25 votes

Sling TV’s $5 pass buys you one day of cable TV

14 comments

  1. [10]
    hamstergeddon
    Link
    My kneejerk reaction was that this was stupid. But then I realized that even my household would have some use for this. Sporting events, sure, but last year we had a heck of time figuring out how...

    My kneejerk reaction was that this was stupid. But then I realized that even my household would have some use for this. Sporting events, sure, but last year we had a heck of time figuring out how to watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade (a familial tradition). Wasted a bunch of time figuring out which streaming service had the right coverage we wanted. But this would've solved it immediately $5 and our choice of coverage.

    29 votes
    1. [5]
      CptBluebear
      Link Parent
      My kneejerk reaction is that it will not stay $5. Use it before you lose it!

      My kneejerk reaction is that it will not stay $5.

      Use it before you lose it!

      12 votes
      1. [2]
        hamstergeddon
        Link Parent
        Ugh yeah that's true, for sure. It'll keep creeping up a buck or two at a time until you're paying a month's price for a day's worth of access.

        Ugh yeah that's true, for sure. It'll keep creeping up a buck or two at a time until you're paying a month's price for a day's worth of access.

        2 votes
        1. json
          Link Parent
          10 days in and you've spent more than had you paid for the whole month? 30 days @ $5/day is $150. I think if per diem plans become common, it'll allow for the monthly plan prices to rise before...

          Now, you can pay $4.99 for a “day pass,” offering 24 hours of live and on-demand access to several channels, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, TNT, A&E, Disney Channel, CNN, and others.

          Sling TV also offers a weekend pass from Friday through Sunday for $9.99, along with a seven-day pass for $14.99. These passes include the “popular networks” within Sling TV’s $45.99 per month

          10 days in and you've spent more than had you paid for the whole month?

          30 days @ $5/day is $150.

          I think if per diem plans become common, it'll allow for the monthly plan prices to rise before the eventual day rate price increase.

          1 vote
      2. [2]
        slade
        Link Parent
        You might be right, but if this is something you have to purchase a la carte, then it seems to me like they'll be more beholden to remaining price competitive. But I say that as someone unfamiliar...

        You might be right, but if this is something you have to purchase a la carte, then it seems to me like they'll be more beholden to remaining price competitive.

        But I say that as someone unfamiliar with Sling. Do they have a lot of exclusive titles?

        2 votes
        1. DefinitelyNotAFae
          Link Parent
          They're basically selling cable packages via the internet

          They're basically selling cable packages via the internet

          4 votes
    2. [3]
      Carrow
      Link Parent
      I've got an antenna that pretty much only sees use for the thanksgiving day parade. It was $10, doesn't always get the best signal, but I can just plug it in and flip between the local channels....

      I've got an antenna that pretty much only sees use for the thanksgiving day parade. It was $10, doesn't always get the best signal, but I can just plug it in and flip between the local channels. It's "old school" FAST lol.

      7 votes
      1. Luna
        Link Parent
        This depends on the speed of your TV's ATSC decoder.

        It's "old school" FAST lol.

        This depends on the speed of your TV's ATSC decoder.

        2 votes
      2. cloud_loud
        Link Parent
        I also used an antenna primarily just to watch the award shows that still happened on Network TV

        I also used an antenna primarily just to watch the award shows that still happened on Network TV

        2 votes
    3. Parliament
      Link Parent
      My cynical reaction is that I'm so deeply entrenched in grey-area streaming options and tired of all the exploitative legal piecemeal solutions that I'm not going to be swayed by a $5 deal for...

      My cynical reaction is that I'm so deeply entrenched in grey-area streaming options and tired of all the exploitative legal piecemeal solutions that I'm not going to be swayed by a $5 deal for anything. It's all a rug pull eventually.

      7 votes
  2. [2]
    hobblyhoy
    Link
    Here's my prediction- This creeps up in cost until it's only a few dollars less than the monthly subscription at which point no one really uses it, it's just a decoy feature to make the monthly...

    Here's my prediction- This creeps up in cost until it's only a few dollars less than the monthly subscription at which point no one really uses it, it's just a decoy feature to make the monthly subscription seem "cheap".

    6 votes
    1. DefinitelyNotAFae
      Link Parent
      They also offer weekend and weeklong short term subscriptions. I don't think this creeps up to 40-60 dollars a day, that doesn't really make sense. I think it's intended to catch the people mostly...

      They also offer weekend and weeklong short term subscriptions.

      I don't think this creeps up to 40-60 dollars a day, that doesn't really make sense.

      I think it's intended to catch the people mostly uninterested in cable , who however don't want to subscribe and drop multiple streaming services to catch major TV events and want an easy TV option. These are people not likely to subscribe and thus basically just bonus money for Sling with a small chance of catching a few folks with "huh I do miss just scrolling channels and watching live TV maybe I will buy Sling Blue".

      8 votes
  3. moocow1452
    Link
    I honestly wish more streaming services had day passes. There's something nice about being able to price fix a day of television at $5, don't have to worry about auto renewals or planning around...

    I honestly wish more streaming services had day passes. There's something nice about being able to price fix a day of television at $5, don't have to worry about auto renewals or planning around if you really have to renew this month. Just $5, you have TV, you watch your stuff and tomorrow you don't. Is this economical? Doubt it, but it helps me make decisions.

    3 votes