File this one in the “Oh no you didn’t” category.
As soon as today, Charter Spectrum cable subscribers might get a rude awakening when they turn to a Fox channel and find that it isn’t part of their cable package. It’s because of a contract dispute between the two: Fox wants more money for its programming than Charter wants to pay, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Minnesota Wild first-round playoff games will be broadcast in Minnesota on Fox Sports North and NBC Sports Network, but if you don’t have NBCSN you might get blacked out all together. The same goes for any Twins and Timberwolves games, including tonight’s Wolves home finale tonight against Russell Westbrook and the Thunder. The Wolves are unveiling their new logo tonight, so getting blacked out on Charter would be a nightmare for fans.
Fox and Charter are blaming each other.
Charter says: “Fox is trying to gouge our customers using the increasingly common tactic of threats and removal of programming,” Charter said. “They are attempting to extort Charter for hundreds of millions of dollars. We will continue to work towards a fair agreement.”
Fox says: “We’re disappointed that despite our best efforts to reach a resolution, Charter Spectrum subscribers could lose access to multiple Fox sports and entertainment networks on April 11.”
Charter Spectrum cable packages are available in several markets in Minnesota, including the Twin Cities, Rochester, Fargo-Moorhead, Duluth, Brainerd, Mankato and St. Cloud.
In addition to Charter subscribers possibly losing out on the Twins, Wild and Wolves, other Fox channels like Fox Deportes, National Geographic and FX could be blacked out.
Fox even created a video to show people what they could lose.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5Z3clYb5wY
GoMN’s Tip Jar column has compared the price of local cable packages with online streaming services, through which people can access local sports broadcast on Fox Sports North.
