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Dodgers Fans Still Face Blackout, Time Warner Cable Not Helping

Many Dodgers Fans in Los Angeles still can't watch their favorite team on cable because the team's channel, co-owned by Time Warner Cable, continues to refuse to seriously negotiate with other pay TV providers in the region. Time Warner Cable raised rates on competing pay TV providers last year, and competitors like AT&T, DirecTV and other balked at the company's rumored $5 per subscriber asking price for the channel. As a result, negotiations remain at an impasse and customers aren't able to watch their favorite team.

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Indications are that despite stories claiming otherwise, Time Warner Cable doesn't appear to be in serious negotiations to strike new deals anytime soon. Meanwhile, Time Warner Cable informs customers there's only one sure way to get the games -- switch to Time Warner Cable:
quote:
“We want all Dodger fans to have access to SportsNet LA. Despite our repeated attempts, other providers are unwilling to engage in any discussions. If Dodger fans want to enjoy SportsNet LA this season, we encourage them to switch to a provider that carries the network."
Except as The Consumerist quite correctly notes, many pay TV subscribers in Los Angeles don't even live in Time Warner Cable territory, so switching to the cable operator may not be an option. Despite hints that they might get involved to help the estimated 70% of Dodgers fans that can't watch their favorite team, the FCC has so far stood on the sidelines of the dispute.
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Harddrive
Proud American and Infidel since 1968.
Premium Member
join:2000-09-20
Fort Worth, TX

Harddrive

Premium Member

OTA?

So the games aren't available over-the-air? If they are broadcast OTA, a simple $30 HD antenna will solve that for folks that are held hostage by TWC.
Kearnstd
Space Elf
Premium Member
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ

1 recommendation

Kearnstd

Premium Member

Re: OTA?

my guess is SportsNet has an exclusive right to broadcast it in that market.

But id hope a network has the games as it would be dumb for a team to exclusive their games to a single cable channel. Especially in a market like LA which is large and flat so an OTA signal should carry well compared to the Northeast.

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

Karl Bode

News Guy

Re: OTA?

Correct, and unless I'm mistaken, LA is the only market where this is the case.

PaulHikeS2
join:2003-03-06
Fitchburg, MA

PaulHikeS2

Member

Re: OTA?

said by Karl Bode:

Correct, and unless I'm mistaken, LA is the only market where this is the case.

In the Boston market, Red Sox games are only available on New England Sports Network (NESN). Been like that for at least a decade. No OTA at all, except for the weekly Fox game of the week.

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

Karl Bode

News Guy

Re: OTA?

Interesting, ok. How about Comcast's hometown of Philly?
Kearnstd
Space Elf
Premium Member
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ

Kearnstd

Premium Member

Re: OTA?

said by Karl Bode:

Interesting, ok. How about Comcast's hometown of Philly?

»philadelphia.phillies.ml ··· c_id=phi

Looks like the only odd random game on NBC10 most are on CSN.
BiggA
Premium Member
join:2005-11-23
Central CT
·Frontier FiberOp..
Asus RT-AC68

BiggA to PaulHikeS2

Premium Member

to PaulHikeS2
Yeah, I believe all markets are like this, most with their local version of FSN, but in every case except LA, most providers carry it. The notable exception is DISH, which got into a carriage dispute with Steinbrenner, who has since passed away, but the carriage dispute has outlived him, so they don't carry YES. But I believe DirecTV, FIOS, U-Verse, Comcast, TWC, Cox, Charter, CableVision, and RCN all carry it. Only Metrocast got into a carriage dispute and doesn't.

mikedz4
join:2003-04-14
Weirton, WV

mikedz4 to PaulHikeS2

Member

to PaulHikeS2
The Pittsburgh pirates and penguins are only on root sports Pittsburgh unless nationally televised

Anonymous_
Anonymous
Premium Member
join:2004-06-21
127.0.0.1

Anonymous_ to Karl Bode

Premium Member

to Karl Bode
every now and then FOX11 will have the game (or KCAL9 affiliate of CBS) (only "away games")

MLB season pass also has the dodger game (might have regional block out though)

FlbrGastd
@rr.com

FlbrGastd to Karl Bode

Anon

to Karl Bode
The Yankees channels is the same thing. When I had Verizon here in Ca. they carried the YES network, and we did not get one Yankee game, although we had it on our package
BiggA
Premium Member
join:2005-11-23
Central CT

BiggA

Premium Member

Re: OTA?

