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Thursday, October 1, 2009

West Coast Jackets fan needs our help!

I just received this email from Alex who is a concerned Jackets fan on the West coast:

Increasingly frustrated Jackets fan here on the West Coast. Fired up to plunk down $160 for Center Ice on DirecTV, but going through the next week or so of their listings--no Jackets games. I don't anticipate getting a good answer from their customer service reps on what the future schedule may hold. Have you gotten any feedback from out of market fans on the availability (or lack thereof) of columbus games on Center Ice in the past? Am I going to get 10 games or 60 for my money?

I did just read from a poster on HF that they found a way to get Center Ice free on DirectTV:

Directv customers including those still under contract. I guarantee this will work. First off make the call. Ask for customer retention. Then it will ask question of whether you want to change program or cancel. Choose cancel option. That is critical. Because when you get to talk to customer retention they already know that you intend to cancel. Tell that you understand that they have to do what they have to do with Versus, but say that you can't go missing any hockey games this year. They may at the point just offer you CI for free right away. Thats how I got it for my parents a day after I got it for myself. If at that point they don't offer it, they tell them you have already called Dish and they offered to pay your cancellation fee and give you CI for free. Explain to them that you like Directv and don't want to leave but you got to have hockey. That should work. I got CI free and $10 a month credit for a year. Good luck all.

Does anyone out there have any advice for Alex? We must leave no Jacket fan stranded from our boys!

Please comment below or shoot me an email (light.the.lamp@hotmail.com).

-LTL

12 comments:

Unknown said...

I've had Center Ice for a couple years and I can say you will get virtually ALL NHL games, including the Blue Jackets. Now, I live in Columbus so I get the Jackets on the local Fox Sports station but if I feel like watching ANY other games they are always available. DTV has dedicated Center Ice channels and they'll also activate the various regional sports channels during games. I also found that when FSN is NOT broadcasting the CBJ, Center Ice will usually have the opposing team's broadcast on so I don't miss a thing.

Also, I can vouch (partly) for the DirecTV free Center Ice thing. I called and simply compalined about not having VS. (didn't say I was cancelling....just that I had called DISH). They offered me $50 off. I pressed further and eventually got $120 ($10/mo for 12 months) off. I have done this and I know 3 others who have so, yes, it works.

But, after reading that it's being offered for free....I'm going to call again!!

Nuuuuugs said...

I don't live in Columbus but I get Center Ice, and every game that's not on Versus, NHL Network, or the local Sports Channels is on Center Ice.

JAM said...

If you have a good high speed connection, you can subscribe to watch all hockey games that are not nationally televised. GameCenterLIVE package for $159

Unknown said...

half off so it was roughly $80 for the full season of Center Ice... hockey = yeah!

Woody said...

It does work! I called DirecTV to complain about missing NHL hockey on Versus. They immediately offered $100 off the Center Ice package. I kept the conversation going and was offered the Center Ice package for free for the season. They didn't offer the $10/month, but I was happy with just the free Center Ice package. Thanks for the tip LTL!

Unknown said...

Worked for me. I got Center Ice for $80 and a $20 credit per month for 6 months, making it virtually free. Good stuff!

pinion9 said...

I got half off ($81 credit) after complaining about not being able to watch opening night. No mention of switching to DISH. I then complained that when I signed up for Direct TV, that Versus was carried and pointed out that if I hadn't switched from TimeWarner I would be able to use the coupon for $15 off that I got with my partial season tickets. They then gave me a 6 month $10 credit (another $60 total) for a total credit of $140. So five minutes of pretending to be really pissed equals Center Ice for $20. YEAH!

LTL said...

Damn... I forked over the $140 or whatever it is for CI since I'm on TW.

Glad to see some CBJ faithful out their saving a few bones though!!

I'm like most of ya out there.. If the Jackets lift their blackouts on games FSN doesn't televise I've never had a problem getting the games on the other team's feeds..

As always..thx for the comments everyone!

-LL

Chimera25 said...

Yep, easiest $164 credit I ever got on my account. Now if DirecTV doesn't have Versus by April, I will have to say Adios as Versus will carry most or it not all the playoff games.

Free Center Ice, No Versus but they don't show the CBJ until playoffs anyways and by then I'll switch if they don't reach an agreement.

With DirecTV just handing out these credits, it makes me wonder if an agreement is ever going to happen.

Can't wait until Saturday.

Carry the Flag!!!

Anonymous said...

I have a question about Center Ice that the FAQ page didn't completely answer...can I go back and watch all the Jackets games the day after at some point? I work over half of the game nights this season and can't watch most of them live. I wasn't sure if I could watch all the games or some of them afterward and just wanted to be 100% sure I can actually see all the games before I shelled out a bunch of money for it (I'm a college student with no TV living in NY, so I won't get much of a discount from DirecTV).

Sorry to bug you all, and GO JACKETS!

LTL said...

Hello Savaluce.

I don't think they do any replays so I would just suggest DVRing them. They clearly label each game and which channel they will be on so you shouldn't have a problem recording which game you want.

Hope that helps.

-LTL

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the help LTL. Even if I can't get all the Jackets games, I'll be able to keep up with what's going on in the rest of the NHL. I have the Rangers game on a friend's TV and the Philly game on the computer...epic!

Thanks again and GO JACKETS!