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DIRECTV STREAM is raising prices on its streaming subscriptions beginning in January. This announced increase will impact both new and existing customers.
Perhaps the most notable increase will be an additional $10 per month for the Choice package, which is the cheapest subscription level that includes access to Regional Sports Networks (RSNs).
In this article, I’ll look at the price change details, when the changes take effect and what they could mean for the value of this streaming service moving forward.
DIRECTV STREAM Price Increase: What You Need To Know
Let’s take a look at what we know about the price increases so far.
When Is The Price Hike Happening?
New pricing for DIRECTV STREAM takes effect on January 22, 2023. DIRECTV says that existing subscribers will see the new pricing in their next bill cycle on or after January 22, 2023.
If you have an existing discount or promotional rate on a DIRECTV STREAM package, DIRECTV says it will honor that discount until it expires.
Be warned, though. You’ll automatically be charged the new price for your package upon your discount’s expiration.
Which DIRECTV STREAM Packages Are Affected?
The changes to DIRECTV’s 2023 pricing will impact all four current DIRECTV STREAM packages.
The Entertainment, Ultimate and Premier tiers will see a $5 per month increase, while the Choice package will go up by $10 per month.
The bump on the Choice package is especially bad news for sports fans, as DIRECTV STREAM is the only live TV streaming option that includes access to Regional Sports Networks (RSNs) such as Bally Sports.
Cord cutters who want Bally Sports may now find it cheaper to subscribe to a live TV service and pay the additional monthly charge for the new Bally Sports+ app. Pairing this $20 per month service with YouTube TV ($65 per month), for example, could save you as much as $15 per month compared to the new Choice package price.
Below is a quick breakdown of the pricing changes.
DIRECTV STREAM Package
Existing Price
New Price (Effective January 22, 2023)
ENTERTAINMENT
$69.99
$74.99
CHOICE
$89.99
$99.99
ULTIMATE
$104.99
$109.99
PREMIER
$149.99
$154.99
If you’re grandfathered into one of the legacy packages from the defunct DIRECTV NOW streaming service, you’re not immune to the price increases in 2023:
Grandfathered DIRECTV NOW Package
Monthly Price Increase Amount
LIVE A LITTLE ENTERTAINMENT
$5
JUST RIGHT CHOICE XTRA
$8
GO BIG GOTTA HAVE IT PLUS (MIDAS) PLUS w/o HBO (MIDAS) MAX (MIDAS) ULTIMATE
$10
OPTIMO MAS
$4
Why Is This Price Increase Happening?
Though the company didn’t call this out specifically in the announcement, DIRECTV recently negotiated a new carriage deal to keep Fox stations, including your local channels and FS1, on all of its platforms. Those agreements usually aren’t cheap.
And DIRECTV STREAM isn’t an outlier with this price increase. Competitors Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV and Fubo TV all have upped their monthly subscription prices recently.
The cost of doing business in this space has gone up, and prices are moving closer to the cable packages that live TV streaming services set out to replace a few years ago.
This is the second consecutive year that will begin with a price increase from DIRECTV STREAM. The service announced price hikes in January 2022. Those increases included a bump to unlimited DVR with all packages, at least.
Final Thoughts
DIRECTV STREAM already was one of the most expensive cord-cutting options on the market, and this announcement has done nothing to change that.
In fact, there’s a good chance your cable company offers a subscription price on par with what DIRECTV STREAM is asking for 2023.
Existing DIRECTV STREAM subscribers may want to take a hard look at which channels they actually watch on the service and consider some cheaper alternatives.
YouTube TV is $65 per month for a well-rounded package that includes local channels and live sports. And Hulu + Live TV now comes with Disney+ included at $70 per month. If you’re looking for more value, Sling TV has options that start at $40 per month and Philo is available for $25 per month.
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Will you be ditching your DIRECTV STREAM subscription as a result of this latest price increase? Let us know what you’re thinking in the Clark.com community.
This post was last modified on December 14, 2022 10:34 am