Because it was in LA and thus carried by SportNet LA?

Frank
Premium Member
join:2000-11-03
somewhere

Frank to Harddrive

Premium Member

to Harddrive
No,

I dont believe that this is about the 11 nationally broadcast games that go on fox, mlb, espn or fs1.

Its about the 100+ games that can only be viewed exclusively via sportsnet LA.

edit: then again im not sure how blackouts work so i forget which gets blacked out if both sportsnet la and fox are broadcasting the same game.

Anonymous_
Anonymous
Premium Member
join:2004-06-21
127.0.0.1

Anonymous_

Premium Member

Re: OTA?

said by Frank:

No,

I dont believe that this is about the 11 nationally broadcast games that go on fox, mlb, espn or fs1.

Its about the 100+ games that can only be viewed exclusively via sportsnet LA.

edit: then again im not sure how blackouts work so i forget which gets blacked out if both sportsnet la and fox are broadcasting the same game.

the biggest issue was the post season games
whome5
join:2014-09-16
usa

1 recommendation

whome5 to Harddrive

Member

to Harddrive
Sorry to say, games are not broadcast OTA. TWC bought the rights and now is only available on their channel SportsNet LA. If you are not in the blackout area the only option is MLB streaming.
Azlen
join:2010-05-03
Peoria, AZ

1 recommendation

Azlen to Harddrive

Member

to Harddrive
There is no option for OTA. It is exclusively on Time Warner. OTA options for local sports teams, other than the NFL, are becoming more and more extinct.
Kearnstd
Space Elf
Premium Member
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ

1 recommendation

Kearnstd

Premium Member

Re: OTA?

And of course streaming options in the US are loaded with blackouts so that people in domestic markets are stuck there as well unless they VPN.

of course some of the copyright crusaders here on DSLR claim even using a VPN is equal to using a pirate stream.
billhere
join:2011-10-21
Santa Monica, CA

billhere to Harddrive

Member

to Harddrive
I doubt that any of the 30 major league teams broadcast all of their games OTA.

Flyonthewall
@teksavvy.com

Flyonthewall

Anon

Find something else to do

You can only be held hostage if you let them. Just walk away.
Emptypockets
join:2013-04-15
Monaca, PA

1 recommendation

Emptypockets

Member

More of these disputes are coming

If Comcast merges with Time Warner there will be more of these types of disputes for local sports programming. Comcast will control 18 of the top 20 tv markets and local sport programming is what is preventing people like myself from cutting the cord.

Of course MLB could have written into the contract that their online streaming product would be unblocked for local viewers when these kinds of disputes go over 60 days or something like that.
Azlen
join:2010-05-03
Peoria, AZ

1 recommendation

Azlen

Member

Re: More of these disputes are coming

said by Emptypockets:

Of course MLB could have written into the contract that their online streaming product would be unblocked for local viewers when these kinds of disputes go over 60 days or something like that.

I wonder how many die hard Dodger fans that can't get Time Warner have purchased the MLB league pass and then use a VPN to make it look like they aren't in LA.
Chuck_IV
join:2003-11-18
Connecticut

1 recommendation

Chuck_IV

Member

Re: More of these disputes are coming

What other realistic choice to they have? It's not like with Directv or DISH having a dispute, where there is direct competition from cable. TWC is only available in a certain footprint. Telling people if you want to watch the Dodgers, switch to TWC, is being ignorant to the situation in that many people CAN'T switch even if they want to.

