Credit Herald

Comcast Corp., in responding to criticism from the Portland Trail Blazers over the airing of games, called the team’s observations “misplaced and inaccurate.”

Comcast, in documents sent to the Federal Communications Commission, said it “has every business incentive to seek more, not less, distribution” of cable-aired Blazer games. Because the company has invested much capital and assumed the risk associated with building a new television network, “the path to recovering (Comcast’s) investment lies in maximizing distribution at fair terms.”

The two sides are bickering over Comcast’s inability to reach carriage agreements for Comcast SportsNet Northwest with other cable providers.

Comcast submitted its observations in a letter related to the proposed media merger between Comcast Corp., General Electric Co. and NBC Universal Inc. The Trail Blazers had submitted a letter to the Federal Communications Commission asking to make the merger conditional partly on whether Comcast would allow competing providers to show the team’s cable-aired games.

If the FCC sides with the Blazers, more fans would be able to watch the team’s televised games paperless payday loans.

Comcast officials had promised the team that its broadcast contract would bring increased exposure for the team. However, Comcast hasn’t reached agreements with enough providers to ensure more statewide access to the team’s cable-broadcast games. Comcast does point out, though, that 11 broadcast providers carry Comcast SportsNet NW in 264 Oregon and Washington communities.

In the season before CSN-NW launched, 21 Trail Blazers games were not televised anywhere on any outlet,” Comcast officials wrote in their FCC missive.” “Now . . .all of the team’s regular season games are televised.”

Distributors who are not carrying the network include Charter, Dish Network, and DirecTV.

“CSN-NW shares the frustration of the Trail Blazers and local fans who cannot follow all of the team’s game on TV because certain (companies) have elected not to carry the network,” the company wrote. “This, however, has nothing to do with the transaction pending before the Commission.”

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