It's a catch 22 with those guys, just like telephone, electricity & other monopolies. But here are some options:

1) Pay them the money and sign another year of your life away.

2) Throw it in the garbage with your pride and go back to cable.

3) Tell Direct you're going to go back to cable and maybe they'll let it slip this one time, just to keep you as a satidfied customer. (not likely)

4) Look for a new reciever on E-Bay.

5) There is no # 5.

6) Call the BBB to complain about their deceptive business practices. They need to laugh more down there.

7) Watch the game at your buddy's house.

8) Read a book.

Lots of people have receivers laying around. Ask for a new one on Tradio. They are useless to people without the service. Some people will have it for the initial deal, then let it get turned off, then they get cable and have a useless receiver.