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**MSE Natasha** · 05-04-2009, 11:54 AM

1 June 2009

What's this about?

If you're subscribed to sports channel packages (eg. Sky Sports, Setanta Sports, MUTV) via your digital TV provider (eg Virgin Media, Sky, BT Vision or Setanta) just to watch the football, you can save £££s by cancelling the channels/downgrading to a smaller package over the summer.

How to do it?

This is actually a great opportunity to haggle for a better deal too. Call up your provider and tell it you want to cancel these channels; it's likely to try and talk you out of it. From here, you've a ready-made chance to bag yourself some free channels, or a handy discount. Just DON'T mention you're going to re-subscribe at the end of August and are only doing it for the summer... Read the full How to Haggle guide.

Virgin Media, Sky and BT have all confirmed, regardless of being in contract or not, you're able to drop channels or your package if and when you please (full details are below).

You will miss The Ashes and British Lions tour

Of course, other sports like cricket, rugby, golf and a few national football games will still be shown on these premium channels, yet if you're not interested in those there's no point paying for them. If you're wavering, sit down and consider if you really watch enough of them to justify the cost (use The Demotivator to calculate the real cost).

How much can you save?

This depends on your digital TV provider and the package you have.

For example:

Virgin Media. Someone on the XL TV package (which includes Setanta sports) paying for MUTV and the Sky Sports collection package on top could be forking out £53.50 per month. Yet downgrading to the basic Medium TV tariff and cancelling the separate sports channels would save £42.50 per month. The new price will be effective immediately.

Sky. You can 'spin down' to it's basic package which excludes Sky Sports and Sky Movies for between £16.50 and £21.50 per month depending on how many entertainment channels you want (or between £25.50 and £37.50 if you really want the movie channels).

BT Vision. BT customers get Setanta Sports 1 free with its cheapest £13.70 per month bronze value tariff, and you can choose its separate 'sports package' as one of two free packages included in the cost (BT doesn't offer Sky Sports).

Those with its silver or gold value tariffs can knock between £2 and £4 off monthly bills by requesting to opt out of the sports package, although this will only be effective from the following bill date.

Got Setanta Sports via a freeview/digital TV or Sky?

MoneySavers have reported calling up Setanta directly to cancel their service and being offered half price viewing for three months, £9.99 per month for a year or both offers to cover a 15-month period, in exchange for staying put.

Setanta hasn't confirmed if these offers are across the board for all customers, but it's worth giving it a shot. Though remember if you do wish to cancel completely you have to give written notice, which will only take effect 30 days after your next billing date.

For full hints, tips and tricks to get more for your money, read the Digital TV Cost Cutting guide.

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Megalomaniac · 03-06-2009, 9:07 AM

When I cancelled Sky Sports I inevitably had an offer on my account (why not ring me and tell me that then?). But I cancelled despite them telling me that the Champions League Final was on in mid-week (told them I was going to Rome for it). Sky Sports was cancelled overnight and there was no mention of needing to give 30 days notice to cancel as Natasha states above.

I'll probably resubscribe in August (depending which matches they plan to show) but the 20% off my TV package for 6 months offer still didn't entice me to keep the sports package.

taytay · 03-06-2009, 10:30 AM

i think its 30 days to cancel your entire subscription, i dont think it applies if you just alter your package

zierisaver · 03-06-2009, 10:59 AM

It's always worth canceling over the summer, or at least threatening to. They come back with better offers each time, the only frustrating thing is that, for all their faults, Sky's football coverage is second to none......

Mattyb · 03-06-2009, 11:44 AM

Just called Setanta saying I wanted to cancel as the football season is over. To convince me to stay they offered me a 12 month contract on a reduced monthly fee of £8.50 (£102 for 12 months) or the next 3 months reduced to £3.33/mth then back up to the usual £10.99 (which works out at £108.9 for 12 mths).

