DIRECTV Genre Packs are the perfect way to ditch cable
DIRECTV Genre Packs are the perfect way to ditch cable
Has your cable distributor left you hanging one time too many? Leave them behind, and try a DIRECTV Genre Pack.
In fairness to cable companies, they have tried to keep up with evolutions in how customers access video. Providers like Spectrum have made numerous deals with top streamers that allow customers to sign up for those services at no extra cost, as part of their channel package — which still contains dozens, perhaps hundreds of linear networks.
The problem with this strategy is that, unfortunately, cable’s base package price has continued to increase far beyond what most people are willing to pay. Spectrum TV plans that include free streaming services can cost $100 per month or more, and for an increasing number of families, there’s just no way to justify that kind of expenditure on video entertainment each month. Fortunately, DIRECTV has the perfect product for consumers who are looking to ditch their old, overstuffed cable plans for something more streamlined to their specifications: Genre Packs.
DIRECTV’s Genre Packs allow customers to pick plans specifically tailored to certain categories of channels. The company currently has five Genre Packs to choose from, as well as three mini add-on packs that customers can purchase with a corresponding base package. The five plans are the MyEntertainment, MySports, MyKids, MyNews, and MiEspañol packages.
What are DIRECTV’s Genre Packs?
| Package name | Price per month | Channel count | Streamers included |
|---|---|---|---|
| MyEntertainment | $35 | 60+ | Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max |
| MySports | $70 | 20+ | ESPN Unlimited |
| MyNews | $40 | 10+ | N/A |
| MyKids | $20 | 10+ | Disney+ |
| MiEspañol | $35 | 60+ | ViX Premium |
None of the DIRECTV Genre Packs has a starting price of more than $70 per month, and only one costs more than $50 per month. Each package is specially curated for fans of the specific genre highlighted, including essential channels from that genre while excluding networks that don’t fit the theme, and would only jack up the price.
What makes it even better is that the lower cost of Genre Packs doesn’t mean that they’re missing must-have channels. The MySports pack includes local broadcast channels like ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC, as well as cable networks like ESPN and FS1, for example. For a more comprehensive list of channels in DIRECTV Genre Packs, click here.
In addition, nearly every DIRECTV Genre Pack has an on-demand streaming subscription attached at no extra cost. The MyEntertainment package comes with three such services, giving viewers a good amount of extra value with their plan. The MySports package includes ESPN Unlimited — a $30 value on its own — at no extra charge, giving viewers the ability to access top sports events on ESPN platforms exactly the way they want to.
For current cable subscribers, all of this adds up to a pretty compelling reason to cut the cord. DIRECTV Genre Packs even allow you to choose how you want to stream them: you can either sign up to receive a Gemini device from DIRECTV to watch your channel package with, or download the DIRECTV app on your own streaming player and watch that way. If you choose the latter method, you get a five-day free trial as a new Genre Pack customer as well.
If an outsized cable package has you singing the blues every time you get your monthly bill, it’s definitely time to consider the switch to a DIRECTV Genre Pack. These plans allow viewers to pay only for the channels they want, skip the channels they won’t watch, and (with most plans) watch on-demand streaming services at no extra monthly cost.
DIRECTV
DIRECTV is one of The Streamable’s top choices for the best live TV streaming service overall in 2026, especially for users who want the most channels or want to watch the most live sports. With an unbeatable lineup of local, news, sports, and entertainment channels, three main signature packages, an unlimited DVR, and 20 simultaneous streams at home, DIRECTV remains a premier choice for any cord-cutter.