Why October is Filled with Ticking Time Bombs for Streaming Fans
Why October is Filled with Ticking Time Bombs for Streaming Fans
September is a streaming fan’s paradise. Live TV providers throw out deep discounts to reel in subscribers before the all-important football season. But October is lurking two weeks away, and it’s packed with landmines for your wallet. We’ll explain what’s coming and how best to avoid the damage.
Live TV Price Hikes: DIRECTV STREAM, Hulu Live TV, ESPN+
As September kicked off, Disney went to war with DIRECTV STREAM, pulling all its channels like ABC and ESPN off the service. Although the fight has been resolved, the bill comes due in October.
DIRECTV STREAM is raising the prices of all its channel packages on Oct. 6.
| Package Name | Current Monthly Price | New Price | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENTERTAINMENT | $79.99 | $86.99 | +$7 |
| CHOICE | $108.99 | $114.99 | +$6 |
| ULTIMATE | $119.99 | $129.99 | +$10 |
| PREMIER | $164.99 | $169.99 | +$5 |
If you use Hulu Live TV as your preferred TV provider, you’re also going to run into a price hike on Oct. 17. Even ESPN+ is going up by $1.
| Streamer, Bundle | Current Price per Month | New Price per Month |
|---|---|---|
| Hulu + Live TV (with ads on Disney+ and Hulu) | $76.99 | $82.99 |
| Hulu + Live TV (without ads on Disney+ and Hulu) | $89.99 | $95.99 |
| ESPN+ | $10.99 | $11.99 |
How to Duck the Price Hike
Unfortunately, there aren’t many ways to avoid these price increases if you need live TV. We’d recommend taking a long, hard look at Sling TV. The price is significantly lower than DIRECTV STREAM or Hulu Live TV, although you may lose out on some channels. Be sure to put your most-needed channels into our Service Matchmaker to see if Sling makes sense for your needs.
On-Demand Price Hikes: Disney+ and Hulu
Disney isn’t just raising its price on its live TV platform — its on-demand platforms and bundles will also be more expensive on Oct. 17.
| Streamer, Bundle | Current Price per Month | New Price per Month |
|---|---|---|
| Disney+ Basic (with ads) | $7.99 | $9.99 |
| Disney+ Premium (without ads) | $13.99 | $15.99 |
| Hulu With Ads | $7.99 | $9.99 |
| Hulu With No Ads | $17.99 | $18.99 |
| Disney Bundle Duo Basic (Disney+ and Hulu with ads) | $9.99 | $10.99 |
| Disney Bundle Trio Basic (Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ with ads) | $14.99 | $16.99 |
| Disney Bundle Trio Premium (Disney+ and Hulu without ads, ESPN+ with ads) | $24.99 | $26.99 |
How to Duck the Price Hike
One option is to lock in a lower price with an annual plan before Oct. 17. Sign up before that date and you can do a full year of ad-free Disney+ for $139.99. That works out to less than $12/month.
If you can, we actually recommend letting your subscriptions lapse for Hulu and Disney+. If you can wait until Black Friday, that’s when prices for those services reach their lowest point of the year. To keep you entertained until you can restart your subscription, enjoy 30 free days of Prime Video, consider a low-cost alternative like Apple TV+ or Paramount Plus, or check out many great free streaming services.
Service Shutdown: Boomerang
If you love the cartoons available on Boomerang, you’re about to lose access. The service shuts down on the last day of September.
While much of the library will migrate to Max in October, that service has been an unreliable streaming partner. Max frequently trims its library without warning.
How to Keep Watching Classic Cartoons
If you want old school cartoons, the Boomerang channel will continue operation. You can watch it on DIRECTV STREAM, Hulu Live TV, and Sling TV.
Another option is to watch MeTV Toons. The channel is available on Philo.
Another option is to pick up an inexpensive digital antenna. Every cord-cutter should have one as a backup in case of internet outage or a carriage fight between a channel owner and a streaming service.
MeTV Toons is available via antenna in most markets. Consult our TV antenna buying guide or choose one of these recommended options.
Channel Master Flatenna Ultra-Thin Indoor TV Antenna
Up to 35 Mile Range
Winegard FlatWave Amped Digital HD Indoor Amplified TV Antenna
Up to 60 Mile Range
NBA and NHL Seasons Bring Regional Sports Network Chaos
Many sports fans may be on the hunt for the new broadcast home of their favorite NBA or NHL team.
While some teams are remaining with Bally Sports linear channels and/or Bally Sports+, several teams are breaking free to make their games available with an antenna or on a handful of live streamers.
NBA Changes
- Portland Trail Blazers leave ROOT Sports, destination TBA
- Chicago Bulls leave NBC Sports Chicago, move to Chicago Sports Network
- Dallas Mavericks leave Bally Sports, move to TEGNA stations over-the-air
- New Orleans Pelicans leave Bally Sports move to Gray Television stations over-the-air
NHL Changes
- Dallas Stars leave Bally Sports, move to Victory+
- Anaheim Ducks leave Bally Sports, move to KCOP-TV and Victory+
- Arizona Coyotes become Utah Hockey Club, games to air on Utah 16 (KUPX-TV Channel 16) and a yet-to-be-announced streamer
How to Keep Watching Your Local Teams
The Streamable will verify all local viewing options for your team, so simply use our search box above and find your favorite team. In most cases DIRECTV STREAM or Fubo are your best bets for regional sports.
Another smart option is to grab an antenna. See our recommendations above to watch these teams over-the-air.