The highest prosecutors in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut need Altice-owned Optimum cable to both raise the blackout of Madison Sq. Backyard Networks or refund clients who’ve been unable to entry Knicks, Rangers, Devils and Islanders video games for the reason that deadlock began on New Yr’s Day.
New York Legal professional Normal Letitia James, Connecticut Legal professional Normal William Tong and New Jersey Legal professional Normal Matthew Platkin co-signed a letter to the cable firm on Thursday urging one of many nation’s largest cable suppliers to make amends with followers.
“New York sports fans are being put in the penalty box, forced to shell out their hard-earned money for television channels they cannot even watch,” stated James.
“Optimum customers have paid for channels to watch their home sports teams, but their cable company is not offering these channels while charging them anyway.”
James stated she was “determined to secure a solution for New Yorkers who have had to endure these unfair blackouts and I urge Optimum and MSG to finally reach a deal so New Yorkers can watch their home teams.”
The dispute stems from a contract standoff between Optimum’s mum or dad firm, Altice USA, and MSG Networks, which resulted within the elimination of key sports activities and leisure channels from Optimum cable plans.
Since Jan. 1, Optimum clients have been unable to entry MSG channels, which broadcast video games for groups together with the New York Knicks, New York Rangers, New York Islanders, New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres.
James had beforehand urged Altice and MSG to resolve their negotiations swiftly to stop service disruptions for New York shoppers.
Now, the attorneys basic are demanding that Altice challenge computerized refunds to clients who paid for channels they’ll now not entry.
The attorneys basic are calling on Altice to challenge refunds routinely, fairly than requiring clients to navigate a claims course of — guaranteeing impacted subscribers obtain truthful compensation for his or her misplaced providers.
As negotiations between Altice and MSG proceed, affected clients stay caught within the center—paying for programming they’ll’t watch, in keeping with the attorneys basic.
MSG issued an announcement praising the attorneys basic.
“We applaud the Attorneys General in demanding Altice do right by its subscribers and either issue a full refund or immediately reach an agreement to return MSG Networks to Optimum subscribers,” an organization rep instructed The Put up.
A spokesperson for Optimum supplied an announcement to The Put up in response to the letter.
“Optimum calls on our local Attorneys General to work with us to fix the broken video programming model and ensure consumers have more choice,” a spokesperson for Optimum stated in an announcement.
The cable supplier stated that it has been “focused on limiting customer disruption by proactively engaging with customers to provide personalized assistance and alternative solutions for sports fans and non-sports fans alike.”
“From press releases and social media campaigns to customer emails and educational videos, we have been vocal about the options we have available -— from helping to offset the cost of Gotham Sports or Fubo to transitioning customers to new video offerings that save them an average of $25 per month,” the spokesperson stated.
Optimum stated it was urging clients “to call or chat with us so that we can listen to their unique needs and assist them.”
“As we have repeatedly said, the legacy video model is broken because distributors like Optimum continue to be handcuffed by programmers like MSG Networks who demand we make their content available to the majority of customers, regardless of actual viewer interest,” the corporate stated.
Optimum stated that “this antiquated model…forces high fees and minimum penetration rates” which “drive up the costs of legacy video packages and gives distributors like us little flexibility to adjust prices –- especially in an evolving TV landscape where consumers now have more choice than ever before.”
Altice has accused MSG and its chairman, James Dolan, of refusing to pursue an settlement in good religion as a result of MSG Networks’ ballooning debt burden.
Final week, The Put up reported that the New York-based regional sports activities community was in talks to succeed in a deal to keep away from chapter and that the media firm was courting potential buyers together with Amazon.
MSG Networks defaulted on its loans this previous fall however lenders have prolonged the fee deadline a number of occasions, most lately from Jan. 10 to final Friday at midnight.
This time, the goal is to succeed in a deal fairly than merely lengthen the deadline once more, sources briefed on the discussions.
Further Reporting by Josh Kosman
