In a major regional sports network coup, Time Warner Cable and the Los Angeles Lakers have reached a 20-year deal that
will include distribution of the reigning two-time National Basketball
Association champion's live games via two new new HD regional sports
networks, including the first Spanish-language regional.
The
Lakers will move their games from News Corp-owned regional sports
service Fox Sports West to the new networks beginning with the 2012-2013
season, according to Time Warner officials. The as-yet-named networks
will be available to all satellite, cable and telco distributors
including all of Southern California, Nevada and Hawaii.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
A Fox spokesperson released the following statement:
"Fox made an offer to the Lakers that would have paid them one of the highest local TV rights fees in professional sports. We did not believe that going higher was in the best interest of our business or pay TV customers in Los Angeles, who will bear the cost of this deal for years to come."
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