It's no secret that cord cutting has become increasingly popular in recent years. The success of services like Sling TV, DirecTV Now, PlayStation Vue, and even on-demand platforms like Netflix is evidence of that.
However, the cable-free live TV market is not without its own issues. While many customers appreciate the month-to-month, contract-free nature of services like Sling TV, others still feel they're paying for an awful lot of channels that they don't care for.
That said, the value proposition these platforms offer has always been a dominant driving force behind their popularity. Indeed, Sling TV's Sling Orange package, which includes channels like ESPN, Disney, and AMC, has been priced at a mere $20/month since its inception in 2015.
Unfortunately for fans of the service, that's finally changing today. Sling Orange is receiving a small, but noticeable $5 price increase. The price change will go into effect immediately, and existing customers will not be grandfathered in at the old $20 price point.
Sling has its reasons for this price increase, of course. Sling TV president Warren Schlichting explained the increase in a blog post today:
Our team works hard to negotiate fair programming deals, with the goal of keeping your price as low as possible. Programming fees, however, only go one direction, and that's up!
Starting today, new Sling Orange customers can sign up for a 7-day free trial and then enjoy over 30 channels, including ESPN, for $25 per month. Existing Sling Orange customers will see the new monthly price of $25 reflected in their August bill.
It's worth noting that this price increase only affects those who subscribe solely to Sling Orange. If you've signed up for the hybrid Sling Orange/Sling Blue package at $40 per month, your monthly payment won't be changing. Sling's "4 Extras Deal" and their à la carte channels will also not be seeing any price increases.