This is no April Fools joke. Several NBC regional sports networks were dropped from both DISH TV and Sling TV last night, and, MASN (Mid-Atlantic Sports Network) was dropped from DISH TV.
The NBC RSNs include NBC Sports Bay Area, NBC Sports Washington, and NBC Sports California.
The removal of service, the result of a carriage dispute between MASN, NBC and DISH, affects 10 states along with Washington D.C.
“The current RSN model is fundamentally broken,” said Brian Neylon, Group President, DISH TV. “This model requires nearly all customers to pay for RSNs when only a small percentage of customers actually watch them. As the cost of these channels continues to escalate, we no longer think it makes sense to include them in our TV lineup.”
NBC responde to DISH’s early press announcment saying, “The NBC Regional Sports Networks offered to continue distribution on fair market terms. DISH and Sling declined those terms and will be dropping the networks. The many other distributors that continue to carry the RSNs are listed on each RSN’s website.”
