Met Fans!!! -- Time Warner, Cablevision reach deal to return MSG Network

Time Warner, Cablevision reach deal to return MSG Network


August 11, 2004, 8:38 PM EDT

NEW YORK (AP) _ Cable television giants Time Warner Cable and Cablevision on Wednesday night reached an interim agreement that immediately returned New York Mets baseball to millions of cable TV customers who were left without them for more than a week because of a dispute over programming fees.

Time Warner pulled the Madison Square Garden Network, Fox Sports Net New York, the MetroChannels and three Fox Sports digital networks from its lineup Aug. 1. The stations were back on Wednesday night _ including a telecast of the Mets against the Houston Astros.

Time Warner said it would continue to air the MSG Networks for its 2.4 million subscribers during negotiations with Cablevision. MSG Network is a subsidiary of Cablevision.

In a statement on its Web site, MSG Network thanked state Attorney General Eliot Spitzer for brokering the deal that returned Mets games to Time Warner.

"Both Time Warner Cable and MSG Networks will continue to work towards a new long-term agreement and appreciate Mr. Spitzer's willingness to remain helpful in that process," the statement said.

Neither company would comment further.

MSG Network has argued that Time Warner is offering rates 30 percent less than those that it agreed to pay the YES Network, which is owned by YankeeNets, the sports media company that owns the New York Yankees, the New Jersey Nets and the New Jersey Devils.

MSG Network owns the New York Knicks and the New York Rangers.

Time Warner said last week that Cablevision had demanded "unprecedented fees for programming that continues to diminish in value."

Cablevision has about 3 million customers in the New York metropolitan area.

Re: Met Fans!!! -- Time Warner, Cablevision reach deal to return MSG Network

I know!! I'm so excited - I only realized it because my friend was flipping thru the channels and he found it and called us. Wouldn't have minded missing this game though

Re: Met Fans!!! -- Time Warner, Cablevision reach deal to return MSG Network

Aww MAN!! It has been so peaceful here without FFIL yelling at the TV....
Just Kidding

That's great news for those Mets fans