Bulls, Other Clubs Ask Time Warner to Carry Orioles, Nats Network

Durham, N.C. — Executives of the state's nine minor league baseball clubs, including the Durham Bulls, say they want Time Warner Cable to add the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN) to its basic service tier.

MASN carries Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals games and more than 200 football, basketball and lacrosse games involving North Carolina universities, the executives said.

Carrying major league ball helps interest in the minor league clubs, which helps local economies, they told Time Warner President and CEO Glenn A. Britt in a letter, dated Monday.

Melissa Buscher, a spokeswoman for Time Warner's Triangle and Fayetteville operation, said company officials feel it would be unfair to impose the cost of acquiring MASN programming on all customers because interest in the games is low.

Until this year, Orioles games were on a Fox sports network that Time Warner offered, Buscher noted. When MASN pulled those games from Fox for this season, Times Warner received "virtually no calls," she said.

Buscher said Time Warner has tried to negotiate a deal to put MASN on a digital channel, but the two sides have been unable to agree on terms.

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Latest Comments

Why would they offer this if no one even complained about the Orioles games not being on TWC anymore in the Triangle? More baseball fans here like the Braves anyway. I don't want my rate to rise just because a few people want to see the O's or the Nationals play. I'd rather go see the Bulls play than watch them on TV. If the demand for it is not there, it makes no sense for them to offer it. I'm happy with TWC and my HD box. I love getting the local channels, TNT, ESPN and ESPN2 in HD and not having to pay extra for it versus having regular digital cable.

Brick Tamland
July 10, 2007 2:20 p.m.

I had to respond. All of these complaints are answered with DirecTV. Yes, even Catholic Mass is available on DTV. I bought two DirecTV systems in December, 1994, which was about 6 months after it was first released. I have since added two more systems in the house. No matter who's house I visit in any state, that doesn't have DirecTV, I can't wait to get back home where I can watch my own system. Been a DirecTV customer for 12 or 13 years and have no thoughts of changing. Yes, there's Dish Network. But I'm loyal to the first company that delivered Digital TV to our homes. TWC never would have gone digital if DTV didn't bring it first. DirecTV lead the way back then, and they still lead the way today. Quit complaining about TWC not having competition. Its only because most of you are too lazy to open your eyes and see the competition.

DeathRow-IFeelYourPain-NOT
July 10, 2007 2:19 p.m.

You'll have to pry my DirecTV dish from my cold, dead fingers. Left TWC in 2002 and have never looked back. Good riddance to bad service.

A_Patriot
July 10, 2007 2:05 p.m.

I have Directv, and get MASN and MASN2 love those stations. Plus, you get the YES network for the Yankees and get to listen to Mike and the Mad Dog from 1-6 every day. Time Warner Cable also doesn't have the MLB package anymore, but thats not their fault.

brian2380
July 10, 2007 1:55 p.m.

As a die-hard Orioles fan this would be great. But, as several people here have pointed out TWC doesn't care. I can't watch the O's but I can watch a Catholic Mass if I want? Go figure!!!

SouthWestRaleigh
July 10, 2007 12:57 p.m.