IceNetwork upset customers! My chat with IN

This is for anyone who is also mad about IceNetwork charging for TCC.

I used Facebook to message IN and ask about this.
Here is the chat transcript. It seems like deceptive advertising but IN does not seem to think so.



Chat Conversation Start

Me
Why is IN charging subscribers an extra $9.99 for TCC?

IN
Because the event is not included in the Season Pass subscription.

Me
It was and is on the list that was advertised as being included in the regular subscription.

IN
It is on the season schedule. It was not advertised as being part of the Season Pass.

Me
When you click on subscribe (last fall the huge add for TCC was not showing) then under the figure skating season pass it lists some events and has a link to a complete list of events that is under the heading "includes". Nothing is mentioned about TCC not being included in the season pass.

IN
The verbiage on the event page specifies that video will be provided on a subscription basis, not to Season Pass subscribers.

Me
So, when IN advertises a list under the heading "included" you have to click on each and every event in the list to get to the actual event page to read the verbiage because each event may not be included even though it was in a list that was under the heading "included" in the season pass?

IN
This event was added to the season schedule after the initial list of subscription events was announced. It requires an additional purchase to watch it.

Me
Whenever it was added it appears to be under an "included" list if you purchase a season pass at this time. You would still need to click on each competition to get to the event page to see if there is an extra charge. Is this not true? It should clearly state next to any event on the "included " list that it is not included in the season pass.
So, for next season is IN going to basically hide what is truly included in the season pass unless you open each and every event page? Why does In do it this way? It could be considered deceptive advertising.

IN
The event was never advertised as being part of the season-long subscription product. To answer your second question, no decision has been made at this time about next season's Season Pass.


Me - Here is a cut and paste from the IN site:


2015-16 Figure Skating Season Pass

On Sale
Now $49.99
Buy Gift
Subscription
Includes:

2016 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships
2015 Grand Prix Series
2016 World Championships
2016 Four Continents Championships
2016 European Championships
2016 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships

For a complete list of events, click here.
_____________________________________________

Me again, slightly pissed.

I disagree. If you look at what I just cut from the IN site, it only shows 6 events by name that are included and tells you to click here for a complete list of events. One assumes that we are told to go see the complete list of events that will also be included. This is deceptive. Nowhere does it say that the link we are told to go to which is listed under the season pass area includes events that are not included and you can't find this out unless you open each and every event page.
My request is that you make it very obvious to a future subscriber exactly what is included and not hide it in this manner. This is not nice customer service and makes it seem as if IN is trying to hide things to get people to sign up anyway. Please correct this practice.
Chat Conversation End

I'd be curious to know if people are signing up and paying the extra $9.99 for TCC. I want to see it, but it just seems wrong for them to charge for it after they made it appear that it would be included under the Season Pass. Is there any other way for us in the U.S. to see it live?

Here's a possibility but it's seems not set in stone.

http://soyouwanttowatchfigureskatin...417294/2016-team-challenge-cup-info-streaming

TwinnerA said:

I'd be curious to know if people are signing up and paying the extra $9.99 for TCC. I want to see it, but it just seems wrong for them to charge for it after they made it appear that it would be included under the Season Pass. Is there any other way for us in the U.S. to see it live?

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I hear you. I want to see it live, but seriously have an issue with giving them more $. Also I have an issue with the prospect of renewing my season pass for next season because who is to say they won't pull something like this again with something else not being included and you have to pay extra. Can't decide what to do.

TwinnerA said:

I'd be curious to know if people are signing up and paying the extra $9.99 for TCC. I want to see it, but it just seems wrong for them to charge for it after they made it appear that it would be included under the Season Pass. Is there any other way for us in the U.S. to see it live?

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I just made the $9.99 purchase today. Certainly not happy about it. I'm sure there will be other ways to see it live in US, using streaming website outside US.

I can see myself freaking out trying to watch it live on some web site outside the U.S. because they never seem to work for me or you have to register or whatever.

Now I am wondering if I pay the ransom that Ice Network is demanding at the very last minute, will I be able to see it on IN right away or will there be some delay?

TwinnerA said:

I can see myself freaking out trying to watch it live on some web site outside the U.S. because they never seem to work for me or you have to register or whatever.

Now I am wondering if I pay the ransom that Ice Network is demanding at the very last minute, will I be able to see it on IN right away or will there be some delay?

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There should not be a delay because they will likely run the credit card payment as soon as you submit it.

I was wondering the same about a delay. I haven't bought it yet. I honestly thought I would get a better answer from IN or at least an admittance they they were misleading in this and would offer it to season pass holders.
I will probably try to see if any streams work or if not then hope that folks post videos here.

Bad knees (or anyone else): Is there any other event on the "list" that WASN'T included as the season progressed? Or just THIS one?

One of the many reasons I haven't bought the pass yet (apart from my moral objection) is that we are a day out from this comp and THERE IS NO BLOODY SCHEDULE so I don't even know if the times will be suitable for me to watch!

Or is this something extra we have to pay for too? :sarcasm:

Moxiejan said:

Bad knees (or anyone else): Is there any other event on the "list" that WASN'T included as the season progressed? Or just THIS one?

