Comcast SportsNet Northwest has added Wave Broadband to its distribution lineup.
The deal, terms of which were not disclosed, puts Comcast SportsNet NW on Wave systems in time for the National Basketball Association’s Portland Trail Blazer’s first game on the service Nov. 1.
The regional sports network now resides on channel 37 on Wave’s cable systems in the Silverton area, channel 45 in Sandy, channel 78 in Stayton and channel 63 in Sheridan. Wave is also scheduled to make Comcast SportsNet available to the company’s customers in Washington State in the coming weeks.
“We recognize our customers’ interest in local sports programming, and we’re proud to launch Comcast SportsNet Northwest,” said Wave Broadband marketing director Adam Lazara in a statement. “The addition of Comcast SportsNet reinforces our commitment to provide the best possible choices and value to our customers,” Lazara said.
The carriage contract follows deals Comcast SportsNet NW has inked in recent weeks with Country Cablevision, Monroe Telephone and Canby Telecom. All told, the RSN has pacts with eight providers, including parent Comcast and Verizon’s FiOS TV, serving 250 communities in Oregon and Washington.
However, the service, which is contracted to present 55 Blazers games, 33 in high-definition during the 2008-09 NBA season, has holes in its distribution lineup: DirecTV, Dish Network, Charter Communications and other smaller providers in its territory have yet to conclude carriage contracts.
