, what do you expect?

Oh yeah, and ESPN360 is part of that sports package. So if you get rid of it, boom goes ESPN360.

[Edited on August 13, 2009 at 12:09 PM. Reason : 360]

8/13/2009 12:08:31 PM

weak


well at least it will be way better than what I was getting with cable

8/13/2009 12:28:41 PM

i had the sports pack with DTV for the past 2 years and was able to get FSN-AZ

that's all I needed

8/13/2009 1:04:58 PM

I'm not sure about TWC specifically, but it's pretty standard that ESPN Gameplan is available on cable for same price. You can probably get a Fox Sports package that will only include FSN-East, Central, and West which won't help you get Fox Sports South or Sunshine network (or other regional affiliates), if you don't get it in your local package. I get Comcast Sports Net .

Basically all of the PPV sports packages are available on cable that you can get on Direct TV except NFL Sunday Ticket, which is offered exclusively by Direct TV.


ESPN 360 can be obtained for free if offered by your Internet Service Provider (I get it from Verizon), or for a subscriptioin if your ISP does not provide it.

*Another editorial comment: a Fox Sports package is useful for ACC Sunday Night Hoops if you don't have a true Fox Sports regioinal affiliate, like Comcast. Comcast sometimes syndicates ACC Sunday Night Hoops, sometimes does not, and sometimes joins games late or leave early based on things like Wizards and Capitals games.

Also ACC Basketball is very tricky, since Raycom does the screwy split broadcasts now. ESPN Full Court will give you both broadcasts if you are outside the "ACC Region" and don't have a Raycom affiliate (otherwise both games are blacked out). However, if you are inside the ACC Region but are not offered that game either because Raycom broadcasts the other game of the split, or your local Raycom affiliate chooses not to show the game, you are in a bad place because Raycom still holds the exclusive broadcast rights. Within the region you can only watch those games through the ACC online streaming subscription, which seems to change annually. Personally, I now just watch via slingbox from North Carolina.

[Edited on August 13, 2009 at 1:18 PM. Reason : .]

8/13/2009 1:06:30 PM