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I believe this is the only event. I'm pretty sure, However, I did not watch absolutely every event so it appears that you would have to go click on each event to see if there was a charge.

karne said:

One of the many reasons I haven't bought the pass yet (apart from my moral objection) is that we are a day out from this comp and THERE IS NO BLOODY SCHEDULE so I don't even know if the times will be suitable for me to watch!

Or is this something extra we have to pay for too? :sarcasm:

Click to expand...

Well, there is a basic schedule here, but do you mean skating order with times?

http://www.teamchallengecup.com/eventschedule

This is an ISU sanctioned event with USFS and Spokane hosting. The ISU has not posted a color-coded Practice and Event Schedule as of yet. Not sure if they will. First day of practice is Thursday so check the ISU event Calendar (use the 'more events' link). They may post it tomorrow or check the 2016 KOSE Team Challenge Cup official website (linked from the ISU site) and see if the draw and competition starting orders are posted later tomorrow.

I am a full season figure skating subscriber who is also not happy with the deceptive way Ice Network advertised this event. But even with my unhappiness with their handling of same, I decided that my desire to watch this new and last skating event of the 2015-16 season far overrides my anger. I have expressed my anger with them directly, but ultimately U.S. Figure Skating was part and parcel of the extra charge. They are the organization that needs to feel our heat.

TwinnerA said:

I'd be curious to know if people are signing up and paying the extra $9.99 for TCC. ?

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I'm not paying, as a matter of principle.

That they are charging extra is outrageous, and the amount they're charging doubly so.

People who pay - no matter how unwillingly - are effectively condoning IN's behaviour, and encouraging them to do it again in future. I refuse to do either.

YesWay said:

I'm not paying, as a matter of principle.

That they are charging extra is outrageous, and the amount they're charging doubly so.

People who pay - no matter how unwillingly - are effectively condoning IN's behaviour, and encouraging them to do it again in future. I refuse to do either.

Click to expand...

The payers of the extra charge shouldn't be blamed together because some of them wouldn't have enough time to read the whole subscription policy or not want to bother themselves to calculate relatively small expenses for their pastime.

My want to see the competition live outweighs my anger at IN, so I will be paying.

YesWay said:

I'm not paying, as a matter of principle.

That they are charging extra is outrageous, and the amount they're charging doubly so.

People who pay - no matter how unwillingly - are effectively condoning IN's behaviour, and encouraging them to do it again in future. I refuse to do either.

Click to expand...

I have to agree. I don't want to tell anyone what to do or judge people if they decide to pay the extra amount, but I really hope the big majority of IN subscribers won't do it. It doesn't matter to IN how much complaints they'll get or how begrudgingly people might pay, at the end the only thing that counts is $$$ in the bank or not. And I hope they won't make any by treating their costumers badly. Doubly so because yes, it will only encourage them to pull the same thing in the future.

Of course, I can say that easily, because when the interesting stuff happens, I'll be fast asleep. And until I get up, I think we'll have videos. Who says getting up early is beneficial?

Some interesting information courtesy of FSU posters Sylvia and Momnatur:

1. At the time our subscriptions renewed last August, Ice Network had not acquired the rights to stream TCC.
2. The Team Challenge Cup was only added to the list of subscription competitions in mid-April of this year, at about the time the extra charge was announced
3. We are being charged an extra fee because when the renewal price was calculated, the cost of TCC was not taken into account.

The full posts can be found on FSU in the TV Alerts forum, in the thread Team Challenge Cup: Icenetwork (not sure if linking to FSU is permitted).

If this is true, I can understand the extra charge (though I think it's too high) and have less of an issue with it. That said, I think that by not explaining this and simply pig-heatedly insisting that it wasn't included, they have handled this really, really poorly. Given the small market for their services, they are really shooting themselves in the foot by alienating existing subscribers. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

Li'Kitsu said:

I have to agree. I don't want to tell anyone what to do or judge people if they decide to pay the extra amount, but I really hope the big majority of IN subscribers won't do it.

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I bet most IN subscribers will end up paying for TCC. The most vocal fans who are criticizing the extra charge will surely be signing up for TCC sooner or later, because they care and that's why they are complaining.

Unfortunately, IN is accustomed to fans complaining about their service, and if many subscribers are paying the extra fee, all this means nothing really.

Tavi... said:

Some interesting information courtesy of FSU posters Sylvia and Momnatur:
If this is true, I can understand the extra charge (though I think it's too high) and have less of an issue with it. That said, I think that by not explaining this and simply pig-heatedly insisting that it wasn't included, they have handled this really, really poorly. Given the small market for their services, they are really shooting themselves in the foot by alienating existing subscribers. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

Click to expand...

Absolutely, they've dug in their heels instead of admitting that they were less than forthcoming about these details. If they had approached this differently and respected their customer base, people would be less upset.

I'm glad I'm not an IN subscriber b/c if they did that to me, I would not renew. I do want to see TCC, but I'll wait for Youtube, onsite reports, or the CBS broadcast on Sunday.