I went for the second option so I'm not tied into a contract, but well worth giving them a call!!!

lizisbest · 03-06-2009, 11:44 AM

I called to cancel sky sports yesterday and had the price cut from £19 extra a month to £3 extra a month. Its only for 2 months but i can always 're-cancel' it then. Keeps the OH quiet in the meantime!

jongee · 03-06-2009, 11:53 AM

I too phoned sky to cancel my skysports and they offered me the option to keep it going fot the next two months at £4 a month.

cabunny · 03-06-2009, 12:03 PM

I just wondered, If setanta did not offer a deal when phone to cancel, would a reconnection fee apply when football season starts again? perhaps i am being over cautious and should just phone and see what happens!

jonnyraythrash · 03-06-2009, 12:07 PM

Sky tried to flick me off by saying they'd switch to movies....but when I refused asked me if I was likely to resubscribe when the football season started again. I said yes - and the chap came up with 2 offers:
1. 20% of your bill for 6 mths (saving of £9.20 for me)
2. £30 credit for the next 2 months

I chose option one as I can always cancel again at Xmas. I guess these are the standard two deals but still pretty good.

1984ReturnsForReal · 03-06-2009, 12:10 PM

They will offer because its not football season......

Mattyb · 03-06-2009, 12:12 PM

They did say a reconnection fee (around £15 i think) would apply if I cancelled and then re-connected in 3 months. However, to formally cancel you have to send a letter in writing so by calling to say you want to cancel you aren't actually commiting yourself to cancel if you see what I mean!

I'd definately give them a call, they were really good about it on the phone as they obviously don't want to lose your direct debit!

wooly2009 · 03-06-2009, 12:13 PM

I've been trying for ages to get my husband to ring Sky to get a better deal but in the end got my son to ring - they won't talk to me of course coz it's in his name. We currently pay around £55.00 per month for the full Sky package. One phone call later and we now pay £27 per month and that includes broadband and phone line!!! How good is that saving nearly £600 a year but how much have we lost by not doing it earlier??

cabunny · 03-06-2009, 1:21 PM

result, thank you for the advice! I have saved almost £50 over summer now.

I called Setanta to cancel, they asked me if i would be reconnecting once football began again and i said probably. They pointed out I would have to pay a reconnection fee (£14 odd i think) anyway so offered 3 months half price at £6.50 - Saving £19.47

Then I phoned Sky to cancel the sports package. At first they said i could not change my package until the end of June as I had added the music package (for £1) just a couple of days ago. grrrrr. but then she said hang on a message is appearing onscreen, and offered me the sports package at only £3 for the next 2 months. Saving of £30

this is one very pleased bunny!! thanks!!

george · 03-06-2009, 1:59 PM

not so much a money saving tip for this, but remember rumours are abound that Setanta might have to go Cap in hand to Sky and ask to be bolted on to Sky sports subscribers, as they dont have the funds beyond 2009 / 2010 football season. As said only a rumour but there does appear to be issues at Setanta

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...em/8079727.stm

jamiew4 · 03-06-2009, 2:38 PM

I just phoned up sky and also got the £15 reduction for the next two months, reducing sky sports payments to £3. It also only took 3 minutes to sort it out and very little haggling so well worth the phone call!

Bongedone · 03-06-2009, 2:57 PM

Just offered Setanta for £3.33 per month. Cancelling anyway as I am a Newcastle Supporter and they will not likely play many matches.

Setanta have a new web form you can use to cancel:

http://www.setanta.com/cancel

Here is the geographic number for the retentions department 0191 5013482

zipman23 · 03-06-2009, 3:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bongedone

Just offered Setanta for £3.33 per month. Cancelling anyway as I am a Newcastle Supporter and they will not likely play many matches.

Snap! Its getting cancelled til August. I'd only keep Sky over the summer for the Ashes but I wouldn't get to see much of it anyway due to work!

By the way, we didn't play many matches last season anyway. We turned up for a few but didn't actually play many

Bongedone · 03-06-2009, 3:36 PM

That is so true.

I cannot cancel Sky sports yet as I only got it turned back on for the last match. If they give me a deal I may keep it for the ashes.

PeteHi · 03-06-2009, 4:00 PM

I did the same thing a week ago and rang to cancel thinking they'd offer me a deal.

They didnt offer anything, so I'll be getting cut off in about 20 days time.

Do you think they are likely to call me back before my sky is cut-off?

Its £70 a month they are losing after all!

kirkie · 03-06-2009, 4:10 PM

I have just contacted Setanta and stated I wanted to cancel. They have offered me 12 months at £9.99 which will give me all the pre season friendlies and Premiership etc. Setanta are loosing most games the season after so that is when the time will come to cancel.

Sky have just offered me the full package what I normally pay £46.00 for £15 a month for 2 months and then they said to ring them back on the 2nd August to get another deal or it will go back up to £46 a month so was worth doing for me....