Charter has announced that 10 Los Angeles Dodgers games will air live this season on KTLA, the Tribune-owned station that’s available in the Los Angeles market for free via an antenna, or as part of most local cable or satellite packages.
The games will be simulcast by SportsNet LA, the TV home of the Dodgers, which has struggled to persuade major TV providers to carry the regional sports channel. The KTLA agreement is more evidence that SportsNet LA is unlikely to add more providers this season.
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Since its launch in 2014, DIRECTV and most other major TV providers in the LA area have refused to carry SportsNet LA, saying its carriage fee is excessive. The only major providers that have agreed to carry it are Time Warner Cable (now Charter) and Charter itself. (TWC, which is now owned by Charter, agreed to pay the Dodgers $8.35 billion over 25 years for the broadcast rights to the Dodgers games.).
The Justice Department last year filed suit against AT&T and DIRECTV, claiming that DIRECTV (now owned by AT&T) has engaged in an illegal campaign to prevent SportsNet LA from being carried by the major TV providers in the Los Angeles market.
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DIRECTV has denied the charge, saying it does not carry SportsNet LA because it is requesting ‘excessive carriage fees.’
The lawsuit is still pending.
KTLA agreement will allow fans to watch at least 10 games, which will include contests against the Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants.
Here is a list of the 10 games that will air on KTLA:
Wednesday, April 5 6:30pm vs. San Diego Padres
Sunday, April 9 12:00pm at Colorado Rockies
Wednesday, April 12 5:00pm at Chicago Cubs
Sunday, April 16 1:00pm vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
Tuesday, April 18 6:30pm vs. Colorado Rockies
Wednesday, April 19 7:00pm vs. Colorado Rockies
Sunday, April 23 1:00pm at Arizona Diamondbacks
Sunday April 30 1:00pm vs. Philadelphia Phillies
Wednesday May 3 6:00pm vs. San Francisco Giants
Sunday, May 7 1:00pm at San Diego Padres
— Phillip Swann
