Diamond Sports issues open letter to fans amid dispute with Comcast

The rest of the letter is as follows:

Dear sports fans,

Xfinity recently terminated our networks despite our best efforts to reach a mutually beneficial distribution agreement. Their refusal to air the games while we continue the conversation is disappointing for many reasons, but mostly because it hurts you, the fans, and the sports media industry as a whole. We understand that sports rights are confusing – and that the industry evolves in ways that don’t always put fans first. This letter is an effort for us to be honest and transparent with you.

Bally Sports is not just a local sports network; it brings you, the fans, closer to your favorite local teams and talent, providing you with shared memories, night after night. And it’s not just fans who are directly affected: the teams and leagues we’ve built relationships with for decades are also affected.

Ultimately, Xfinity’s current proposal will immediately put Bally Sports at a tier that requires you to pay more to see your favorite teams. This case is not an attempt to ask Xfinity for more money. In fact, we’re just asking them to accept market terms, like what Charter Spectrum, Cox Communications, DirecTV and DirecTV STREAM did last month.

Our objective? Reach an agreement and get your local teams back on the air. Unfortunately, Xfinity has not been willing to engage in meaningful discussions and will not reactivate the channels while we continue to work on this issue. We are not giving up, however. We want to make this work with Xfinity and hope they recognize the crucial role Bally Sports plays in serving local sports fans. The stakes are high. Millions of our customers who enjoy the games we stream are already left in the dark.

Now we turn to you, the fans. Raise your voice, let Xfinity know you want your teams back on air. Tell them to do what’s right by the fans. After all, you’re the one paying to make this happen. Your opinion matters.

– Diamond Sports Group, owner of the Bally Sports regional networks

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