I'd think the owner(s) of the Dodgers themselves would put their foot down on this, since in and indirect way, this has got to be costing them viewers and possibly fans.
biochemistry
Premium Member
join:2003-05-09
92361

biochemistry to Emptypockets

Premium Member

to Emptypockets
So many people on dslreports approve of the merger and say there are no downsides since the two companies don't compete.
BiggA
Premium Member
join:2005-11-23
Central CT

BiggA to Emptypockets

Premium Member

to Emptypockets
Comcast tends to avoid carriage disputes. They just pay up, and then pass the rate increases along to their customers.
gworkman
join:2005-10-18
Las Vegas, NV

1 recommendation

gworkman

Member

Big Coo for the Dodgers

The Dodgers benefit greatly from this quagmire. See...Time Warner pays the Dodgers the complete fee for TV rights so the Dodgers don't get paid any more or less depending on how many eyes are able to see the games. Furthermore, since fans cannot watch on TV (and most are not VPN competent...hell...they're Dodger fans), attending a game is their only choice.
Qreptiles
join:2005-07-20
Grants Pass, OR

1 recommendation

Qreptiles

Member

Re: Big Coo for the Dodgers

Attendance doesn't really matter for the Dodgers. Over the past few decades they have had some of the highest numbers in the league.
Chuck_IV
join:2003-11-18
Connecticut

Chuck_IV to gworkman

Member

to gworkman
Based on their attendance, it didn't work that way. People just won't go or watch. In looking at their per game avg, this "holdout" netted them a whopping... wait for it... ~450 fan per game. In looking at their past attendance, they had higher in the mid 2000's anyway.

In the long run it will costs them fans, as those up and coming fans will be watching the Angels and not the Dodgers. Who IS loving this is Arte Moreno.
jasondean
join:2009-08-28
Brooklyn, NY

jasondean

Member

TWC SportsNet App

Now's the time TWC or the fans can demonstrate whether or not the cost is truly worth whatever they're asking.

Why doesn't TWC offer their SNLA channel via App/Web subscription without a cable contract at whatever price they want. If Dodgers fans are dumb enough to buy it, TWC wins. If no one subscribes, it shows that fans are fed up with these ridiculous prices.

I live in NYC and have a channel that I don't want and can't watch any live events because of archaic blackout rules yet I'm sure TWC is forcing it upon me just so TWC can say "SNLA is in x American homes!"

Flyonthewall
@teksavvy.com

Flyonthewall

Anon

Re: TWC SportsNet App

FOX used the same argument when claiming millions pay to watch their broadcast. It was pointed out, in court, that this is only true because FOX is bundled into basic cable, you have it whether you want it or not. Boot-strap levitation.
Qreptiles
join:2005-07-20
Grants Pass, OR

1 recommendation

Qreptiles

Member

A Little history

Being from LA and having most of my family still there it is a interesting thing with the SportsNetLA. LA had 2 sports networks Fox Sports West and Prime Ticket just 3 years ago. All the local sports teams were on these two networks and many had an OTA counterpart for a portion of the games. But starting with the 2012 season for the Lakers they got their own network also owned by Time Warner. And this really started it all. Time Warner started 2 new sports networks one for the Lakers, Time Warner Cable SportsNet, this channel also got the Sparks and Galaxy to join it and then a Spanish language sports channel. These were sold as a bundle and most think they got around $5 per subscriber for them.
Fast forward to 2 years later than Time Warner is trying to launch another sports channel in LA for the Dodgers, SportsNetLA, and wanting around $5 per subscriber for it also. And in this case all the other cable and satellite companies just said no. And they were demanding it went on the lowest level packages as well just like all other sports channels.
LA had gone from a market that was served by 2 sports channels to one served by 5. I am one that thinks things have gotten way out of hand. If you are a person in LA when you add up the five channels along with ESPN your paying somewhere in the $20 range just to have sports on your TV.
Add in the fact that the Pac-12 Network was also started in this time frame you'd add a sixth sports channel.
I know many that are effected by this and aren't happy and I feel for them. But the cable and satellite companies are just in the worst spot. Pay these fees and in the process help your competitor or don't pay it and upset part of your customer base. But does any market need 5 or 6 if you count Pac-12 sports only channels for just the local teams? Even in a market the size of LA.
mgamer20o0
join:2003-12-01
Norwalk, CA

mgamer20o0

Member

Re: A Little history

said by Qreptiles:

