Dodgers Team News

SportsNet LA Places Ad In LA Times Accusing DirecTV Of Double Standard

[new_royalslider id=”225″] At the conclusion of Sunday’s games, baseball considered the first half of the 2014 season over. For the Los Angeles Dodgers and several other teams, they had technically already surpassed the midway point of their respective 162-game schedules.

The Dodgers are 54-43, good for first place in the National League West and NL.



SportsNet LA’s availability remains scarce as other cable providers have yet to come to terms for the rights to add the Dodgers’ network to their programming. DirecTV is at the forefront of the dispute and were the target of a recent SportsNet LA advertisement.

Placed in Sunday’s print edition of the LA Times, SportsNet LA accused DirecTV of wanting a double standard deal. SportsNet LA addressed DirecTV in a series of what they describe as facts, beginning with the subscriber fee:

Fact #1: The claim that we want $5.00 per subscriber is false. SportsNet LA’s price is comparable to — and in some cases lower than — other regional sports networks. Our proposed pricing would not even make it the most expensive regional sports network in Southern California.

Next was comparing DirecTV’s most recent offer to what they charge for comparable sports networks:

Fact #2: DirecTV is not actively negotiating for an agreement, and their latest offer to us would amount to substantially less than what their own sports channels charge for the Rockies and Mariners.

SportsNet LA then pointed to DirecTV raising the price for their regional sports package:

Fact #3: DirecTV raised their regional sports surcharge 80% in February, on the eve of the SportsNet LA launch, but instead of giving fans the Dodgers — or giving their customers a refund — DirecTV is pocketing the money.

Lastly was the seldom-reported claim DirecTV would like to have the authority to no longer carry the network at their discretion:

DirecTV says they want to drop the Dodgers if they don’t play well. These are terms DirecTV refuses to even consider for their own regional sports network.

While speaking at a press conference for the All-Star Game Tuesday, MLB commissioner Bud Selig expressed his concern over the blackout, via Bill Plunkett of the OC Register:

Team president and CEO Stan Kasten voiced his disappointment over the situation and said it was an issue that is constantly being worked on. Disputes of this nature aren’t uncommon but for it to last this long in such a large market does come as somewhat of a surprise.

What initially began as a situation where fans perhaps missed the first few weeks, or even the first few months of the season, now appears to be well on its way towards the majority of Los Angeles being left in the dark for the entire year.
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17 Comments

  1. Ok thats great but theres other cable companies who haven’t made a deal either. So are all cable companies just evil and say the same lie, or is TWC the actual problem? I always look at the common denominator, and after asking my cable company (Cox) about SportsNet LA, they told me the same thing. That they wanted to much money per subscriber.

  2. What DISRESPECT for the FANS! COME ON, DODGERS! SHOW SOME RESPECT FOR YOUR FANS!

    #RESPECT THE FANS!

  3. The fact of the matter is the #mlb and #dodgers don’t care, other than PR. They got their money from Times Warner. And attendance is up! Now Times Warner and their possible buyer, Comcast, are holding the bill. That’s what the latest ad and campaign, #ineedmydodgers, is all about!

    Very sad.

    1. I totally blame Dodger ownership on this! How can they not give a crap that fans can’t watch the games on tv? Oh ya $$$$$$ GREED

    2. I agree, but the solution is actually very simple. The Dodgers could give back some of the money to make it more affordable so DTV could sign up – NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN. They are about the money.

      – However… The Dodgers could go to DTV and agree to X Million dollars in advertising on one of the there stations. The Dodgers get advertising (which they will do anyway). DTV gets the Money and WE GET THE DODGERS !

  4. 70% of LA has already missed more than half the Dodgers’ season. In a show of good faith, why not show games on the Lakers channel? Nothing is airing there except summer league games.

    The blame goes partly to the Dodgers for going for the money grab, and TWC for grossly overpaying for the Dodgers. What do you think would happen when TWC overpaid by billions? They’ll try to recoup it by gouging the customers.

    If this continues, this will end up in the only way possible: bankruptcy for the Dodgers channel, just like what happen in Houston.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comcast_SportsNet_Houston#Bankruptcy_filing

  5. I have several issues I want to address in response to what TWC is stating, and therefore, want a few questions answered. So here goes:

    #1 – What does TWC really want to charge per customer? They say it is not $5, well then, what is it?

    #2 – If they know what Direct charges for Rockies and Mariners what is it. I want to know what it is in comparison to Dodgers.

    #3 – I know Direct TV raised their prices but how do they know they are pocketing the money?

    To me, all I see is the greed that surrounds me in this situation by all parties and it is pissing me off. I have been a loyal Dodger fan for many years, and believe me, the Dodger machine has made plenty of money off of me over the years. What gets me the most is that the organization isn’t doing a dam thing to try and help get this situation soothed out in any manner at all. They were greedy enough to take the money that was offered, why aren’t they helping in some way to get this resolved. This just shows that they do not care about their fans at all, and shows me that maybe I should care less about them, and therefore, should spend my money elsewhere.

    Greed by all parties has never been so obvious. The almighty dollar has become god to all parties, and I wonder why I sometimes should even be a fan when more important things are taking place in this world that need attention.

    Sign me one disgusted sports fan.

    1. Dodgers don’t care about you or any fans. Just think..27% of la lives below poverty and have to choose between cable tv for 65 per month, or food, or healthcare. This is not the Dodger I’ve rooted for my whole life. Boycott the dodgers.

  6. These crooks are costing me a potential first world series I was born in 85.vin scully might retire, my first no hitters in my lifetime, dee gordon allstar, puigs sophmore campaign, greinkes first season, I’m so disgusted in twc dtv n the dod.gers…smh sad…go angels…disgraceful considering I watched every televised broadcast if I wasn’t at the stadium…congrats my household is building such hate for u I don’t think there is a chance of going back to the dodgers.

  7. I was the former director of marketing at TWC and at Sportschannel. TWC and the dodgers are EXTORING their fans and holding us hostage. Stop watching. I will never never watch a game as long as Guggenheims own the team, They are racist capitalist scumbags making money off the poor, elderly and non fan. And Magic is the worst of them all because he is their front lackey.

    1. More fun facts. The year the dodgers won the World Series in 1988 we only had an 11 penetration..in la and we also had the angels. In all our research, 80% of the market wouldn’t even pay 2 dollars for dodgers and angels. Who are theses billionaires who have the nerve to charge us so much.

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