I ditched my pricey Sky TV contract to watch the | Tech News

Just like hundreds of thousands of people throughout the nation, I might be excitedly tuning in to the first match of the Premier League season on Friday night as defending champions Liverpool host Bournemouth at Anfield at 8pm. But the different factor I might have in common with these fellow followers is a fear about how costly it’s getting to watch England’s prime soccer league of late.

At the time of writing, it prices £35 per thirty days to signal up as a new buyer to a Sky TV package deal that features Sky Sports. The Sky TV package deal requires you to signal up for Sky’s Essential TV channels, Netflix and 9 Sky Sports channels by way of an internet-connected Sky Stream box, additionally requiring you to commit to a 24-month contract – during which you’ll count on costs to rise.

Sky Sports is an add-on that’s at the moment on offer for £20 per thirty days, totalling £35 when added to the fundamental £15 package deal. The add-on is normally £33 per thirty days, so if you happen to had been to signal up when there’s no sale, it’ll value you £48 per thirty days for 2 years simply to get in on the Premier League motion.

I used to be a Sky TV and broadband buyer and had to pay for the add-on if I wished Sky Sports, which is at the moment an extra £27 in order for you a less-committal 31-day rolling subscription you’ll be able to cancel at any time (normally £33). It’s these form of subscriptions we’ve develop into used to, paying month to month for streaming companies and reducing out these we don’t need when issues are wanting too pricey.

But Sky likes to lock you into a long, costly TV contract, which is why I determined to cancel mine and watch the Premier League in a cheaper, more versatile means.

I now watch the Premier League by way of my NOW TV Sports Month Membership subscription – the irony being that NOW is definitely owned by Sky.

But I a lot favor what NOW provides as I am signed up to get entry to all 12 Sky Sports channels (three more than I used to get) however I solely pay £20 per thirty days on the Flexible Month Membership scheme, which suggests you aren’t in a contract. I acquired this price when there was an offer on – if you happen to signal up at this time it’ll value you £34.99.

Alternatively, you at the moment get the 12-Month Saver Membership for entry to all 12 Sky Sports channels for £28 per thirty days, the financial savings potential as you’re committing to 12 months.

There’s even a £14.99 day go, however I’d keep away from this because it’s horrible worth. If you cut up it between a group of pals while you’re settling in for 3 matches in a row on Super Sunday, perhaps I’ll let it slide.

Of course, it is not simply the Premier League you are paying to watch right here. I’ve additionally used this subscription to watch all 4 golf majors in addition to Formula 1, tennis, NFL and more moreover.

I may also allow you to in on a little secret that made my subscription cheaper than marketed. I had taken benefit of one of NOW’s discounted six month offer sport offer (NOW’s rolling month-to-month provides have a tendency to solely final for this long) and it was coming to an finish. As I had been paying £17.99 per thirty days I didn’t need to pay the common £34.99, I went to my NOW account and clicked to cancel my membership.

As these online systems typically do, it offered me with the equal of an “are you sure?” query, to which I clicked yes a couple of times again. What I discovered at the finish of this digital a number of selection was fairly pleasing: an offer to keep on as a subscriber for an additional six months at the discounted fee of £20 per thirty days.

This received’t essentially help you bag a cheaper price at this time as a new buyer, however in case you are already signed up to NOW and wish to pay a little much less, you possibly can strive cancelling your membership this fashion and see if the system provides you a low cost to keep on.

I’ll be tuning in to the Liverpool v Bournemouth match and the relaxation of the Premier League season by way of NOW TV, and don’t think about I’ll ever signal up to a prolonged and costly Sky TV package deal ever again – even when it’s Sky I am in the end nonetheless paying for my NOW subscription.