Being from LA and having most of my family still there it is a interesting thing with the SportsNetLA. LA had 2 sports networks Fox Sports West and Prime Ticket just 3 years ago. All the local sports teams were on these two networks and many had an OTA counterpart for a portion of the games. But starting with the 2012 season for the Lakers they got their own network also owned by Time Warner. And this really started it all. Time Warner started 2 new sports networks one for the Lakers, Time Warner Cable SportsNet, this channel also got the Sparks and Galaxy to join it and then a Spanish language sports channel. These were sold as a bundle and most think they got around $5 per subscriber for them.
Fast forward to 2 years later than Time Warner is trying to launch another sports channel in LA for the Dodgers, SportsNetLA, and wanting around $5 per subscriber for it also. And in this case all the other cable and satellite companies just said no. And they were demanding it went on the lowest level packages as well just like all other sports channels.
LA had gone from a market that was served by 2 sports channels to one served by 5. I am one that thinks things have gotten way out of hand. If you are a person in LA when you add up the five channels along with ESPN your paying somewhere in the $20 range just to have sports on your TV.
Add in the fact that the Pac-12 Network was also started in this time frame you'd add a sixth sports channel.
I know many that are effected by this and aren't happy and I feel for them. But the cable and satellite companies are just in the worst spot. Pay these fees and in the process help your competitor or don't pay it and upset part of your customer base. But does any market need 5 or 6 if you count Pac-12 sports only channels for just the local teams? Even in a market the size of LA.

its because they over paid both teams. sooner or later Time Warner has to break. how long can they keep losing money by not having all the local cable/sat companies showing their station?

back in the day you could watch the dodgers away games i believe on fox and lakers on kcal 9 for away games.
cgreene
Premium Member
join:2003-12-14
Roanoke Rapids, NC

1 recommendation

cgreene

Premium Member

First Class Picture on SportNetLA

Watched a lot of games from MLB Extra Inning last season from SportNetLA. I will give them credit for one thing. The picture always looks better than the FOX games. First Class all the way!

maartena
Elmo
Premium Member
join:2002-05-10
Orange, CA

maartena

Premium Member

5 bucks for Lakers, 5 bucks for Dodgers, where does it end?

Los Angeles has 7 (soon 8 again) professional sports teams. The Lakers already asked almost $5 for their channel, and the Dodgers are asking $5 for theirs. I know the Angels have had a broadcast deal since 2012 or so that is around $3, and with the Clippers, Ducks, Kings, LA Galaxy plus the college sports from UCLA and USC people are starting to pay close to $25 for sports, counting ESPN for almost $6 and all the national sports networks.

But does the viewer have a choice to control their costs? No. If you live in the Los Angeles market you HAVE to pay for all that sports if you want a channel package that covers more then the broadcast networks. (And those you can get for free anyways.)

It is appalling. If you like sports, okay, that is one thing. But if you don't like sports and are willing to shell out $150 per year in sports costs you never ever watch.... that is just plain stupidity.

And no one is stupid enough to buy the network now. They know that everything might change with a Comcast/TWC merger, and it is actually a sound financial decision to wait another year and see what is going to happen with that. And by then, the network might have gone bankrupt on its own, which is what happened to Comcast Sportsnet Houston when they couldn't secure any other providers 2 years in a row, and guess what: DirecTV bought them and converted the network into one of their Roots Sports networks, and sold the rights back to Comcast as part of the deal. DirecTV may do the same here, just wait it out till they can't wait no more. TWC Sportsnet Dodgers is really really hurting TWC right now, and the shareholders may not give them a choice.

•••

DOStradamus
MVM
join:2003-11-04
Santa Rosa, CA

DOStradamus

MVM

And the obvious solution is...

Dodger fans outside of the LA area never can watch their favorite team on cable, unless we want to pay even more for TV, by purchasing the overpriced MLB package.

Perhaps the Angelinos might wish to do as I do...

Solution: Pay LESS to the cable company. Cut the cord! "Piracy" to the rescue!

"Ahoy, matee!"

-NK

•••
stridr69
join:2003-05-19
San Luis Obispo, CA

stridr69

Member

What ever happened...

...to the old fashioned radio? Baseball(IMHO) is a lousy TV sport. I grew up in SoCal listening to Dodger Baseball on KFI. And Angel Baseball on KMPC. Lakers were on KNX. All for free. And still is. If your in LA. Now I have SiriusXM. I get every teams home radio. Wherever I'am. For $17 a month.
Satch
join:2009-11-25

1 edit

Satch

Member

Re: What ever happened...

I don't understand,

It's like TWC has rights for the channel, but needs separate rights to be cleared with MLB to show the games. Either way, the fans lose. Is the competition like this as well?

Satch