New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is threatening to haul Optimum cable and its parent company Altice before her administration if it doesn’t settle its “ridiculous dispute” with Madison Square Garden Networks that has kept a million households blacked out from watching Tri-State area sports teams for more than a month.
Hochul on Monday voiced frustration over the ongoing dispute between MSG Networks and Optimum TV, which has left subscribers without access to major sports programming since Jan. 1.
The governor directed the Department of Public Service to intervene, ensuring consumers are treated fairly.
“Enough is enough!” Hochul wrote in a news release first obtained by Newsday.
According to Hochul, the DPS sent a formal request to Altice demanding a response outlining a plan to resolve the matter within five days.
If the dispute isn’t resolved within that time period, Hochul warned that public hearings would be scheduled.
The blackout began at 12:01 a.m. on New Year’s Day when Altice removed MSG Networks from Optimum TV.
Since then, negotiations over a new carriage agreement have stalled, leaving fans unable to watch New York Knicks, Rangers, Islanders and Devils games.
“New Yorkers are proud sports fanatics, and blocking Knicks, Rangers, and Islanders fans from watching programming they’ve paid to watch is simply unconscionable,” Hochul said.
“Denying fans access to live sports because of a ridiculous dispute between Optimum and MSG is unfair to New Yorkers and our patience has expired. This has gone on for long enough — it’s time for both sides to get back to the negotiating table and resolve this for the good of New Yorkers!”
A spokesperson for MSG welcomed Hochul’s statement, telling The Post: “We applaud Governor Hochul’s engagement and ensuring local sports fans have access to MSG Networks’ programming.”
“We remain ready to negotiate with Optimum or enter binding arbitration to immediately bring our games back on the air.”
The Post has sought comment from Altice and Hochul.
The letter from DPS CEO Rory Christian to Chris Bresnan, Altice’s senior director of government affairs, outlined specific demands, asking Altice to explain what cost-neutral options it plans to offer affected customers, when they will be available, and how customers can enroll.
Alternatively, Optimum was asked to acknowledge if it intends to provide refunds for lost services and detail how it will communicate this information to its subscribers.
“In the event that your response does not demonstrate customers are being held harmless during this dispute, you are hereby notified that the Department will conduct hearings as part of its ongoing review of this matter,” the letter stated.
Christian reinforced Hochul’s stance, saying, “Governor Hochul is giving voice to New York sports fans who are frustrated that they cannot view all their cable channels and who should be entitled to a refund for services they are unable to access or be provided with cost-neutral alternatives.”
“The Department of Public Service will work diligently to ensure the cable companies protect customers,” Christian wrote.
In response, Altice issued a statement to Newsday emphasizing its efforts to minimize disruptions, stating, “Since January 1, Optimum 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.”
The company also called for changes to the broader cable programming model, arguing that “MSG Networks has done nothing to make their content more affordable and has made no effort to assist impacted fans.”
The dispute has also drawn scrutiny from New York Attorney General Letitia James and her counterparts in New Jersey and Connecticut, who recently urged Altice to issue refunds for the missed programming.
While Altice has offered some affected customers bill reductions and, in certain cases, gift cards worth hundreds of dollars, it has not issued a universal refund for subscribers who lost access to MSG Networks.
The dispute highlights ongoing challenges in the cable industry, as both companies struggle with the growing trend of “cord-cutting” that has reshaped television consumption.
Approximately one million households in the New York metropolitan area have been affected, with Long Island particularly impacted due to its high concentration of Optimum TV customers.
“We agree with Governor Hochul that local sports fans who want MSG Networks’ content should have access to it, which is why we were asking MSG to reach a deal for our customers who want it. In the meantime, we have been making sure our customers don’t miss a game, spending millions of dollars to help sports fans and non-sports fans alike,” Optimum responded to Post. “We look forward to working with Governor Hochul to fix the outdated programming model that does not align with how consumers watch TV today. In the meantime, while we help customers with options, MSG Networks has done nothing to make their content more affordable and has made no effort to assist impacted fans.
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